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Profile: Preserved Fruits & Vegetables

Photo of vegetables in canning jars


Office of General Industry Enforcement
Table of Contents


Industry Group 203 - Preserved Fruits & Vegetables

Process Description:

The canned products of this industry group - SIC's 2032, 2033, 2034, 2035, 2037, and 2038 - are distinguished by their processing rather than by the container. The products may be shipped in bulk or in individual cans, bottles, retort pouch packages, or other containers.

Food processing occupies a powerful position within the food and fiber system. The industry has been likened to the center of an hourglass: raw agricultural commodities from more than two million farms and ranches flow through roughly 20,000 processors, which in turn sell their array of processed products to more than half a million food wholesalers and retailers. Over a hundred million domestic households consume the meat and dairy products, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, milled grains, bakery products, beverages, and seafood.

The importance of food processing lies in its various economic functions. Foremost, processors convert food materials into finished, consumer-ready products using labor, machinery, energy, and management. They employ handling, manufacturing, and packaging techniques to add economic value to raw commodities harvested from the farm or the sea. Virtually all agricultural products are processed to some degree before reaching consumers. The value added varies by commodity: steers become meat, potatoes are turned into French fries, wheat is made into flour, apples become juice or sauce, and fresh salmon emerges as canned salmon. The farm value of fruit and vegetable products at the retail level - frozen peas, for instance - is about 20 percent. Thus, 80 percent of the retail value is "added" to the raw product during processing and distribution.

Processors serve as middlemen within the food system. Consumer demand and agricultural supply information come together at the food processing center. For instance, a tight supply of frozen corn at the retail level is eventually translated into higher processor prices, a greater willingness to pay for key inputs, and a price signal to farmers to expand production or sell off their stored crop. In contrast, an unexpectedly short crop induces processors to raise their prices to retailers and distributors, which subsequently prompts a decrease in consumer demand.

Source: Standard Industrial Classification Manual 1987; Washington State Labor Market, 2003

BLS Profile
Total Recordable Case Rate (Industry Group - 203)
Year Annual
1995 12.6
1996 12.5
1997 11.0
1998 10.2
1999 10.2
2000 8.8
2001 7.9
2002 7.6*
2003 8.1**
2004 8.4
graph: Total Recordable Case Rate
Lost Workday Case Rate (Industry Group - 203)
Year Annual
1995 6.6
1996 6.1
1997 5.7
1998 4.9
1999 5.4
2000 5.1
2001 4.5
2002 4.7*
2003 5.0**
2004 5.2
graph: Lost Workday Case Rate
Cases with Days Away Rate (Industry Group - 203)
Year Annual
1995 3.2
1996 3.0
1997 2.8
1998 2.5
1999 2.4
2000 2.4
2001 1.8
2002 1.8*
2003 1.9**
2004 2.2
graph: Cases with Days Away Rate


* Effective January 1, 2002, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revised its requirements for recording occupational injuries and illnesses. Due to the revised recordkeeping rule, the estimates from the 2002 survey are not comparable with those from previous years, thus resulting in the discontinuous graph lines.

** Beginning with the 2003 reference year, the BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses began using the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Prior to 2003, the survey used the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. The substantial differences between these systems result in breaks in series for industry data. This data is not reflected on the accompanying chart.

Total Fatalities for NAICS Group 3114 (2004): 5

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (National Data).

National Summary by Region
NAICS 3114
Regions Establishments with 10 or more employees Establishments with 9 or fewer employees
Establishments Employees Establishments Employees
1 58 4789 80 246
2 135 14521 171 479
3 82 9825 80 190
4 110 11982 229 582
5 245 24770 209 576
6 139 16109 229 628
7 43 5951 90 252
8 30 2142 90 252
9 N/A N/A N/A N/A
10 33 8461 23 68
N/A = Not applicable

Establishment and employment counts come from Dunn & Bradstreet, March 2006.




Inspection Summary
FY 2005
Federal OSHA Inspection Data
Industry Group 203
Federal Data Only I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X Total
Total Inspections
Records Insp.

Safety
Health		 5
0

2
3		 11
0

6
5		 7
1

3
4		 13
0

4
9		 64
0

53
11		 5
1

2
3		 4
0

2
2		 0
0

0
0		 0
0

0
0		 1
0

0
1		 110
2

72
38
Inspections By Type
Unprogrammed
  Accidents
  Complaints
  Referrals
  Monitoring
  Variance
  Follow-Up
  Unprog. Related
  Other

Programmed
  Planned
  Prog. Related
  Other
3
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0

2
2
0
0
3
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0

8
8
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0

6
6
0
0
4
1
0
3
0
0
0
0
0

9
9
0
0
13
1
7
3
1
0
1
0
0

51
50
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0

4
4
0
0
4
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
30
2
17
9
1
0
1
0
0

80
79
0
1
Source: IMIS Database


Top 10 Violations Cited
Standard # Cited # Insp Description
1910.219 53 25 Mechanical Power - Transmission Apparatus
1910.147 52 29 The Control of Hazardous Energy, Lockout/Tagout
1910.212 44 32 Machines, General Requirements
1910.305 35 23 Electrical, Wiring Methods, Components & Equipment
1910.1200 32 19 Hazard Communication
1910.23 31 23 Guarding Floor & Wall Openings & Holes
1910.146 31 11 Permit-Required Confined Spaces
1910.303 30 22 Electrical Systems Design, General Requirements
1910.178 29 21 Powered Industrial Trucks
1910.132 22 15 Personal Protective Equipment, General Requirements
Source: IMIS Database - FY 2005 (Federal Only)
Average Number of Employees per Establishment: 49
Percent small establishments: 57.9%


