The Ten Most Dangerous Jobs in the United States

Although there is always a risk of becoming injured at work, this risk is more prevalent in some jobs than others. Jobs that involve manual labor and the use of heavy equipment tend to put workers at a greater risk of injury than jobs that do not, such as retail and office jobs.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) collects data about the workplace injuries and fatalities that occur in the United States. Each year, the BLS releases a report each year detailing the total number of fatalities and the fields in which they occurred. If you work in one of the following industries, take extra care to prevent an injury at your workplace:

1. Logging: fatality rate of 91.3 for every 100,000 full-time workers;
2. Commercial fishing: fatality rate of 75 for every 100,000 full-time workers;
3. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers: fatality rate of 50.6 for every 100,000 full-time workers;
4. Roofers: fatality rate of 38.7 for every 100,000 full-time workers;
5. Trash and recyclables collectors: fatality rate of 33 for every 100,000 full-time workers;
6. Mining machine operators: fatality rate of 26.9 for every 100,000 full-time workers;
7. Truck drivers: fatality rate of 22 for every 100,000 full-time workers;
8. Farmers and agricultural workers: fatality rate of 21.8 for every 100,000 full-time workers
9. Electrical power line installers and repairers: fatality rate of 21.5 for every 100,000 full-time workers; and
10. Construction workers: fatality rate of 17.7 for every 100,000 full-time workers.

Every field has its unique hazards. Construction workers most often risk suffering injuries from falls, being pinned between objects or machinery, or being hit by falling tools and materials. Truck drivers' greatest hazards are overloaded trucks and other drivers' negligence. Discuss the unique safety hazards present in your job with your supervisor and colleagues to develop new safety strategies. You can base these strategies on your industry's safety regulations and those published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and build upon them to suit your individual needs.

If you have been injured at work, seek medical attention right away. After your condition has been stabilized, notify your supervisor of the accident so he or she can not only record it, but address the hazards that contributed to it if they are still present. Then, seek legal counsel from an attorney who has experience in workplace accident claims to determine the next steps for you to take with your case.

If you have been injured at work, you might have grounds to seek compensation for your expenses through a workplace injury claim. For more information about this process, contact Corsiglia, McMahon, & Allard, L.L.P. today to schedule your free consultation with a San Jose workplace injury attorney at our firm. We can determine the negligent party in your case and advise you about the best way to proceed with your claim. We proudly serve clients throughout the Bay Area, San Mateo County, Alameda County, San Benito County, Monterey County, and Santa Clara County.

• Top 10 Dangerous Jobs Report
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