30 Most Dangerous Jobs in America
In this article, we are going to take a look at the 30 most dangerous jobs in America. You can skip our detailed analysis of these jobs, and go directly to the 5 Most Dangerous Jobs in America.
If you spend most of your day at work by being a part of meetings, sitting in an office, or staring at a computer screen just waiting for the clock to hit 5, be thankful. At least your job is not one of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America.
America loses a lot of working people every year due to occupational hazards. According to the U.S. Bureau of labor statistics' Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 5,333 fatal workplace injuries were reported in America in 2019. This was up 2% from number of work-related fatalities witnessed in 2018 and the largest annual fatality number since 2007. The fatal work injury rate was recorded to be 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers for 2019, the same as that of 2018.
One would think that becoming a police officer or a firefighter would be the most daring thing to do, data shows otherwise. The most dangerous job in America is being a truck driver. The number of deaths for firefighters in 2019 was only 8, and for police officers, the number was 86. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers accounted for a major chunk of the total number of fatalities in 2019, having recorded 1005 fatal injuries. 732 people died from coming into contact with objects and equipment in 2019. The leading players in the power tools, industrial, and household tools are Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK), Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT), and Hitachi, Ltd. (TYO: HTHIY). These companies have to up their manufacturing game by making "safer" tools. The alarming number of deaths caused by coming in contact with objects and equipment malfunction can be significantly reduced if tools with enhanced safety features are available in the market. The most common cause for the deaths recorded in 2019 was transportation incidents, registering a count of 2,122, followed by falls, slips, and trips that accounted for 880 of the 5,333 total fatalities.
As average income in the US grows and young people use the internet to learn new skills, more and more Americans are opting for safer and well-paying jobs at companies like Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL), Facebook, Inc. Common Stock (NASDAQ: FB) and Twitter Inc (NYSE: TWTR).
Our Methodology
To compile this list of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America, we studied the data provided by the U.S. Bureau of labor statistics, which gave us the total number of fatal injuries recorded for a given occupation in 2019 and the most common cause of the injury. We sourced the fatality rates from a study conducted by AdvisorSmith. Furthermore, we included the median base salary for each profession in our list of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America, taken from here. We defined "dangerous" as jobs with the highest fatal injury rates.
With this context in mind, let's now discuss our list of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America.
30 Most Dangerous Jobs in America
30. Cashiers
Total Fatal Injuries: 51 Fatal Injury Rate: 2 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Violence and other injuries by persons or animals Median Base Salary: $25,020
Cashiers are tasked daily to handle cash. Even though one may think not a lot of danger comes with the job of a cashier, just wait till a person barges in and points a gun at the poor fellow giving them a choice between emptying the register, or kissing the dust.
Companies like Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST), and Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) have been victims of store shootings and robberies, and have lost not only customers to those shootings, but valued employees as well.
29. Security Guards
Total Fatal Injuries: 63 Fatal Injury Rate: 7 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Violence and other injuries by persons or animals Median Base Salary: $34,360
Again, seems like a mundane job, but it really is not. 63 security guards died in 2019 on duty. Most of the time you would think why do we need a security guard outside a drug store or a mall. The sun's out, you are on your way to getting some groceries, and then you are a part of a standoff between guards and burglars. The importance of security guards is not realized enough, and the danger that comes with the job is real.
Companies like Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST), and Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) have been victims of store shootings and robberies, and have lost not only customers to those shootings, but valued employees as well.
28. Building Cleaning and Pest Control Workers
Total Fatal Injuries: 63 Fatal Injury Rate: 7 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Exposure to harmful substances or environments, Falls, slips, trips Median Base Salary: $37,820
Most of the chemicals used by pest control workers can be toxic to man, and this is why one of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America includes pest control workers. The primary cause of casualties recorded was identified to be exposed to harmful substances. If you ever decide to work in pest control, be wary of the signs that come on the chemicals you will be using in the field. Also, goggles and gloves are your best friends.
