11 Power Line Installers and Repairers

Fatal injuries:  26

Non-fatal injuries: 1910

Only a powerline installer or repairer can ensure that we get electricity into our homes, and we are forever obliged by their services. Power linemen’s jobs require them to climb tall electric poles to repair the power lines or to check underground cables while being exposed to unsecured electric wires all the time. The most common cause of death for these workers is electrocution. (Source)

12 Agricultural Workers/Farmers

Fatal injuries: 148

Non-fatal injuries: 14920

Agricultural workers/farmers look after livestock, plant, harvest, and water crops. Their job requires them to use fertilizers and pesticides. The most common cause of death for these workers is being poisoned by fertilizers, pesticides, or being bitten by venomous reptiles. (Source)

13 Emergency Medical Technicians, Doctors, Nurses

Fatal injuries: 119

Non-fatal injuries:  177650

Emergency medical technicians work to save the lives of patients caught in life-threatening situations. Their job requires them to treat such patients and save their lives. They pose a high risk to their own lives in the process as they are quite vulnerable to catching deadly contagious diseases from the patients. (1, 2)

14 Firefighters

Fatal injuries:  no data for 2020

Non-fatal injuries: 300

Firefighters’ work requires climbing on rope ladders and harnesses to reach tall buildings where a fire might have broken out. They also work to extinguish the fires using fire extinguishers. The most common cause of death for these individuals is losing their own lives by getting burnt in the fire while trying to save the lives of others. (Source)

15 Meat Plant Workers

Fatal injuries: 11

Non-fatal injuries: 2670

US meat workers suffer three times more than the average American worker. While slaughtering animals for meat using a cartridge gun or an electrical device, they often end with maimed limbs, amputations, second-degree burns, and several other health risks. They are prone to high risks to their limbs as they have to maintain the speed on meat processing lines. There are at least two amputations per week. Meat plant workers often become a victim of their own murderous devices. (Source)

16  Astronauts and Cosmonauts

Fatal injuries: 20

Non-fatal injuries: –

Astronauts and Cosmonauts have decoded space mysteries for us and made it easier for us to understand our existence in our galaxy. Their job requires them to board rockets and space ships and travel far away into the unknown, knowing that they may never come back alive. This very risky job has a high fatality rate. The entire world rejoices when a spacecraft with onboard astronauts returns safely back to the Earth. (Source)

17 Tree Trimmers and Pruners

Fatal injuries: 82

Non-fatal injuries: – 840

Tree trimmers and pruners beautify and maintain our natural surroundings by trimming and pruning trees. This job involves climbing tall trees and trimming the branches, pruning leaves, removing dead or infected parts of a tree, etc., to enhance their life and to make our landscapes look neat and tidy. The fatalities in this job include injuring themselves while handling heavy-duty saws and other equipment to trim and prune. They may also die by slipping and falling off tall trees. (Source)

18 Building and Ground Maintenance Cleaners

Fatal injuries:  307

Non-fatal injuries: 44860

Cleaning a building involves cleaning the skyscrapers’ windows, grounds, lifts, corridors, and every other part of the cement structure. This job requires handling heavy equipment and machinery to make the surfaces spic and span. The fatalities include slipping and falling from a harness when cleaning high-rise building windows or roofs and terraces. One may also get injured when handling heavy cleaning machines. (1, 2)

19 Security Guards

Fatal injuries:  61

Non-fatal injuries: 6680

Security guards protect our premises while we rest or work in peace in our homes, offices, or public places. These guards bar trespassers, criminals, thieves, and robbers from entering a property without permission. They showcase a brave face but often get attacked by these lawbreakers as a result. This job poses a high risk to their lives. They often get injured during an assault or even die. (Source)

20 Military Personnel

Fatal injuries:  20

Non-fatal injuries: 87

Military people are constantly in harm’s way, whether fighting in war zones, working for humanitarian missions, or working close to large and lethal machinery. They have to constantly deal with weapons, bombs, and attacks from the enemies. The most common fatalities arising in this job are amputations or deaths due to terrorist attacks. (1, 2, 3)

Alarming Scientific Data

The above and a lot more like snake milkers, bomb squad technicians, and such other jobs give us the creeps! Imagine people indulging in these activities every day.

According to the data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, there has been an alarming rise in on-the-job deaths in recent years. America loses a lot of working people every year due to occupational hazards. In 2020, 4,764 fatal workplace injuries were reported in America. The fatal injury rate was recorded to be 3.5 per 100,000 full-time workers last year.

For some people, a bad day at work may translate to being yelled at, but, for some others, it may mean injury. As per the consensus, the most dangerous job in America is logging, being 33 times more dangerous than the average job. What is surprising is that these dangerous jobs earn an average salary below the annual mean wage of $53,490. But these workers have a compensation insurance premium higher than average, too.

The data compiled is taken from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries for the year 2020. We also had an email conversation with Jeremy Petosa, Economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics to confirm some of the above figures.

Fatal data are taken from  – U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Non-fatal data are taken from – U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS