National Occupational Exposure Survey
(1981 - 1983)

Estimated Numbers of Employees Potentially Exposed to Specific Agents by Occupation*

Agent Name BORAX (NA2(B4O7).10H2O)
CAS # 1303-96-4
RTECS # VZ2275000
Agent Code T1956

Code Occupation Description (1980) Total # Employees
(Male & Female)
Total # Female
Employees
018 FUNERAL DIRECTORS 9,946 485
019 MANAGERS AND ADMINISTRATORS, N.E.C. 1,617  
048 CHEMICAL ENGINEERS 7 2
073 CHEMISTS, EXCEPT BIOCHEMISTS 429 32
078 BIOLOGICAL AND LIFE SCIENTISTS 27 17
083 MEDICAL SCIENTISTS 21 21
084 PHYSICIANS 81 49
095 REGISTERED NURSES 6,358 6,232
185 DESIGNERS 808 338
188 PAINTERS, SCULPTORS, CRAFT-ARTISTS, AND ARTIST PRINTMAKERS 931 555
189 PHOTOGRAPHERS 3,642 370
195 EDITORS AND REPORTERS 102  
203 CLINICAL LABORATORY TECHNOLOGISTS AND TECHNICIANS 2,015 1,370
206 RADIOLOGIC TECHNICIANS 1,515 901
207 LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSES 380 380
208 HEALTH TECHNOLOGISTS AND TECHNICIANS, N.E.C. 74 26
213 ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC TECHNICIANS 193  
215 MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TECHNICIANS 567  
216 ENGINEERING TECHNICIANS, N.E.C. 1,223 297
217 DRAFTING OCCUPATIONS 484 27
223 BIOLOGICAL TECHNICIANS 227  
224 CHEMICAL TECHNICIANS 1,201 481
225 SCIENCE TECHNICIANS, N.E.C. 1,774 474
235 TECHNICIANS, N.E.C. 7,896 1,176
274 SALES WORKERS, OTHER COMMODITIES 1,979 1,979
327 ORDER CLERKS 58 58
335 FILE CLERKS 331  
343 COST AND RATE CLERKS 9 9
356 MAIL CLERKS, EXC. POSTAL SERVICE 1,825 146
363 PRODUCTION COORDINATORS 116 116
364 TRAFFIC, SHIPPING, AND RECEIVING CLERKS 8,519 1,808
365 STOCK AND INVENTORY CLERKS 1,195 433
374 MATERIAL RECORDING, SCHEDULING, AND DISTRIBUTING CLERKS, N.E.C. 5  
379 GENERAL OFFICE CLERKS 319 57
426 GUARDS AND POLICE, EXC. PUBLIC SERVICE 140  
445 DENTAL ASSISTANTS 58 27
446 HEALTH AIDES, EXCEPT NURSING 2,661 2,280
447 NURSING AIDES, ORDERLIES, AND ATTENDANTS 251 205
449 MAIDS AND HOUSEMEN 3,240 1,140
453 JANITORS AND CLEANERS 56,330 8,069
458 HAIRDRESSERS AND COSMETOLOGISTS 7,273 6,046
487 ANIMAL CARETAKERS, EXCEPT FARM 403 403
505 AUTOMOBILE MECHANICS 1,966 42
507 BUS, TRUCK, AND STATIONARY ENGINE MECHANICS 3,140  
508 AIRCRAFT ENGINE MECHANICS 2,425 243
514 AUTOMOBILE BODY AND RELATED REPAIRERS 3,517  
515 AIRCRAFT MECHANICS, EXC. ENGINE 70 70
516 HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANICS 638  
518 INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY REPAIRERS 3,214  
519 MACHINERY MAINTENANCE OCCUPATIONS 487 14
544 MILLWRIGHTS 1,400  
547 SPECIFIED MECHANICS AND REPAIRERS, N.E.C. 2,272 122
549 NOT SPECIFIED MECHANICS AND REPAIRERS 8,183 20
563 BRICKMASONS AND STONEMASONS 185  
567 CARPENTERS 3,112 244
575 ELECTRICIANS 227  
585 PLUMBERS, PIPEFITTERS, AND STEAMFITTERS 1,726  
615 EXPLOSIVES WORKERS 7  
633 SUPERVISORS, PRODUCTION OCCUPATIONS 4,172  
634 TOOL AND DIE MAKERS 2,834  
637 MACHINISTS 31,669 738
639 MACHINIST APPRENTICES 643  
649 ENGRAVERS, METAL 592  
653 SHEET METAL WORKERS 4,324  
657 CABINET MAKERS AND BENCH CARPENTERS 652 348
669 SHOE REPAIRERS 120 120
675 HAND MOLDERS AND SHAPERS, EXCEPT JEWELERS 201  
677 OPTICAL GOODS WORKERS 405 109
678 DENTAL LABORATORY AND MEDICAL APPLIANCE TECHNICIANS 1,581  
679 BOOKBINDERS 1,658 787
684 MISCELLANEOUS PRECISION WORKERS, N.E.C. 2,653 221
688 FOOD BATCHMAKERS 409 307
689 INSPECTORS, TESTERS, AND GRADERS 457 434
695 POWER PLANT OPERATORS 732 172
699 MISCELLANEOUS PLANT AND SYSTEM OPERATORS 2,042  
703 LATHE AND TURNING MACHINE SET-UP OPERATORS 446  
704 LATHE AND TURNING MACHINE OPERATORS 1,713 64
705 MILLING AND PLANING MACHINE OPERATORS 318  
706 PUNCHING AND STAMPING PRESS MACHINE OPERATORS 4,526  
707 ROLLING MACHINE OPERATORS 3,776 28
708 DRILLING AND BORING MACHINE OPERATORS 810  
709 GRINDING, ABRADING, BUFFING, AND POLISHING MACHINE OPERATORS 10,854 577
713 FORGING MACHINE OPERATORS 41  
715 MISCELLANEOUS METAL, PLASTIC, STONE, AND GLASS WORKING MACHINE OPERATORS 609 223
717 FABRICATING MACHINE OPERATORS, N.E.C. 726  
719 MOLDING AND CASTING MACHINE OPERATORS 10,096 4,133
723 METAL PLATING MACHINE OPERATORS 9,039 3,234
724 HEAT TREATING EQUIPMENT OPERATORS 1,557  
725 MISCELLANEOUS METAL AND PLASTIC PROCESSING MACHINE OPERATORS 278 12
727 SAWING MACHINE OPERATORS 1,294  
733 MISCELLANEOUS WOODWORKING MACHINE OPERATORS 2,248 432
734 PRINTING MACHINE OPERATORS 8,826 442
735 PHOTOENGRAVERS AND LITHOGRAPHERS 2,208 157
736 TYPESETTERS AND COMPOSITORS 5,313 1,743
737 MISCELLANEOUS PRINTING MACHINE OPERATORS 1,383 447
743 TEXTILE CUTTING MACHINE OPERATORS 16  
744 TEXTILE SEWING MACHINE OPERATORS 1,524 1,496
745 SHOE MACHINE OPERATORS 613 464
747 PRESSING MACHINE OPERATORS 1,154 934
748 LAUNDERING AND DRY CLEANING MACHINE OPERATORS 1,562 768
749 MISCELLANEOUS TEXTILE MACHINE OPERATORS 757 376
753 CEMENTING AND GLUING MACHINE OPERATORS 679 57
754 PACKAGING AND FILLING MACHINE OPERATORS 5,048 2,556
755 EXTRUDING AND FORMING MACHINE OPERATORS 803  
756 MIXING AND BLENDING MACHINE OPERATORS 3,909 1,485
757 SEPARATING, FILTERING, AND CLARIFYING MACHINE OPERATORS 65  
758 COMPRESSING AND COMPACTING MACHINE OPERATORS 464 77
759 PAINTING AND PAINT SPRAYING MACHINE OPERATORS 3,547 432
764 WASHING, CLEANING, AND PICKLING MACHINE OPERATORS 122 16
766 FURNACE, KILN, AND OVEN OPERATORS, EXC. FOOD 6,745 10
769 SLICING AND CUTTING MACHINE OPERATORS 3,261 231
774 PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS MACHINE OPERATORS 4,915 2,123
777 MISCELLANEOUS MACHINE OPERATORS, N.E.C. 14,530 2,551
779 MACHINE OPERATORS, NOT SPECIFIED 34,925 6,994
783 WELDERS AND CUTTERS 6,048 189
784 SOLDERERS AND BRAZERS 59  
785 ASSEMBLERS 31,073 10,932
787 HAND MOLDING, CASTING, AND FORMING OCCUPATIONS 219  
795 MISCELLANEOUS HAND WORKING OCCUPATIONS 786 423
796 PRODUCTION INSPECTORS, CHECKERS, AND EXAMINERS 2,137 464
797 PRODUCTION TESTERS 15  
799 GRADERS AND SORTERS, EXCEPT AGRICULTURAL 439  
804 TRUCK DRIVERS, HEAVY 5,265  
849 CRANE AND TOWER OPERATORS 339  
856 INDUSTRIAL TRUCK AND TRACTOR EQUIPMENT OPERATORS 379  
859 MISCELLANEOUS MATERIAL MOVING EQUIPMENT OPERATORS 2,667 873
873 PRODUCTION HELPERS 1,887  
877 STOCK HANDLERS AND BAGGERS 248 248
878 MACHINE FEEDERS AND OFFBEARERS 1,978 170
887 VEHICLE WASHERS AND EQUIPMENT CLEANERS 877 62
888 HAND PACKERS AND PACKAGERS 6,433 2,382
889 LABORERS, EXCEPT CONSTRUCTION 16,578 846
TOTAL 442,072 88,646

*(1) The estimates for each occupation apply across the surveyed industries in which the agent was observed. Not all industries were surveyed, and not all agents were observed in all surveyed industries. (2) When using the estimates, standard errors associated with estimates should be considered. (3) Potential exposures to a chemical agent are categorized as actual (i.e., the surveyor observed the use of the specific agent) or tradename (i.e., the surveyor observed the use of a tradename product known to contain the specific agent). The estimates presented in the table combine both categories.

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