Top 15 major occupations* requiring the most time on repeated strenuous physical activities at work on a typical workday, the USA, 1988
| Risk ranking | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation (Bureau of Census code) | Time required Minutes (SE) | RA back pain† | AI back pain‡ |
| *Major occupations were defined as occupations with more than 349000 male workers or 290000 female workers. | |||
| †Back pain caused by repeated activities. | |||
| ‡Back pain caused by a single accident or injury. | |||
| §Not elsewhere classified. | |||
| Male workers | |||
| Construction labourers (869) | 365 (23) | 7 | 1 |
| Farmers, except horticultural (473) | 360 (23) | 9 | 11 |
| Freight, stock, and material handlers, n.e.c.§ (883) | 355 (28) | 17 | 10 |
| Carpenters (567) | 307 (12) | 1 | 6 |
| Groundskeepers, and gardeners, except farm (486) | 293 (32) | 16 | 7 |
| Farm workers (479) | 277 (30) | 18 | 4 |
| Labourers, except construction (889) | 270 (18) | 11 | 16 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (585) | 263 (21) | 4 | 14 |
| Welders and cutters (738) | 261 (26) | 12 | 17 |
| Stock handlers and baggers (877) | 234 (36) | 3 | 33 |
| Printing machine operators (734) | 229 (110) | 27 | 24 |
| Automobile mechanics (505) | 228 (24) | 2 | 20 |
| Supervisors, n.e.c. (558) | 211 (24) | 4 | 19 |
| Machine operators, n.e.c. (779) | 210 (29) | 24 | 22 |
| Truck drivers, heavy (804) | 205 (13) | 13 | 2 |
| Female workers | |||
| Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants (447) | 212 (14) | 1 | 1 |
| Maids and housemen (449) | 204 (28) | 5 | 2 |
| Farmers, except horticultural (473) | 192 (42) | 21 | 8 |
| Labourers, except construction (889) | 166 (29) | 6 | 5 |
| Miscellaneous food preparation occupations (444) | 160 (27) | 23 | 19 |
| Licensed practical nurses (207) | 136 (17) | 2 | 4 |
| Assemblers (785) | 131 (25) | 17 | 15 |
| Cooks, except short order (436) | 130 (15) | 13 | 11 |
| Janitors and cleaners (453) | 130 (15) | 4 | 12 |
| Waiters and waitresses (435) | 123 (12) | 9 | 14 |
| Registered nurses (095) | 123 (10) | 11 | 6 |
| Textile sewing machine operators (744) | 110 (22) | 10 | 28 |
| Production inspectors, checkers, and examiners (796) | 96 (28) | 12 | 3 |
| Private household cleaners and servants (407) | 88 (20) | 18 | 21 |
| Child care workers, except private (468) | 76 (14) | 23 | 22 |