Proud To Protect Injured Workers

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Dangerous industries and rate of pay

by | Jul 9, 2014 | Worker Safety |

The type of job a person has in Minnesota and across the country can increase their risk of being injured or even dying on the job. The National Safety Council calculates the risk of death from all types of calamities, such as getting struck by lightning at 1 in 136,011 to death from cancer or heart disease at 1 in 7 while other risks fall somewhere in between.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the number of deaths on-the-job at 3.2 per 100,000 for all workers in 2012 or 4,628 fatalities. They compiled a list of the top five most dangerous jobs for the year. Coming in at number one was the trucking industry, including various types of delivery, on-the-road and sales truck drivers with about 22.1 fatalities per 100,000 or 741 total deaths. Other illnesses and injuries stood at 65,000. These workers earned between $27,530 and just under $41,000 annually. The second riskiest job was agricultural-related, such as ranchers or farmers, who earned an average pay of $73,210 with fatalities of 21.3 per 100,000.

The third highest industry was construction where deadly accidents stood at 17.4 per 100,000 and 183,000 illnesses or work injuries. Contributing factors included heavy equipment and slips and falls. These workers earned about $35,000 per year. The fourth-most-dangerous industry was pilots and flight engineers who are paid just under $130,000 each year. The industry has a fatality rate of 53.4 per 100,000 due to plane crashes and equipment. About 27,000 workers in the industry suffer from injuries or sicknesses. Coming in fifth place was fishermen with a fatality rate of 117 per 100,000 and 49,000 sicknesses or injuries each year.

An injury at work can change the course of a person’s life so they can no longer provide for their family. A worker’s compensation attorney might file a lawsuit if someone has been injured on the job.

Source: Wall Street Cheat Sheet, “Price of Risk: How Well Do the 5 Most Dangerous Jobs Pay?”, Erika Rawes, June 28, 2014