Do You Work in Any of These Deadliest Jobs in America?
Are you a proud member of America’s work force? Then you’ve probably been to a couple of job safety training conferences where you learn the basic dos and don’ts. These discussions may include instructions and guidance on occupational safety hazards and the accidents and injuries that could happen.
Unfortunately there is no exact formula to completely eliminate safety hazards. If not for carelessness, negligence, or the human error element, accidents may come off as unforeseen; or if not, it may be inevitable. That’s because there are many several factors that contribute to occupational accidents and injuries.
In an article, Forbes disclosed the top 10 most dangerous jobs in America at the close of 2017 based on the data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
According to BLS, logging workers are the leading labor force in America having the highest number of fatal injuries with a rate of 135.9 fatal injuries for every 100,000 workers.
At second place are fishers and workers in the related field. The occupation’s fatal injury rate was at 86 per 100,000 workers. Ranking in third place were aircraft pilots and flight engineers, having a fatal injury rate of 55.5 per 100,000 workers.
They were closely followed by roofers or roofing professionals at a fatal injury rate of 48.6 per 100,000 workers. Closing the top 5 of America’s most dangerous occupations are refuse and recyclable material collectors at 34.1 per 100,000 workers.
Wrapping up Forbes’ report on the top 10 deadliest jobs in America, in descending order, are structural iron and steel workers, truck drivers and sales workers, agricultural professionals like farmers and ranchers, construction supervisors, and ground maintenance workers.
USA Today also released its list of the 25 most dangerous jobs in America. In addition to the above-mentioned occupations, the list revealed police and patrol officers, electrical power line installers, taxi drivers, and workers that operate industrial machinery.
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
The U.S. Congress, under the administration of President Richard Nixon, passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), setting the safety standards in America’s workplace.
Since the law was in effect, a significant portion of the U.S. work force have enjoyed the improvements in work safety, with such decline in workplace fatalities from 14,000 in 1970 down to about 5,000 in 2016. Today there has been a massive reduction in deaths among workers in both private and public sectors.
Admittedly there may have been a couple of fatal errors and accidents, but this has been down to a minimum since the strict safety legislation has been put into place. Majority of the remaining workplace accidents and deaths involve frequent use of heavy equipment or constant exposure to hazardous environments or potentially dangerous substances. Carelessness and disregard for workplace safety are often the reasons for these accidents and the consequential injuries or deaths.
Injuries or Deaths in a Workplace Facility
Regrettably there are occupations that are prone to accidents, resulting in serious injuries or, worse, deaths. Whether it’s a slip-up, an altercation, or simply a case of bad luck, the injured or the survivors of the deceased may be entitled to compensation benefits.
If you have lost a loved one or has been injured in a workplace facility, you may pursue legal action for damages. When you need a Las Vegas workplace accident attorney, contact Dan Lovell of Empire Law Group.
