What types of jobs are considered the most dangerous?
Whether you work in construction or know someone in the construction business, you’re probably aware of the term, “the fatal four.” This term refers to the four accident types construction workers face on a daily basis.
Once you understand the potential risks involved in construction, it’s easier to understand why this career choice is considered an extremely dangerous job. That being said, although construction work has a dangerous reputation, it isn’t the only job that places Texas employees in danger.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), over 2.5 million workplace accident injuries were reported in 2015 alone, and over 4,800 of those accidents proved to be fatal. Although these accidents occurred over a wide range of occupations, a study conducted by the Bureau’s Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries concluded that specific jobs had higher rates of fatal work injuries than others.
Statistically, the higher-risk jobs for non-fatal injuries include:
- Nursing and healthcare. Sprains, pulled muscles, and fatigue-based accidents account for over 500,000 healthcare worker injures each year.
- Manufacturing and retail. Nearly 400,000 factory and retail workers succumb to workplace injuries each year. Though these injuries aren’t fatal, muscle fatigue and tears can be quite painful and put employees out of commission on for weeks on end.
- Food services and accommodation. Much like healthcare and retail employees, food service and janitorial workers put their bodies at risk due to manual labor duties. As a result, these workers sustain nearly 270,000 muscle, back, and repetitive motion injuries a year.
- Construction. Construction risks, such as falls and equipment malfunctions, account for nearly 200,000 non-fatal injuries per year.
Statistically higher-risk jobs for fatal injuries include:
- Logging. Logging workers are subject to extreme weather risks, falling trees/crush injuries, equipment malfunctions, and environmental hazards. As a result, over 1,000 logging employees die each year.
- Commercial fishing and mariner work. The ever-present risks of capsizing and drowning causes over 200 deaths a year.
- Aircraft piloting and flight engineering. In addition to onboard accidents, pilots and flight engineers risk the threat of crashing every time they board a plane. For some, this can mean four or five flights a day.
- Construction. Construction injuries, including injuries sustained by structural iron and steel workers, electricians, and contractors, are the only work injuries to make both the non-fatal and fatal injury risk lists. According to the BLS, 924 construction fatalities occurred in 2015, while the average fatality rate hovers around 800 deaths per year.
Legal Guidance and Job Safety
As a workplace accident attorney, Steve Lee wants to make sure that you have all the information you need about your job’s risks. Though the ultimate decision to pursue a dangerous career is yours to make, we hope that by providing you with insight into workplace hazards, you’ll be able to make an informed decision when choosing your career path. Or, at the very least, we hope these statistics will convince you to stay focused and safe while at work.
Were you hurt at work and now you’d like to speak to an on-the-job injury attorney? Initiate a live chat with our law firm right now or send us an email to schedule your FREE case evaluation. When your job fails to keep you safe, we’re here for you.