27. Electricians
Total Fatal Injuries: 68 Fatal Injury Rate: 7 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Exposure to harmful substances or environments Median Base Salary: $56,900
Every once in a while you have to call an electrician over to see why the socket got fried when you plugged in your toaster. As professional as electricians are, they can have 120V zap through their bodies. At least electricians have the safety advantage of working indoors, unlike linemen who will appear later in our list of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America.
26. Carpenters
Total Fatal Injuries: 99 Fatal Injury Rate: 8 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Falls, slips, trips Median Base Salary: $49,520
When you are going to be working sharp saws, chisels, and a variety of power tools that can behave unexpectedly, your safety is in your own hands. No matter how much of an expert you are with handling sharp tools to create art with wood, there is always a risk of getting injured. The injury can be a minor cut, or, in the worst case you can become the next captain hook.
25. Mining Machine Operators
Total Fatal Injuries: 6 Fatal Injury Rate: 11 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Contact with objects and equipment Median Base Salary: $52,920
Mining is a notoriously dangerous job role. Working in a confined space with coal and methane, both key ingredients in the recipe for an explosion, shows how hazardous the job of a miner can be. The explosion can further cause workers to be crumbled under rocks or be trapped in caves.
That's why young Americans are preferring to apply in companies like Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL), Facebook, Inc. Common Stock (NASDAQ: FB) and Twitter Inc (NYSE: TWTR) that offer safe and well-paid jobs.
24. Construction Laborers
Total Fatal Injuries: 293 Fatal Injury Rate: 13 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Falls, slips, trips Median Base Salary: $37,080
If you have a fear of heights, have trouble keeping a steady hand, or lack core stability, do not consider becoming a construction laborer. Construction workers have a relatively more physically demanding job since they have to operate power tools, maneuver around scaffoldings and perform several other life-threatening tasks daily. Construction workers have the second-highest number of reported fatalities in our list of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America.
23. Heavy Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Service Technicians and Mechanics
Total Fatal Injuries: 27 Fatal Injury Rate: 14 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Transportation incidents, contact with objects and equipment Median Base Salary: $53,370
Heavy vehicle mechanics deal with cranes, bulldozers, and tractors. They make sure the proper functioning of equipment by inspecting, replacing faulty parts, routine maintenance, and diagnostics. The primary cause of the 27 recorded casualties was transportation incidents, followed by contact with objects and equipment.
Companies like Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK), Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT), and Hitachi, Ltd. (TYO: HTHIY) need to gear towards developing tools, and industrial vehicles such as cranes, bulldozers, and tractors that come with enhanced safety.
22. Maintenance and Repair Workers, in General
Total Fatal Injuries: 78 Fatal Injury Rate: 14 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Contact with objects and equipment Median Base Salary: $40,850
Maintenance workers are responsible for the upkeep of buildings, machines, or other mechanical equipment. This broad generalization of maintenance workers identifies that job roles in maintenance and repair are one of the most dangerous in America. You can be fixing electrical systems, plumbing, or a gas connection at a building, you will always be at risk of unfavorable and unexpected conditions that can result from human error or a lack of judgment.
Companies like Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK), Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT), and Hitachi, Ltd. (TYO: HTHIY) need to gear towards developing tools that offer enhanced safety.
21. Police Officers
Total Fatal Injuries: 86 Fatal Injury Rate: 14 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Violence and other injuries by persons or animals Median Base Salary: $67,290
Approaching the top 20 of our list of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America, placing police officers at 21. The most common cause of death was violence by another person, and it makes sense too. The police are tasked with eradicating crime, and they know what they are stepping into when they join the force, the dark side.
Companies like Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST), and Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) have been victims of store shootings and robberies, and have not only suffered losses of customers and employees but those of police officers as well.
