Close physical proximity on the job-An exposure matrix

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Workplace transmission of SARS-CoV-2 occurs via respiratory droplets and aerosols.
• Limited methods exist for assessing SARS-CoV-2 exposure in occupational settings.
• Job Exposure Matrices (JEMs) can serve as a surrogate for population-based exposure assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a JEM for assessing physical proximity in the workplace.
• To estimate the proportion of the workforce by proximity level and demographic characteristics.
• To inform SARS-CoV-2 exposure assessment, resource allocation, and prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

• Developed a JEM using data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET).
• Extracted scores related to face-to-face interactions and teamwork.
• Assigned exposure levels to 968 O*NET occupations, considering telework and expert judgment.

Main Results:

• Categorized 535 US Census occupations into four proximity levels.
• Estimated 56% of the California workforce in very close proximity, decreasing to 46% with telework.
• Identified healthcare support, healthcare practitioners, food preparation, cleaning, and protective services as high-proximity occupations.
• Found overrepresentation of Latinos and women in very close proximity occupations.

Conclusions:

• JEMs are valuable tools for SARS-CoV-2 exposure assessment in epidemiological studies.
• Findings can guide resource allocation and inform targeted prevention strategies.
• Highlights disparities in exposure risk among demographic groups.