Review of Content Standard
Standard Industrial Classification Codes
(SIC Codes)
May, 2005
This review is intended to assess the potential utility of content standards for use and
potentially for inclusion in an ISO 11179-based metadata registry. The review is directed
primarily toward the utility of the standard itself, rather than to matching the standard
with specific agency programs. The review covers issues such as the subject area,
currency, quality, authority, and acceptance of the standards. These are factors that need
to be taken into account no matter what the programmatic application of the standard may
be.
1. Summary
The Standard Industrial Classification Codes (SIC Codes) standard was last issued in
1997 and is not being updated. However, there is a large legacy of applications of these
codes and the SIC Code set is available on the Web.
The codes are meant to describe Industrial occupations in the U.S. only (but see section
6). They are less specific and shallower in structure than the NAICS Codes. They are 4digit codes as opposed to the 6-digit NAICS.
2. Identification of Standard
2.1. Title
Standard Industrial Classification Codes
2.2. Acronym
SIC
2.3. Web page(s), Identifier, or Contact Information:
2.3.1 Web page(s)
www.osha.gov/pls/imis/sicsearch.html
2.3.2 Identifier
N/A
2.3.3 Contact Information
www.osha.gov/pls/imis/sicsearch.html
2.4 Authority
2.4.1 Creator
The SIC Code standard was withdrawn as a Federal Information Processing Standard
(FIPS) in February 2005. It was updated in 1987. It was first published in 1979.
2.4.2. Acceptance as authoritative
No longer considered authoritative.
2.5 Publisher
There are many versions of the SIC Code set available on the web, but none seem to be
an official maintenance authority. Several link to the OSHA website, which seems to
implicitly accept responsibility. See the NAICS Metadata Template for further
information about the SIC/NAICS relationship.
2.6 Language(s)
English
3. Content description
3.1 Subject area of content and area of application
Lists and classifies industry.
3.2 Kind of content
This page: www.osha.gov/pls/imis/sicsearch.html allows the user to search the 1987
version SIC manual by keyword, to access descriptive information for a specified 2,3,4digit SIC, and to examine the manual structure. Here is an example of the structure:
A. Division A: Agriculture, Forestry, And Fishing
Major Group 01: Agricultural Production Crops
Major Group 02: Agriculture production livestock and animal specialties
Major Group 07: Agricultural Services
Major Group 08: Forestry
SIC Major Group 08
Major Group 08: Forestry
This major group includes establishments primarily engaged in the
operation of timber tracts, tree farms, forest nurseries, and related
activities such as reforestation services and the gathering of gums, barks,
balsam needles, maple sap, Spanish moss, and other forest products.
Industry Group 081: Timber Tracts
· 0811 Timber Tracts
Industry Group 083: Forest Nurseries And Gathering Of Forest
· 0831 Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products
Industry Group 085: Forestry Services
· 0851 Forestry Services
Establishments primarily engaged in performing, on a contract or fee
basis, services related to timber production, wood technology, forestry
economics and marketing, and other forestry services, not elsewhere
classified, such as cruising timber, firefighting, and reforestation.

Cruising timber

Estimating timber

Fire prevention, forest

Firefighting, forest

Forest management plans, preparation of

Forestry services

Pest control, forest

Reforestation

Timber valuation
Major Group 09: Fishing, hunting, and trapping
3.3 Audience(s)
SIC Codes are still used by many government and private organizations. Here is an
example of a use at the OSHA site. Violations of OSHA standards are sorted by SIC
group.
Industry Profile for an OSHA Standard
This page enables the user to determine which Standard Industrial Classification
(SIC) groupings have the most violations of a specified Federal or State OSHA
standard. Also available is Frequently Cited OSHA Standards which lists
standards cited for a specified SIC.
Select number of employees in establishment:
All
20-99
1-9
50-99
1-19
1-99
100-249
20-49
1-249
Federal or State Jurisdiction:
250+
OSHA Standard:
Submit
The Standard must be specified at the 8-character Part/Section level. SIC
summary data will be presented for all OSHA standards if ALL is specified.
The data shown reflects OSHA citations issued by the Federal or State OSHA
during the specified fiscal year; see definitions. If you are interested in obtaining
the SIC code for a particular industry, an online SIC code manual is available
which may be searched by keyword or browsed. This manual contains detail
descriptions of every SIC category.
3.4 Related Standards
The SIC Codes are now denigrated and are being replaced by the NAICS Codes. NAICS
code categories are more specific and have a deeper hierarchy than SICS. However,
there are still many implementations of SIC Codes.
3.5 Standards Dependencies
None, although crosswalks between SIC Codes and NAICS Codes are available.
3.6 Content Quality
Although the level of detail is low compared to NAICS, the many implementations
indicate its usefulness.
4. Currency of Content
4.1 Date
1987
4.2 Versions, Updates
There will probably be no further updates of this standard.
4.3 Currency
None.
5. Acceptance
See 3.6. Although the U.S. Government has officially stopped using the SIC Codes,
there are many commercial information producers who will sell information about
businesses based on SIC Codes. Also, businesses in the UK and Canada are still actively
using them (at least as lately as 2003).
6. Content details
6.1 Size statistics (estimated)
There are about 100 1st-level (2 character) codes, and about 1100 2nd-level (4 character)
codes.
6.2 Format / Schemas(s)
PDF and HTML files are available.
6.3 Media / Download
There are companies who will be glad to sell you information on businesses sorted by
SIC Codes. The codes are searchable in many places.
6.4 Licensing Issues
Since the SIC Codes seem to be orphaned, there are no licensing issues for their use.
6.5 Documentation
Although there is no listing in NTIS for a SIC Manual, the NAICS Association (which
seems to be a private company dedicated to selling NAICS information) has one for sale:
This Softcover SIC Code Manual defines industries in accordance with
the composition and structure of the economy and covers the entire field of
economic activities.
Contents includes: Title and Description, Name and Short title,
Alphabetical Index, and Conversion Tables: 1972-1977, 1977-1972, 19771987, 1987-1977
*** This product does not include individual company information. If you
need company information click back and go to business / consumer
mailing list or business directories.
Note: The new North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
has replaced the SIC codes. If you are interested in the NAICS Code click
back and find the NAICS Manual.
SICManual $33.50
Order