20. Grounds Maintenance Workers
Total Fatal Injuries: 229 Fatal Injury Rate: 14 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Transportation incidents Median Base Salary: $32,220
Seems like ordinary work, not that hard; a grounds maintenance worker just has to trim trees, bushes, or maintain a lawn. It still has one of the highest numbers of fatalities recorded for 2019, the most common cause of death being a transportation incident. Mostly when traveling between job sites, ground maintenance workers are victims of car crashes.
19. Small Engine Mechanics
Total Fatal Injuries: 8 Fatal Injury Rate: 15 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Contact with objects and equipment Median Base Salary: $39,020
Small engine mechanics are one of the lowest recorded death contributors to our list of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America, but they have a fatal injury rate of 15 per 100,000 workers, which is more than all of the above-mentioned jobs that have recorded more fatalities. Even though, small engine mechanics work in shops that are relatively "safe", they are still at risk of equipment malfunction.
18. First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
Total Fatal Injuries: 44 Fatal Injury Rate: 15 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Violence and other injuries by persons or animals Median Base Salary: $73,100
Supervisors are responsible for overseeing and managing schedules and making sure that mechanics, installers, and repairers adhere to the schedule. The most common cause of death reported was violence by people or animals and the total fatal injuries recorded in 2019 were 44.
17. Cement Masons, Concrete Finishers, and Terrazzo Workers
Total Fatal Injuries: 14 Fatal Injury Rate: 17 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Falls, slips, trips Median Base Salary: $47,710
Cement masons, concrete finishers, and terrazzo workers work outdoors and their sites are ridden with danger. They have to climb ladders, walk over scaffolds and use lifts daily. The most common cause for their deaths in 2019 was falls, slips, and trips.
16. Construction Helpers
Total Fatal Injuries: 20 Fatal Injury Rate: 18 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Falls, slips, trips Median Base Salary: $35,140
We mentioned construction laborers earlier in our list of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America. A construction helper is different from a construction laborer in such a way that explains why helpers have a higher fatal injury rate than laborers. A construction laborer is a skilled professional that has specialized training in areas such as roofing, paving, pouring concrete, and welding. A construction helper is an assistant to the much more experienced construction laborer, and even though laborers recorded 293 fatal injuries in 2019, helpers have a higher fatal injury rate which moved them up in our list.
That's why young Americans are preferring to apply in companies like Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL), Facebook, Inc. Common Stock (NASDAQ: FB) and Twitter Inc (NYSE: TWTR) that offer safe and well-paid jobs.
15. Highway Maintenance Workers
Total Fatal Injuries: 21 Fatal Injury Rate: 18 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Transportation incidents Median Base Salary: $40,300
Highway maintenance workers are responsible for the upkeep of runways, freeways, highways, and roads in general. Their duties include fixing or replacing road signs, patching potholes, and resurfacing roads. The most common cause of death for highway workers was car crashes.
14. First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers
Total Fatal Injuries: 35 Fatal Injury Rate: 18 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Falls, slips, trips Median Base Salary: $51,280
Supervisors of landscaping are tasked with overseeing the work of lawn service, landscaping, and groundskeeping workers. They give plans for workers to follow and issue methods of procedure for performing landscaping work. Working from heights, handling power tools, and getting used to noise are common requirements for the job. Mostly, first-line supervisors died from falling in 2019.
13. Crane Operators
Total Fatal Injuries: 8 Fatal Injury Rate: 19 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Transportation incidents, Contact with objects and equipment Median Base Salary: $64,010
Crane operators may work at construction sites to load and unload heavy objects onto higher levels, or at docks where they do the same thing but with ships. The most common cause of death for crane operators was primarily transportation incidents, followed by coming into contact with objects and equipment.
Companies like Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK), Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT), and Hitachi, Ltd. (TYO: HTHIY) need to gear towards developing tools, and industrial vehicles such as cranes, bulldozers, and tractors that come with enhanced safety.
