It may be important for many workers to take into consideration the risk of suffering a serious injury at a potential job before they sign on with an employer. Although many jobs that have higher risks for suffering a fatal work injury offer better compensation, it may be important for California residents to consider the risk before they are lured in by the money they may earn. The Department of Labor recently identified the most dangerous jobs in the country.
In 2011, it was found that there were a total of 4,609 fatal work injuries. This is a slight drop from 2010, where it was reported that there were 4,690 such injuries. The 2011 figures equate to 3.5 workers out of 100,000 being killed while on the job.
Fishermen were found to have the highest rate of death, as it was reported that 121.2 per 100,000 were killed in 2011. Loggers and airplane pilots followed fishermen, with 64 loggers and 72 pilots being killed in 2011. On the other end of the spectrum, it was found that filing clerks, customer service professionals and insurance salesmen had the safest jobs.
Workplace safety may be one of the most important considerations for California workers when they are deciding on what profession they would like to undertake. Despite this concern, workers are still at risk of suffering a work injury, no matter what their chosen profession. A work injury could result in missed time from the job or, in serious cases, even potentially life threatening injuries. In such cases, it is important to realize that workers’ compensation benefits typically apply to help pay for medical bills and related expenses as well as to provide for the missed income from work.
Source: Today Money, “America’s 10 deadliest jobs,” Jacquelyn Smith, Sept. 25, 2012