If you’re surprised to see your job on this list, you’d better pay attention. You could get hurt.
Logging
It may seem like the ultimate he-man job to be a lumberjack, but it’s also the most dangerous occupation in the United States. Hazards are presented by the very tools and equipment required to do the job, and it’s worse on unstable or rough terrain, bad weather, extreme cold and remote work sites. The momentum of falling, sliding and rolling trees presents a significant risk to workers.
Commercial Fishing
For years it was thought that the most dangerous place in this dangerous industry was Alaska, but the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reported that from 2000-2009, 165 fishermen died from Maine to Florida compared to 133 deaths in Alaska.
No matter where they fish, commercial fishermen exist in a culture of tight budgets and independence. The live and work in inhospitable environments, and work with heavy, dangerous equipment. More than half of the deaths from 2000-2010 occurred after a vessel catastrophe. Other deaths occurred from fishermen falling overboard or from accidents on board.
Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers
The biggest risk to pilots, to put it plainly, is crashing. Most pilots work for airlines, but about 35 percent are commercial pilots. Commercial pilots encompass a broad category that includes test pilots, crop dusting, medivac pilots and helicopter search and rescue.
While the job isn’t as physically demanding as logging or commercial fishing, the responsibility and the need to constantly look for signs of emergency creates stress. Test pilots take a chance every time they go up, crop dusters fly low and risk exposure to toxic chemicals, and helicopter pilots must constantly be on the lookout for electricity wires, bridges and poles.
Roofers
In some industries fall protection programs are imperative to reduce the number of injuries, and roofing is one of those industries. There are OSHA standards for roofing/construction contractors that require employers to protect their employees from fall hazards whenever a worker is 6 feet or more above a lower level.
According to Roofing Magazine, 6 roofers dies each month from falls. Unfortunately, in the roofing game, there are many “handy-man” style roofers that aren’t licensed, incorporated, or insured.
Construction – Structural and Steel Workers
We shudder at the sight of a man balancing on an iron beam high above the skyline. He’s a specialized construction worker in the structural iron and steel sector. Their work is dangerous and physically demanding. They often work at great heights, and it is imperative for their safety that they wear harnesses to reduce the risk of falling.
According to OSHA, falls are among the most common causes of serious occupational injuries and deaths.