Green collar workers: An emerging workforce in the environmental sector

Abstract

Objective: We describe the socio-demographic, occupational, and health characteristics of "green collar" workers, a vital and emerging workforce in energy-efficiency and sustainability. Methods: We linked data from the 2004 to 2012 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS) and US Occupational Information Network (O∗NET). Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were conducted using green collar worker status as the outcome (n=143,346). Results: Green collar workers are more likely than non-green workers to be men, age 25 to 64 years, obese, and with less than or equal to high school (HS) education. They are less likely to be racial/ethnic minorities and employed in small companies or government jobs. Conclusions: Green collar workers have a distinct socio-demographic and occupational profile, and this workforce deserves active surveillance to protect its workers' safety. The NHIS-O∗NET linkage represents a valuable resource to further identify the unique exposures and characteristics of this occupational sector.