America's Most Dangerous Jobs

<a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/7c/ar5d6r566hq6gr3m5p7c.gif"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/7c/ar5d6r566hq6gr3m5p7c.gif" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" /></a><br /><div>While many of us go to our jobs every day without even thinking that we might suffer a paper cut, there are thousands of other workers in peril every time they punch the clock. From inner city violence to acts of nature, professionals put their lives at risk to keep the community safe, keep store shelves stocked with food, keep our utilities running, and build our roads, cars and homes.<br /><br />In August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its annual report identifying the industries and occupations that had the most fatal work injuries. In 2008, there were 5,071 fatal work injuries and a fatality rate of 3.6 per 100,000 workers in the United States -- a drop from 5,657 and 4.0 respectively in 2007. While this decrease is something to be optimistic about, there are other factors to consider.<br /><br />According to the BLS, economic factors likely played a role in the fatality decrease. Hours worked at the national level fell by one percent in 2008, and some industries that have historically accounted for a significant share of worker fatalities, such as construction, experienced larger declines in employment or hours worked. One might speculate the economy also be factored into the rise of workplace suicides, which were up 28 percent to a series high of 251 cases in 2008.<br /><br />Are you curious to see if your job is one of the most hazardous? These were the most fatal occupations and industries last year:<br /><br />Jobs with the highest fatality rates<br />The following 10 occupations had the highest fatality rates in 2008:<br /><br />1. Fishers and related fishing workers<br />Fatality rate*: 128.9<br /><br />2. Logging workers<br />Fatality rate: 115.7<br /><br />3. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers<br />Fatality rate: 72.4<br /><br />4. Structural iron and steel workers<br />Fatality rate: 46.4<br /><br />5. Farmers and ranchers<br />Fatality rate: 39.5<br /><br />6. Refuse and recyclable material collectors<br />Fatality rate: 36.8<br /><br />7. Roofers<br />Fatality rate: 34.4<br /><br />8. Electrical power line installers and repairers<br />Fatality rate: 29.8<br /><br />9. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers<br />Fatality rate: 22.8<br /><br />10. Taxi drivers and chauffeurs<br />Fatality rate: 19.3<br /><br /><br />Jobs with the most fatalities<br />The following 10 positions saw the most deaths in 2008:<br /><br />1. Motor vehicle operators<br />Number of victims: 908<br />Most common manner of death: 66 were highway-related.<br /><br />2. Construction trades workers<br />Number of victims: 720<br />Most common manner of death: 37 were attributed to falls<br /><br />3. Material moving workers<br />Number of victims: 248<br />Most common manner of death: 14 fall-related fatalities and 12 were struck by objects<br /><br />4. Law enforcement workers<br />Number of victims: 144<br />Most common manner of death: 38 were highway-related and 33 were homicides<br /><br />5. Agricultural workers<br />Number of victims: 33<br />Most common manner of death: 19 highway-related fatalities<br /><br />6. Grounds maintenance workers<br />Number of victims: 128<br />Most common manner of death: 20 deaths each from falls and being struck by an object<br /><br />7. Sales supervisors<br />Number of victims: 124<br />Most common manner of death: 52 homicides<br /><br />8. Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, repairers<br />Number of victims: 110<br />Most common manner of death: 30 were struck by objects<br /><br />9. Supervisors, construction and extraction workers<br />Number of victims: 108<br />Most common manner of death: 24 fall-related deaths<br /><br />10. Metal or plastic workers<br />Number of victims: 102<br />Most common manner of death: 15 from being struck by an object and 13 from falls<br /><br /><br /><br />Most dangerous industries<br />These industries led in the number and rates of fatalities in 2008:<br /><br />1. Construction<br />Number of deaths: 969<br />Fatality rate: 9.6<br /><br />2. Transportation and warehousing<br />Number of deaths: 762<br />Fatality rate: 14.2<br /><br />3. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting<br />Number of deaths: 651<br />Fatality rate: 29.4<br /><br />4. Government<br />Number of deaths: 522<br />Fatality rate: 2.3<br /><br />5. Manufacturing<br />Number of deaths: 404<br />Fatality rate: 2.5<br /><br />6. Professional and business services<br />Number of deaths: 389<br />Fatality rate: 2.7<br /><br />7. Retail trade<br />Number of deaths: 290<br />Fatality rate: 2<br /><br />8. Leisure and hospitality<br />Number of deaths: 233<br />Fatality rate: 2.2<br /><br />9. Wholesale trade<br />Number of deaths: 175<br />Fatality rate: 4.2<br /><br />10. Mining<br />Number of deaths: 175<br />Fatality rate: 18<br /><br />*Fatality rate is the number of fatalities per 100,000 workers<br /><br />By Kate Lorenz editor for CareerBuilder.com and its job-seeker blog, www.TheWorkBuzz.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter www.twitter.com/katelorenz. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Search more than 100,000 Jobs by </span></strong><a href="http://jobs.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?SB%3Asbkw=&SB%3As_freeloc=&SB%3Asbfr=30&sbsbmt=Find+Jobs+%C2%BB&lr=cbrockl&cid=US&excrit=QID%3DA3852768340946%3Bst%3DA%3Buse%3DALL%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3D%3F%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DDRNS%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DALL%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BPAYL%3D0%3BPAYH%3DGT120%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D1%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3DSID_UNKNOWN%3BSS%3DNO%3BTITL%3D0%3BOB%3D-modifiedint%3BJQT%3DRAD%3BJDV%3DFalse&IPath=ILM"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">CLICKING HERE!</span></strong></a> </div>

America's Most Dangerous Jobs

While many of us go to our jobs every day without even thinking that we might suffer a paper cut, there are thousands of other workers in pe...

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