The Deadliest Jobs in America

Everyone thinks their job is dangerous, if only because of the risk of boredom. Some people, however, put their lives on the line for their work, and they aren't necessarily compensated generously for it. If you've always wondered about the deadliest jobs in America, here are some of the worst.

Deadliest Jobs in America: Farming

Farming might sound like a relaxed, peaceful way of life, but farmers account for just over forty percent of the occupational deaths each year. No, they aren't murdered by cattle rustlers; most of the farming deaths are the result of equipment mishaps. Working with large pieces of machinery like tractors, balers, spreaders, combines and drills can be deadly.

Deadliest Jobs in America: Mining

Mining has always been a deadly and dangerous job, and even though safety precautions have been improved over the last fifty or so years, they still account for about 25% of occupational deaths. This is especially true for miners who work in gas extraction, which puts our energy resources in perspective. If you've ever wanted to work as a miner, you might want to think again.

Deadliest Jobs in America: Construction

There are numerous ways to hurt yourself when working in unfinished structures such as houses and office buildings, and the chances that you might suffer grievous injury increase with your use of power tools. Deaths in the construction industry aren't so frequent as to be called common, but it is one of the deadliest jobs in America. When your office is several stories above ground and you don't have the benefit of walls for protection, your chances of getting hurt increase exponentially.

Deadliest Jobs in America: Timber Cutting

If cutting down hundreds and hundreds of trees sounds like fun to you, you might want to reconsider. Timber cutting is one of the most dangerous jobs in America, particularly because of the large falling objects and the saws with twenty-five teeth per inch. This career accounts for about 10% of occupational deaths each year, which is decreased widely from twenty years ago, when it accounted for almost fifty percent.

Deadliest Jobs in America: Fishing

There are plenty of people (including myself) who love to fish, but what if you did it for a living? Fishermen put themselves in great danger because their lives can be easy victims of the sea. Even when you don't count the thousands of deadly animals in that murky water, you have to take into consideration weather, problems with boats and accidents with equipment.

Deadliest Jobs in America: Truck Driving

There's a reason why truck driving companies offer a handsome sign-on bonus to new recruits; the job is really dangerous! Truck drivers spend hours and hours on the road, suffering from fatigue, at the mercy of any idiot in a sports car who knows he can close that gap in a couple of seconds. Traffic accidents and falling asleep at the wheel are the two deadliest aspects of this career.