America's Most Dangerous Jobs Carry Risk of Death and Injury

Risk of death and injury sometimes pays more than the average pay for jobs. So some people like to find dangerous jobs in order to increase their earnings. Other people receive no pay at all for the risks they take. Consider these jobs carefully before taking them on, you might end up dead or injured.

I supply information from a variety of sources on the number of deaths, the number of injuries, and the percentages of those involved in the work that are injured or killed. I've adjusted my job descriptions to incorporate a number of risk factors including pay, the percentage of workers to those killed and the type of injury that occurred. Plus I've provided some warnings readers should consider if they perform one of these jobs. Risks can be abated by paying attention to safety.

#1 Most Dangerous Job: Wife

A wife is on target for being the most likely victim of assault and murder, and from guess who? Her beloved family members, especially her husband, are the most likely to use violence against her. If you want a dangerous job, get married. 49% of the reported 3.5 million violent crimes that occurred between 1998 and 2002 were directed toward spouses. 84% of spouse abuse victims were female. [1] Actual deaths due to assault were 18,124 persons in 2005. [2] Unfortunately, the job of wife isn't included in the US Bureau of Labor Statistics database because they don't earn wages per se.

Trends in family violence show that 45% of those incarcerated for violence had been subject to a restraining order and 18% were under a restraining order at the time they were admitted to jail. 33% of those interviewed failed to report earlier violence because it was a personal affair. [3]

However, women only account for 8% of the overall job related fatalities reported in the Department of Labor Bureau statistics. Also, if you are over 65, consider retiring because the fatal injury rate rises from an average of about 3.5 for those between the ages of 18-64 to 10.2[4]

#2 Most Dangerous Job: Young and in a Gang

An article in 1997 by Rich Miller in USA today reported statistics of 1 out of 3 gang members ending up dead or in jail; since then gang membership is supposed to have diminished. Yet in 2001, homicides in Los Angeles stood at 59% and Chicago 53%, totaling 698 homicides attributed to gangs, and 637 homicides attributed to gangs from other cities of population 100,000 or more[5]. 8147 of the homicides in 2006 where caused by offenders aged 17-34. [6] Victims match the same trend with 8403 victims between the ages of 13-29 in 2006.[7]

#3 Most Dangerous Job: Driver, regardless of Industry

If you drive a vehicle as part of your job, chances that you will get injured or killed increase. Transportation incidents account for 42% of the 5,657 workplace fatalities in 2007 and another 25% occurring on the highway. A total of 976 people driving on the job were killed in 2007. [5] Drivers should maintain their vehicles, wear a seat belt, drive well rested, and obey traffic laws.

#4 Most Dangerous Job: Construction and Laborers and Loggers

If you're working on a construction job or doing labor, beware highways and heights. Workers should use proper safety equipment and wear a hard hat. 15% of fatalities involved a fall from stairs, roof, steel girders, ladders and nonmoving vehicles. 9% of fatalities involve being struck by an object. [6]

#5 Most Dangerous Job: Farmers and Ranchers

A recent study by the CDC showed increased deaths, 423 between 1992 and 2006 due to heat exposure for farmers and ranchers, especially in I assume, Texas, Florida, California which had a total of 1352 fatalities in 2007. [7] [8] Workers in these areas should wear head protection, drink plenty of fluids, take salt supplements as needed and avoid working during the worst heat.

#6 Most Dangerous Job: Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers

Eighty-seven fatalities of aircraft pilots and flight engineers occurred in 2007. [9] This is one job where the average salary of $135,040 per year might make the risk seem worth it. [10]

#7 Most Dangerous Job: Fishers and Related Fishing Workers

Fishermen have a rough job, with many fatalities related to loss of the entire sea-going vessel, over 100 in the period between 1994-2004. Other fatalities are due to falling overboard, fires or explosions, or diving and other reasons. These men invest their lives in their job.[11]

#8 Most Dangerous Job: Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers and Military

This is a tough profession since fatalities and assaults don't entirely portray all the risks of the job. In 2007 there were 146 fatalities.[12] If you add in military, you get another 64 deaths in 2007. 1273 federal officers were assaulted with 212 resulting in injuries in 2006. [13]

Other professions like mining, manufacturing, and iron workers have a good number of injuries and fatalities. Whatever work you do, be careful.

[1]Fbi.gov, Violent Crime, http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/offenses/violent_crime/index.html

[2] http://www.nsc.org/research/odds.aspx

[3] Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0006.pdf

[4] Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0006.pdf

[5] Violence Prevention Institute, http://www.violencepreventioninstitute.org/gangs.html, Criminal Justice Dept. http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us/ops/docs/training/pubs/inservice/gangs/ganginfo2001.pdf

[6] FBI.gov, http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/offenses/expanded_information/data/shrtable_03.html

[7] FBI.gov, http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/offenses/expanded_information/data/shrtable_02.html

[8] Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0006.pdf

[9] Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0006.pdf

[10] Safety.blr.com, http://safety.blr.com/news.aspx?id=110135

[11] Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0006.pdf

[12] Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0006.pdf

[13] http://www.menstuff.org/issues/byissue/dangerousjobs07.html

[14]NIOSH, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/fishing/

[15]Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfch0006.pdf

[16]FBI.gov, http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/killed/2006/federalofficers.html