Development and Application of a Work-process Classification.

Occupational exposures are related to work processes carried out by the individual worker. A classification of the work processes was developed on the basis of analyses of several databases. Work-process data were collected in a sample of Danish employees. An unambiguous, exhaustive work-process classification was developed where the work process was defined as the transformation of a work object into a product. A test showed that at least 85% of free-text data on occupational injuries contained work-process data. To illustrate applications of the classification, work-process data were used to define highly exposed and unexposed job groups. This classification may be useful for (for example) major general surveys to supplement the exposure information that job and industry classifications yield.