Just as the goods and services produced in each industry are different, working conditions vary significantly among industries. In some industries, the work setting is quiet, temperature-controlled, and virtually hazard free; while other industries are characterized by noisy, uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous work environments. Some industries require long workweeks and shift work; in many industries, standard 40-hour workweeks are common. Still other industries can be seasonal, requiring long hours during busy periods and abbreviated schedules during slower months. Production processes, establishment size, and the physical location of work usually determine these varying conditions.
One of the most telling indicators of working conditions is an industry's injury and illness rate. Overexertion, being struck by an object, and falls on the same level, are among the most common incidents causing work-related injury or illness. In 2002, approximately 4.7 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses were reported throughout private industry. Among major industry divisions, manufacturing had the highest rate of injury and illness - 7.2 cases for every 100 full time workers - while finance, insurance, and real estate had the lowest rate - 1.7 cases. About 5,500 work-related fatalities were reported in 2002; the most common events resulting in fatal injuries were transportation incidents, contact with objects and equipment, assaults and violent acts, and falls.
Work schedules are another important reflection of working conditions, and the operational requirements of each industry lead to large differences in hours worked and in part-time versus full-time status. In food services and drinking places, for example, 37.9 percent of employees worked part time in 2002 compared with only 1.3 percent in mining. Table 2 presents industries having relatively high and low percentages of part-time workers.
Table 2. Part-time workers as a percent of total employment, selected industries, 2002
| Industry | Percent part-time |
| All industries | 15.8 |
| Many part-time workers: | |
| Food services and drinking places | 37.9 |
| Grocery stores | 30.1 |
| Clothing, accessory, and general merchandise stores | 29.2 |
| Child day care services | 29.1 |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 28.1 |
| Motion picture and video industries | 24.8 |
| Social assistance, except child day care | 21.8 |
| Educational services | 21.1 |
| Few part-time workers: | |
| Chemical manufacturing, except drugs | 3.1 |
| Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing | 3.1 |
| Computer and electronic product manufacturing | 2.6 |
| Utilities | 2.5 |
| Aerospace product and parts manufacturing | 2.1 |
| Motor vehicle and parts manufacturing | 1.8 |
| Steel manufacturing | 1.8 |
| Mining | 1.3 |
The low proportion of part-time workers in some manufacturing industries often reflects the continuous nature of the production processes that makes it difficult to adapt the volume of production to short-term fluctuations in product demand. Once begun, it is costly to halt these processes; machinery must be tended and materials must be moved continuously. For example, the chemical manufacturing industry produces many different chemical products through controlled chemical reactions. These processes require chemical operators to monitor and adjust the flow of materials into and out of the line of production. Because production may continue 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, under the watchful eyes of chemical operators who work in shifts, full-time workers are more likely to be employed. Retail trade and service industries, on the other hand, have seasonal cycles marked by various events that affect the hours worked, such as school openings or important holidays. During busy times of the year, longer hours are common, whereas slack periods lead to cutbacks in work hours and shorter workweeks. Jobs in these industries are generally appealing to students and others who desire flexible, part-time schedules.
Information courtesy of the U.S. Department of Labor.
