Top 10 Most Dangerous Jobs

Getting up at the crack of dawn and commuting to work may not be everyone's ideal way to make a living, but spare a thought for those who put their life on the line, day-in, day-out. The following is a list of jobs that help keep our country on track, but also provide the most dangerous situations for working Americans.

In order of fatality rate:

1. Logging Workers: Logging workers who work long hours in dangerous terrain have to deal with mechanical failure and accidents, trees constantly falling and are surrounded by a constantly dangerous environment. With ninety-three out of every one-hundred thousand, logging workers have the highest rate of deaths.
2. Aircraft Pilots: Those who fly crop-dusters, small aircraft or are air taxi pilots have the same rate of deaths as logging workers. However, they are at risk from very different dangers. Unlike commercial aircraft, the pilots who fly the smaller planes are a lot more susceptible from the weather and mechanical failure. This is because the aircraft are a lot lighter and are less likely to go through the rigorous safety checks as the commercial airlines.
3. Fisherman and Fishing Workers: The most common cause of deaths amongst fisherman and fishing workers is drowning. Unlike the large trawlers that go out into the ocean, the smaller fishing boats are rocked about more by the ocean. This ensures an unsafe working environment because the workers are on constantly changing ground - one slip could mean impending danger. With almost 87 workers out of every one-hundred thousand, fisherman and fishing workers are ranked third in the death rates.
4. Structural Iron and Steel Workers: Construction workers who deal with steel iron face death on an almost daily basis. Working from heights many of us would be afraid to even go, their very life is at the mercy of tethers and pullies. One snap of a tether or damaged equipment used in the pullie system is fatal. It is imperative that safety checks are stringent and are done often. Perhaps the most important job when dealing with construction is that of the safety officers because other people lives depend on them doing their job right 100% of the time. Fourty-seven out of one-hundred thousand structural iron and iron workers dying meant their profession rose to fourth highest in the death rate.
5. Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors: Many of us stick our trash in the garbage disposal can, wheel it out to the end of our driveways and forget about it. However, the collectors that come and pick up our trash and recyclable materials are in danger from being ran over by other careless motorists and should be aware of dangers from the refuse truck. Refuse and recyclable material collectors are fifth in the death rate rankings - just over forty-three deaths out of one-hundred thousand proves that unwanted statistic.
6. Farmers and Ranchers: Arguably the back bone of our society. A high percentage of the food we consume comes from domestically grown food products on farms and ranches. On the outside it may not appear the farmers and ranchers have too much to worry about regarding their own safety. However, things couldn't be further from the truth. The dangers of farming and ranching are numerous. Farming equipment (including ATV's and tractors), an accident with a gun or weapon and farming accidents contribute to farmers and ranchers being sixth with a death rate of almost thirty-eight out of every one-hundred thousand.
7. Roofers: Roofers provide an aesthetic service by making our home look good with a quality roof, but they also make sure that with a new roof, leaks are less likely to happen. However, if adequate care is not taken, roofers can fall victim to skin cancer from being out in the sun all day, suffer injuries from roofing equipment and there is always the immediate danger of slipping and falling off the roof. It is no wonder that roofers are the seventh most dangerous occupation with almost 35 out of every one-hundred thousand susceptible to death.
8. Electrical Power Line Installers/Repairers: Often when there is a natural disaster such as a tornado or hurricane, electrical workers can be one of the first on the scene trying to restore power to hundreds of thousands of homes. However, in doing so, they put their lives on the line every time they respond to an incident. Even workers not at a natural emergency are in harms way. Electricity is a force to be reckoned with and only qualified, experienced individuals should attempt restoring power to a damaged power line. The dangers are electrical shock, slipping and falling from a great height or falling because of mechanical failure to equipment. Electrical Power Line workers rank eighth in the death rate total with thirty workers out of every one-hundred thousand killed.
9. Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers: Those who spent the most time at the wheel on our interstates are not only suffering with their wallets because of high gas prices, they are also in an occupation that is at a high-risk level. Facing endless hours at the wheel and driving on very little sleep can be a recipe for disaster. Falling asleep at the wheel, avoiding dangerous driving conditions and auto-mechanical equipment failures contribute to the drivers high death rate of almost thirty out of one-hundred thousand.
10. Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs: Taxi drivers not only have to put up with inebriated people riding in their taxi cab, but they also have to watch out for a number of dangers. Being robbed or assaulted (involving a knife or gun) and avoiding a car crash are just two of those dangers. While we trust taxi drivers as our designated driver, accidents can and do occur. A little over twenty-four out of one-hundred thousand see that taxi driving and being a chauffeur is ranked tenth most dangerous occupation.

The next time you complain about having to get up so early for work, keep in mind that your job could be much much worse. Often some of these workers depart their houses in the morning and never return, leaving their families with sizeable bills and expenses. If your spouse or loved one has been injured or killed in an accident, you should seek the assistance of an experienced accident attorney as soon as possible.

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