Occupational hazards and workplace injuries are more than reason enough for an individual to purchase a life insurance policy to ensure the financial security of their loved ones. However, if you work in of one these occupations, you should pay close attention to the status of your life insurance coverage.
While the workplace may seem harmless, accidents can happen at any moment, and they could result in disability – or could even prove fatal.
Data from the National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries highlights the top ten most dangerous U.S occupations and most of them are, not surprisingly, blue-collar jobs.
Year after year, logging tends to top the list as the most dangerous occupation in the U.S. with 127.8 deaths occurring per 100,000 workers.
The most dangerous job last year was fishing, and it’s generally the second most dangerous job in the U.S.
But it’s worth noting that the workplace is much safer than it used it be as work-related fatalities have been declining over the past decade.
In 1992, 6,217 fatal work injuries occurred while that number fell to 4,383 for the year 2012.
The causes of work-related injuries range from transportation incidents to falls, slips, trips, fires and explosions.
During 2012, 41% of total fatal work injuries occurred as a result of transportation incidents.
Below is a chart of the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the U.S.
This data was collected from the 2012 National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries:
| Rating |
Occupation |
Annual Pay |
Deaths per 100x |
| 10 | Construction Laborers |
$34,500 |
17.4 |
| 9 | Farmers/ Agricultural Managers |
$73,000 |
21.3 |
| 8 | Drivers/Truck Drivers |
$27,000 |
22.1 |
| 7 | Electrical Power Line Workers |
$62,000 |
23 |
| 6 | Refuse/Recyclable Material Collectors |
$35,000 |
27.1 |
| 5 | Structural Iron and Steel Workers |
$50,000 |
37 |
| 4 | Roofers |
$38,000 |
40.5 |
| 3 | Pilots/Flight Engineers |
$128,000 |
53.4 |
| 2 | Fishers/Fishing Workers |
$36,900 |
117 |
| 1 | Loggers |
$34,000 |
127.8 |
Because there’s a constant threat of serious harm or even death, it’s important that all workers – especially those who work in the listed occupations – seek life insurance as a means of providing for their families.