Why are worker's comp codes so interesting?

If you think that looking up worker’s comp codes is boring, you’re missing out.

Job classification codes come up more often than you’d link in my line of work. Not just at annual policy renewal. Tax forms, financial applications, and the software platforms that support them often ask for NAICS, NCCI, and SOC codes as a shorthand for what industry you’re in and what regulations may apply. 

Most of the folks I work with fall under dull codes like 8810 (Clerical Office Employees) or 8871 (Remote Office Workers). But if you give me a list of thousands of obscure jobs, I’m going to lose at least 20 minutes going through it. 

I can’t be the only one. This is why the Discovery Channel exists. And why we all watched Tiger King.

Consider the following codes:

1. 🐊 Alligator farming (0170)/Alligator exhibition (9180)

2. 🎈 Balloonist-hot air (7422)

3. 🦜 Bird cage manufacturing (3315)

4. 🎪 Carnival, circus or amusement device operator-traveling-all employees (9186)

5. 🪶 Feathers-washing, steaming, cleaning and renovating (8103) / Feather pillow manufacturing (2501)

6. 🐑 Sheepskin pickling (2623)

7. ✏️ Pencil, penholder or crayon manufacturing (2942) / Pencil manufacturing-mechanical (4432) / Pencil stock manufacturing-wood (2735)

8. 🍭 Peppermint distillation by farmers (0037)

9. 🧶 Mercerizing yarn (2416)

10. 🥗 Salad dressing manufacturing (6504)

I like to imagine a bunch of actuaries in baggy brown suits sitting in a fluorescent-lit conference room discussing whether “Alligator farms” and “Alligator exhibitions” should be categorized under the same code. 

“Obviously the trainer in the alligator show bears increased risk of having his arm bitten off."

“Yes, but the trainer has specialized expertise. The workers feeding the alligators at the farm will have less alligator behavior training, and are exposed to the animals in a less controlled environment.” 

“Agreed. Alligator farming and alligator exhibitions clearly require a different code. Put alligator farming in 0170 along with fox and chinchilla raising. Put alligator exhibition in 9180 with dolphin training, stationary merry-go-round operating, racecar drivers, and the serpentarium people.”

 “Moving on to the bubblegum factory...”

The fascinating part isn’t that these jobs exist. It’s that the codes have a purpose. They make it easier to assess the risk of drowning in a vat of chocolate or getting eaten by Carole Baskin's tigers. 

Meaning that there’s a process. 

Meaning that each of these categories has come up more than once. 

And will come up again. 

Isn’t that thrilling?

I’m not alone in this, right? RIGHT?!

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