The 11 Deadliest Jobs in America

When we think of some of the deadliest jobs in America, we probably think of something a bit exotic a knowingly risky, such as oil rig hand or lion tamer. (Ok, maybe not a lion tamer). But we may be surprised to see how some of the deadliest jobs seem as some of the most innocuous. And you probably didn’t expect some of these jobs to be included in that list, let alone so many that have to deal with Agriculture and farming.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported an annual increase year over year for the last three years for fatal work injuries, with this last year having the highest recorded injury rate in nearly a decade.

These are the 11 deadliest jobs to have in America

No. 11 Miscellaneous Agriculture Workers

• BLS definition: These jobs consider all workers in the harvesting, irrigating, machinery servicing, spraying, fertilizing, and overall general operations of a the farm in crop, nursery, or animal production.
• Current census fatalities: 156
• Rate of fatality: 17.3 for every 100,000 workers

No. 10 Grounds Maintenance Workers

• BLS definition: Those that landscape or maintenance grounds of property using hand tools, power tools, or equipment of other kinds. Excluding farm workers and laborers.
• Current census fatalities: 217
• Rate of fatality: 17.4 for every 100,000 workers

No. 9 Line of Supervisors of Construction Trades

• BLS definition: General first line supervisors of construction trades, and they perform the tasks of physical labor at construction sites.
• Current census fatalities: 134
• Rate of fatality: 18.0 for every 100,000 workers

No. 8 Farmers, Ranchers, and other Agricultural Managers

• BLS definition: Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquaculture operations, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural establishments. May hire, train, and supervise farm workers or contract for services to carry out the day-to-day activities of the managed operation. May engage in or supervise planting, cultivating, harvesting, and financial and marketing activities. Excludes “First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers”
• Current census fatalities: 260
• Rate of fatality: 23.1 for every 100,000 workers

No. 7 Drivers and Truck Drivers

• BLS definition: Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers pick up, transport, and drop off packages within select areas. They drive trucks and cargo.
• Current census fatalities: 918
• Rate of fatality: 24.7 for every 100,000 workers

No. 6 Structural Iron and Steel Workers

• BLS definition: These workers install steel beams, girders, and columns to construct larger buildings, bridges, and other types of structures. Mostly referred to as “ironworkers”.
• Current census fatalities: 918
• Rate of fatality: 25.1 for every 100,000 workers

No. 5 Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors

• BLS definition: Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck. May drive truck.
• Current census fatalities: 31
• Rate of fatality: 34.1for every 100,000 workers

No. 4 Roofers

• BLS definition: Roofers repair and install the roofs of buildings using a variety of materials, including shingles, asphalt, and metal.
• Current census fatalities: 101
• Rate of fatality: 48.6 for every 100,000 workers

No. 3 Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers

• BLS definition: Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing, multi-engine aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used. Includes regional, National, and international airline pilots and flight instructors of airline pilots.
• Current census fatalities: 75
• Rate of fatality: 55.5 for every 100,000 workers

No. 2 Fishers and Related Fishing Workers

• BLS definition: Fishers and related fishing workers catch and trap various types of marine life. The fish they catch are for human food, animal feed, bait, and other uses.
• Current census fatalities: 24
• Rate of fatality: 86.0 for every 100,000 workers

No. 1 Logging Workers

• BLS definition: Logging workers harvest thousands of acres of forests each year. The timber they harvest provides the raw material for many consumer goods and industrial products.
• Current census fatalities: 91
• Rate of fatality: 135.9 for every 100,000 workers

It’s interesting to see that direct Ag or Ag related jobs make up a large portion of these deadly professions. Many people don’t tend to realize just how hard some of these professions truly are.

5 More Interesting Facts

1. The BLS also considers work place violence, homicide, or suicide as part of the analysis of work place injury and death. Violence in the work place accounts for nearly 17% of all incidents and death.
2. Those 65 years or older make up the most susceptible age group to work place injury and death , with 988 counts alone the last census year, and a rate 9.6 per 100,000 workers.
3. It is more dangerous to work for your local government than the federal government, as the Local rate of injury is 3.0 per 100,000 vs the Federal rate of injury which is 1.2 per 100,000
4. The most dangerous state in the union (going by rate of injury) is Wyoming at 12.3, followed closely by Alaska at 10.6 per 100,000 workers, and Montana taking third at 7.9. .
5. The safest states include: Rhode Island (1.8), Connecticut (1.6),  and California taking third (2.2).