Some Potential Hazards and Their Sources
Hazard Source
Struck by falling objects Docks - Heavy boxes falling from lift trucks.
Caught in point of operation Conveyors
Slip, trip and falls Water from floating System
Struck by flying objects Box staple machines
Contact with toxic or noxious substances CO released from lift trucks
Noise Conveyors and other machinery


Average Case and Demographic Characteristics
Average cases per year, 1995-2000 6178
Demographics of worker Sex 59.7% men
Age 29.2% ages 25-34
25.2% ages 35-44
21.0% ages 20-24
Length of service with
employer		 29.4% more than 5 years
27.9% 1-5 years
25.9% less than one year
Race/ethnic origin 44.7% white non-Hispanic
29.6% Hispanic - any race
7.2% black not-Hispanic
Characteristics of
injury/illness		 Days away from work 49.77% 1-5 days
31.3% 6-30 days
19.0% 31 or more days
Nature of
injury/illness		 36.3% sprains/strains
18.0% “all other” natures
10.8% bruises/contusions
Part of body affected 27.1% arms/wrists/hands/fingers
20.4% legs/knees/feet/toes
20.4% back
Source of
injury/illness		 19.6% containers
18.3% floors/ground surfaces
17.4% worker motion/position
12.5% machinery
12.4% "all other" sources
Event or exposure 19.4% overexertion
13.9% fall on same level
11.6% "all other" events/exposure
10.4% struck by object
Source: OSHA Office of Statistical Analysis compilation of BLS data.

Note: The percentages on this table do not sum to 100%. Only the most frequently coded characteristics are listed. The "All Other" category should not be interpreted as being all inclusive of the categories not listed above.


2003 BLS Industry Data for
Industry Group 203 - PRESERVED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
All Reported Cases

 3420
Nature of Illness or Injury
Sprains, Strains
Fractures
Cuts, Punctures
Bruises
Heat Burns
Chemical Burns
Amputations
Carpal Tunnel
Tendonitis
Mult Trauma Total
Mult Trauma With Fracture
Mult Trauma With Sprain
Back Pain Total
Back Pain Hurt Back Only
All Other

 Number
1130
210
230
440
140
180
80
60
30
170
60
60
190
80
570
 % Total
33.0
6.1
6.7
12.9
4.1
5.3
2.3
1.8
0.9
5.0
1.8
1.8
5.6
2.3
16.7
Part of Body Affected
Head Total
Eyes
Neck
Trunk Total
Trunk Back
Trunk Shoulder
Upper Extremities Total
Upper Extremities Finger
Upper Extremities Hand
Upper Extremities Wrist
Lower Extremities Total
Lower Extremities Knee
Lower Extremities Foot Toe
Body Systems
Multiple Body Parts
All Other Body Parts

 Number
430
270
40
1040
610
160
970
300
230
180
550
180
100
N/A
340
40
 % Total
12.6
7.9
1.2
30.4
17.8
4.7
28.4
8.8
6.7
5.3
16.1
5.3
2.9
N/A
9.9
1.2
Source of Injury or Illness
Chem And Chem Products
Containers
Furniture And Fixtures
Machinery
Parts And Materials
Worker Motion
Floors Walkways
Handtools
Vehicle
Health Care Patient
All Other Sources

 Number
220
530
30
460
210
620
610
90
160
N/A
480
 % Total
6.4
15.5
0.9
13.5
6.1
18.1
17.8
2.6
4.7
N/A
14.0
Sex
Men
Women
Sex Not Reported

 Number
2210
1220
N/A
 % Total
64.6
35.7
N/A
Age
Under 14
14 to 15
16 to 19
20 to 24
25 to 34
35 to 44
45 to 54
55 to 64
65 And Over
Not Reported

 Number
N/A
N/A
70
310
570
880
930
589
80
N/A
 % Total
N/A
N/A
2.0
9.1
16.7
25.7
27.2
17.0
2.3
N/A
Race
White
Black
Asian
American Indian or Alaskan Native
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
Hispanic or Latino and Others
Multirace
Not Reported

Number
1180
130
50
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
550

 % Total
34.5
3.8
1.5
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
16.1
Length of Service
Less Than 3 Months
3 to 11 Months
1 to 5 years
More Than 5 Years
Service Not Reported

 Number
440
420
1070
1490
N/A
 % Total
12.9
12.3
31.3
43.6
N/A
Days away from work
1 Day
2 Days
3 to 5 Days
6 to 10 Days
11 to 20 Days
21 to 30 Days
31 Days Or More
Median Days Away

 Number
400
290
480
530
550
330
850
11
 % Total
11.7
8.5
14.0
15.5
16.1
9.6
24.9
N/A
Event/Exposure Leading to Injury
Total Contact With Objects
Struck By Object
Struck Against Object
Caught In Object
Fall to Lower Level
Fall On Same Level
Slips Or Trips
Overexertion Total
Overexertion In Lifting
Repetitive Motion
Exposure to Harmful Substance
Transportation Accidents
Fires And Explosions
Total Assaults - Violent Acts
Assaults by Person
All Other Assaults
All Other Events

Number
1000
320
270
330
170
540
110
570
300
190
380
90
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

 % Total
29.2
9.4
7.9
9.6
5.0
15.8
3.2
16.7
8.8
5.6
11.1
2.6
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A


Photo Credits
  1. Beau Ellis, Takoma Park, MD.


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