Top 5 Most Dangerous Jobs in the United States
The workplace in the United States has become increasingly safer with the ongoing modification and implementation of safety guidelines across all industries. Unfortunately, due to human error, as well as the nature of certain professions, workplace fatalities will most likely never be completely eliminated.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,4383 people died as a result of on the job injuries in 2012. Of those who died,4,045 were men. That’s 92 percent of all work-related fatalities. Over 40 percent (1,789) of all incidents involved transportation (vehicle, airplane), with nearly 60 percent of those deadly accidents involving vehicles on the nation’s highways. Next in line is acts of violence, which accounted for 767 on the job deaths (463 homicides, 225 suicides).
In terms of the most dangerous industries to work in during 2012, the numbers break down as follows:
- Goods-producing: 1741
- Mining and Natural resources: 652
- Forestry, agriculture, hunting and fishing: 475
Of course, the private industry sector covers a lot of different occupations, but it’s interesting to note that the forestry, agriculture, hunting and fishing job sector reported the lowest number of deaths total. Many people would consider that to be one of the most dangerous job sectors, and they’re correct. Ironically, even though it’s the job sector with the lowest total number of deaths, based on the number of deaths per 100,000 workers, it actually is the deadliest sector, with forestry and fishing taking the two top spots in 2012. Here’s the list of the top 5 deadliest jobs in the United States for 2012, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Loggers
In 2012, loggers, or lumberjacks, held the most dangerous jobs in the United States. There are 34,050 loggers in the United States, and in 2012, 62 of them were killed in on-the-job incidents. That’s 127.8 per 100,000 employees. The average income for a logger is $31,381 annually.
Fishermen
Fishermen have the second most dangerous jobs. They lost the dubious first place title just this year after having been in the top spot for years. In 2012, 32 work-related fatalities occurred in the fishing industry. That’s 117 per 100,000 workers. Like loggers, fishermen work in highly intense, stressful and dangerous environments. However, fishermen are paid fairly well for their trouble. The average annual fisherman’s salary is $56,000.
Airplane Pilots and Flight Engineers
53.4 out of every 100,000 airplane pilots lost their lives in job-related incidents in 2012, making the position of airplane pilot the third most dangerous job in the country. That’s a total of 71 pilots. About a fifth of those instances happened in Alaska, since flying is common there due to the fact that about 82 percent of populated areas are only reachable by air. The salary of a pilot varies greatly, depending on where you are flying and what type of aircraft you are flying. On average, a pilot makes roughly $40,000 a year.
Roofers
Accounting for 70 fatalities in 2012, the job of a roofer is the fourth most dangerous job in the United States. 40.5 out of every 100,000 roofers died, making it the fourth most dangerous job in the United States. The average salary for a roofer is currently $35,000 annually.
Ironworkers
Rounding out the top five most dangerous jobs in the United States is that of an ironworker. 22 ironworkers were killed in 2012, which makes it 37 out of every 100,000 ironworkers who died in 2012 as a result of on-the-job injuries. The average annual salary is $47,000.
There are many dangerous jobs; these are just to name a few. Sometimes, compensation is not worth the risk.
