549. Enter in col. 29 the term or terms describing the kind of industry or establishment, that is, the kind of factory, store, or other place of business in which the person followed the occupation described in col. 28. In most cases there will be little difficulty in determining the industry, since most persons are clearly engaged in one distinct industry. difficulties will sometimes arise, however, in connection with persons whose occupation is connected with more than one industry. In such cases the person should be definitely reported in the principal industry in which he or his concern is engaged. The manager of a plantation, for example, should be returned as the manager of a farm, in spite of the fact that he also runs a store that supplies groceries, etc., to the laborers on the plantation.
550. For an employee who works for a concern that carries on different activities, the return should be the industry in which he directly works, provided that represents a major subdivision of the enterprise and is carried on in a separate building or in place physically distinct from other activities of the concern. Thus a miner working in a coal mine, owned and operated by a steel mill, should be returned as engaged in the coal mining industry (that is, in his immediate place of work) and not as working for a steel mill. On the other hand, persons working in a department or other unit incidental to the main work of an establishment should be returned in the Industry column (col. 29) as engaged in the major activity of the establishment. For example, the industry return for workers in the power plant of a steel rolling mill should be steel rolling mill; that for workers in the box making department of an electrical machinery factory should be electrical machinery factory; that for workers in the garage or the warehouse of a department store should be department store; and that for workers in the foundry of an agricultural implement factory should be agricultural implement factory.
551. Whenever possible, avoid the use of the work "company" in col. 29. An "oil company" for example, may operate oil wells, or a pipe line, or an oil refinery, or a cottonseed oil mill, or it may be engaged in selling oil. Likewise, never enter a firm name in col. 29, as "Jones & Co.," but state the industry or business in which the person follows his occupation, as building construction, retail hardware, etc.
552. Avoid General or Indefinite Terms.-Give the occupation and industry precisely. For example, return a worker in a textile mill as a spinner, cotton mill; weigher, woolen mill; spooler, silk mill; etc. Do not report industry in such indefinite terms as refinery, transportation, electrical, etc., but specify petroleum refinery, sugar refinery, or copper refinery; steam railroad, or but line; electrical power company or electrical appliance factory, etc. Never enter in col. 29 such indefinite terms as "factory," "mill," "shop," "store," or "office," without stating the kind of factory, etc., as soap factory, cotton mill, auto repair shop, grocery store, real estate office.