12. Crossing Guards
Total Fatal Injuries: 20 Fatal Injury Rate: 19 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Transportation incidents Median Base Salary: $30,170
Crossing guards are tasked with monitoring the flow and control of pedestrian and vehicle traffic at intersections, crosswalks, and other places where both pedestrians and motor vehicles are to pass through. In 2019, most of the deaths reported for crossing guards came from motor-vehicle crashes.
11. First-Line Supervisors of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers
Total Fatal Injuries: 8 Fatal Injury Rate: 20 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Transportation incidents Median Base Salary: $83,170
We are now approaching the top 10 of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America, with firefighting supervisors at number 11. Firefighting supervisors are responsible for training and evaluating firefighters, upkeep of equipment, coordinating the dispatch of vehicles, and much more. They registered a death rate of 20 per 100,000 workers.
Companies like Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST), and Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) have suffered losses due to fires, and have lost not only customers to those fires, but valued employees as well.
10. Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
Total Fatal Injuries:0 Fatal Injury Rate: 20 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Exposure to harmful substances or environments Median Base Salary: $75,030
We mentioned electricians who recorded 68 fatalities for the year 2019, earlier in our list of the 30 most dangerous jobs in America. Power line-men recorded only 20 casualties for 2019 but have a much higher fatality rate of 20 per 100,000 FTE workers which cements their ranking at number 10. Power line-men deal with the installation and upkeep of underground and overhead power lines that supply electricity to buildings including our homes. The most common cause of their death is electrocution.
9. Miscellaneous Agricultural Workers
Total Fatal Injuries: 181 Fatal Injury Rate: 20 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Transportation incidents Median Base Salary: $28,900
Agricultural workers look after livestock and are found planting, harvesting, and watering crops. They also make use of fertilizers and pesticides, but the most common cause of their death does not come from using pesticides or chemicals toxic to man. Most agricultural workers died in 2019 as being a part of a vehicle crash, which occurred when traveling between job sites. That's why young Americans are preferring to apply in companies like Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL), Facebook, Inc. Common Stock (NASDAQ: FB) and Twitter Inc (NYSE: TWTR) that offer safe and well-paid jobs.
8. Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
Total Fatal Injuries: 238 Fatal Injury Rate: 26 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Transportation incidents Median Base Salary: $68,090
The difference between a farmer and an agricultural worker is only that a farmer is a self-employed individual. The duties of both farmers and farm workers (agricultural workers) are roughly the same. The most common cause of death for farmers was transportation incidents that included falling off of a tractor or being a victim of a tractor crash.
7. Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers
Total Fatal Injuries: 1005 Fatal Injury Rate: 27 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Transportation incidents Median Base Salary: $34,340
Truck drivers have reported the highest number of casualties in 2019, an astounding 1005, and have a fatal injury rate of 27 per 100,000 workers. Truck drivers have only one job to do, just drive. As mundane and routine as the job sounds, it comes at number 7 on the 30 most dangerous jobs in America. Driving is a tedious and tiring task, and fatigue coupled with road rage leads to road accidents, which were the most common cause of death for truck drivers.
6. Structural Iron and Steelworkers
Total Fatal Injuries: 18 Fatal Injury Rate: 29 per 100,000 workers Most Common Fatal Accidents: Falls, slips, trips Median Base Salary: $54,830
A day in the life of an ironworker includes cutting, welding, and shaping steel to install on buildings, bridges, and roads. They also have to operate at heights and guide crane operators in the loading and unloading of steel.
Many ironworkers fell, tripped, and slipped to their death in 2019. That's why young Americans are preferring to apply in companies like Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL), Facebook, Inc. Common Stock (NASDAQ: FB) and Twitter Inc (NYSE: TWTR) that offer safe and well-paid jobs. Click to continue reading and see the 5 Most Dangerous Jobs in America. Suggested articles:
Disclosure: None. 30 Most Dangerous Jobs in America is originally published on Insider Monkey.
