So you think your job is tough huh? I’m assuming a feeling of spine tingling uncertainty does not enter into your thinking when you go to work. However, if I’m wrong and this actually is the case for you, I’m sure you will better appreciate what the brave souls who comprise this list have to deal with on a daily basis. I present to you the absolute 10 most dangerous jobs in America today!
1) Loggers (Lumberjacks)
This was a close call with the number one contender but the champion is…Loggers/lumberjacks. Risks of the job include: falling timber, razor sharp cutting equipment, and rough and rugged terrain. Fatality rates for loggers/lumberjacks average around 127.0 deaths per 100,000 workers.
2) Fishermen and Fishing Workers
The life of a fisherman may not sound that dangerous, but there are serious reasons why it is our number one contender. Risks of the job include: drowning, working with heavy and hazardous equipment, and extreme weather. Fatality rates average around 117.0 deaths per 100,000 workers.
3) Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers
Airplanes may be the safest mode of transportation but try telling that to the people who fly them. Risks of the job include: Crashes, equipment failure, and more recently, hijackers. Fatality rates average around 53.0 deaths per 100,000 workers.
4) Roofers
Long hours working at dizzying heights complete with a side of sunburn. Risks of the job include: Awesome amounts of heat, and unstable surfaces. Fatality rates average around 41.0 deaths per 100,000 workers
5) Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Who would have thought that working hundreds of feet above the ground would be dangerous? Risks of the job include: Mind bending heights, Heavy and hazardous material, dangerous welding, and wind. Fatality rates average around 40.0 deaths per 100,000 workers.
6) Sanitation Workers
If you think picking up everyone’s trash in town sounds like a relatively safe job, think again! Risks of the job include: Heavy/dangerous equipment, reckless traffic, and unpredictable hazardous waste. Fatality rates average around 27.0 deaths per 100,000 workers.
7) Structured Cabling Electricians/Power Line installers
Structured Cabling isn’t just a hyper technical profession, it’s also a dangerous job! Risks of the job include: Heavy and lethal doses of electric current, and nerve wracking heights. Fatality rates average around 23.0 deaths per 100,000 workers.
8) Delivery/Truck Drivers
Not many people can handle the long grueling hours on the road required to hold down a job like this. Especially when factoring in the chance of a severe accident. Risks of the job include: Severe weather/road conditions, fatigue, and a lot of traffic to deal with. Fatality rates average around 22.0 deaths per 100,000 workers.
9) Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers
Not only is this an extremely physically demanding job but it also carries significant risks most associated with powerful machinery and equipment. Risks include: Working with heavy machinery, and constant hazardous equipment repairs. Fatality rates average around 21.0 deaths per 100,000 workers.
10) Construction Workers
Winding down our list is a job that most people know and agree as being a very hazardous line of work. There are a variety of ways to end up napping in the dirt with this one. Risks of the job include: Working with dangerous tools and equipment, strenuous physical labor, unsafe work environments, and heavy machinery and equipment. Fatality rates average around 17.0 deaths per 100,000 workers.
Feel better?
Maybe after reading this list you will reconsider the way you feel about your own current profession. Maybe you won’t. But at least the next time you see someone working a job that’s on this list, you might think back and remember, “I guess I don’t have it all that bad.”