Almost every job has hidden dangers that workers must encounter. It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, thousands of people on the clock are seriously injured or killed in accidents each year. Despite the provisions and regulations set in place to prevent accidents from occurring, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals the large number of fatalities in the workplace that still happen. Here are the five deadliest jobs in the nation according to the most recent study:
- Fishing and Hunting Workers
Commercial fishing remains the deadliest job in America based on figures of deaths per thousand employed. It’s why the television show Deadliest Catch has been such an eye-opening series. Consumer demands for fresh fish products coupled with declines or sudden disappearances of certain fish due to overfishing and other factors are leading many fishermen to change their ways of working. Crews are pushed to increase productivity by operating with as few members as possible and working longer shifts. This leads to fatigue, a chronic problem in many parts of the fishing industry.
- Logging Workers
The fatal injury rate for loggers is more than 30 times the rate for all U.S. workers according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has it closely following fishing and hunting industries as the deadliest career. Logging in regions with forests growing on mountainous terrain requires unmechanized methods, such as workers felling trees with chainsaws. Being struck is the No. 1 event type causing death, with the head being the most frequent body part involved in logging fatalities.
- Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers
Major airline pilots have low job fatality rates, but that is not the case for bush, charter, and air taxi pilots. For these pros, the work is much riskier. Human error is the No. 1 cause of deaths for airplane pilots, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, but innovations in weather reporting, navigational equipment, and positioning devices have decreased accidents considerably. About a fifth of fatal U.S. crashes occur in Alaska because flying is much more common there. More than 80% of the state’s towns and settlements are reachable only by air.
- Roofers
Roofing involves a great deal of climbing, heavy lifting, bending, and kneeling typically in extremely hot weather. Whether the weather is perfect or there is some sort of precipitation, there is a high chance of falling off the roof and sustaining serious injuries. Even expert roofers have had near-death experiences with falling before, with 34% of falling occurrences being fatalities.
- Construction Workers
In addition to those working in the roofing industry, workers in related construction positions experience similar dangers. Brad says, “Many factors come into play when falls occur. Almost all construction sites have unprotected sides, edges, wall openings, and floor holes during construction projects.” Combine these factors with the following and you have a recipe for disaster: unstable surfaces, misuse of equipment, failure to use safety equipment, and human error. Although studies show time and again that using guardrails, fall arrest systems, safety nets, covers, and restraint systems can prevent many deaths and injuries from falls, many employers neglect these safety precautions.
Workers’ comp claims can sometimes recover a very minimal amount, and the process is fraught with barriers that try to defeat the claim at every turn. “In a personal injury case, you have a lawyer and a lot more rights, but you must demonstrate liability,” Brad says. If you lost a family member in a tragic accident, you may be able to bring a wrongful death action and a survival action against the negligent party to obtain the compensation you deserve for your losses. “Employers have an ethical (and legal) obligation to provide a safe work environment for their employees,” Brad says.
At Parker Law Firm, our experienced personal injury lawyers believe people matter. We are committed to our clients, not case numbers, and we believe in the power of the civil justice system. With years spent both representing accident victims and participating in the state legislative process, our founder, Brad Parker, has developed a deep understanding of the law and gained unique experience that helps him get results for his clients.
