Good News and Bad News
Unless you’re a construction worker or a policeman or fireman. Probably best to stick to being an Indian or a biker, really.
Yeah, fuck that
Good news! Fewer people are dying in work related accidents. Bad news. It’s because fewer people are working. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ National Census of Fatal Occupation Injuries report is out and while I hate to spoil the ending for you, I have to report that work-related fatalities dropped 6% to a total of 5,488, the lowest number since 1992. Construction work is still the most dangerous job overall, causing around 1100 deaths each year, but there are many, many construction workers so their professional average is relatively low.
So what jobs are the most dangerous? Based on deaths per 100,000 employees, here’s a list of the top 5.
- Fishers: 112 deaths per 100,000
- Logging: 87 per 100,000
- Aircraft pilots and flight engineers 67 per 100,000
- Iron and steel workers 45 per 100,00
- Farmers and ranchers: 38 per 100,000
Law enforcement didn’t make the top 5, but it did make the top 10, with 21.4 per deaths 100,000. This means it’s 5 times less dangerous than fishing, and 4 times less dangerous than logging, so let this be a lesson to all Canadians. If you are considering a career as a fisherman or logger, suck it up and join the Mounties instead.