Most people know they will be safe when they arrive at work, but that’s not the case for everyone. In order to keep a highly productive society, some of us have to do the extra hard and dangerous jobs. While there are dozens of jobs with some level of danger, these six often pose the most threat to worker safety.
Pilot
There are a variety of different jobs for pilots from flying small private planes in the bush to flying large jumbo jets from city to city. There is always going to be some level of risk when your job is flying an airplane, with small aircraft actually being more dangerous than large commercial planes but danger does not stop at just being above the ground. While only a small percentage of flights crash, pilots are at risk of several serious medical conditions because of the high-stress level of their job. Despite this, most pilots would never give up the opportunity to fly every day. According to Salary.com the average Chief Pilot for a Jet fleet makes about $159,000. while the average Chief Pilot for a non-jet fleet makes about $104,500. the average Co-Pilot for a Large Jet makes about $87,000.
Police Officer
It is no wonder police officers have one of the most dangerous jobs in America. While most of their days stick to normal routines, officers are constantly at risk of getting injured or killed. This unpredictability leads to over 100 on-duty deaths each year. The average Police Patrol Officer makes about $52,700 per year.
Firefighter
It takes a brave and selfless person to risk their life by running into burning building, but it’s not what most firefighters do each day. Many of us think fire is the most dangerous part of their job, but it may actually be the stress. Heart failure is the cause of the majority of on-duty firefighter deaths. Wildfire firefighters even more so, since they spend so much of their time in dangerous and remote areas. The average firefighter makes about $43,500 /yr.
Animal Care Workers
Caring for large animals is extremely dangerous because of their unpredictability. Cattle are seen as a mostly docile animal, but even they account for more than 20 deaths and thousands of injuries each year. Zoo keepers, vets, and carnival workers have to put up with a lot more and their jobs are some of the most dangerous.
Lumberjack
Loggers have to deal with dangerous equipment, bad weather, and falling trees nearly every day in their job. Most lumberjacks live in remote areas, so they may not have too many other job opportunities.
Tractor-trailer Truck Driver
Tractor-trailer truck drivers spend almost all of their day on the road driving. This puts them at a much higher risk of auto accidents. 18-wheeler crashes and accidents are some of the worst seen on roadways today, and according to the attorneys at The Lucky Law Firm there are over 500,000 trucking accidents every year in this country. In addition to the accidents on the road, truck drivers are also targets for violent crime at truck stops because of their valuable cargo.
Other Dangerous Jobs
There are a variety of other dangerous jobs as well, some of which may be surprising including Farming (dangerous equipment), Commercial Fisherman (weather and equipment), and Commercial Roofers and Iron and Steel Workers (heights and equipment).
It takes a special kind of person to risk injury and death at work every day. Nobody can know the exact dangers of these six jobs unless they have done them at some point in their life, but it is a sure bet they are some of the most dangerous in America.