OccuPAYtional Hazards: Is Your Job Worth It?

When we think of dangerous jobs, we often picture the firefighters, police officers and other public servants who keep us safe. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, seven times more workers in the construction trades lose their lives than law enforcement officers.

However, a UK group called Accident Claims Advice (ACA) wanted to further explore this and see which jobs are the most dangerous – backed by data – and whether those workers are financially compensated for taking on such a risk.

Rather than burning buildings or dangerous armed criminals, the most common causes of fatal accidents for workers involve transportation incidents, followed by trips, falls and accidents while operating equipment. Ninety-three percent of fatal workplace accidents are suffered by men, and the age group at the most risk is 45-54 year olds.

You may be surprised to find out that lumberjacks, aircraft pilots and even fishermen all rank highly in terms of danger, yet some aren’t paid particularly well to compensate for this.

A couple of the most interesting findings are:

• Being a lumberjack statistically is the most dangerous job, with 132.7 fatalities per 100,000, but their pay is relatively low in comparison.
• Aircraft pilots generally are paid well, but for charter and air-taxi pilots it is surprisingly risky work. There are 40.4 fatalities per 100,000 due to smaller and less stable aircraft.