The 15 deadliest jobs in America
- Logging workers had the highest fatal injury rate in 2021 among occupations.
- Fishing and hunting workers also had a high rate last year based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Logging workers have the most dangerous job in the US, based on the government's most recent fatal injury rate figures.
That's according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2021. There were 82.2 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers for logging workers. Fishing and hunting workers followed behind, with a rate of 75.2 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. In 2020, the fatal injury rate for logging workers was slightly higher, at 91.7.
Construction jobs can also be deadly. Construction trade helpers, for instance, was among the occupations with the highest fatal injury rates. This job had a rate per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers of 22.9.
Overall the fatal injury rate per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers was 3.6 in 2021, which BLS notes in its news release was the highest overall rate since 2016.
Transportation incidents made up the largest number of fatal incidents, which has also been the case in previous years. In 2021, there were 1,982 fatal transportation injuries. There were 850 fatal falls, slips, or trips. Both these numbers are below their pre-pandemic 2019 figures but above 2020 figures.
The following are the 15 most deadliest jobs in America based on 2021 fatal injury rates. Fatal injury rates noted below are fatal injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers.
15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 17.1
14. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 17.5
13. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 18.3
12. Grounds maintenance workers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 19.1
11. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 19.4
10. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 22.0
9. Construction trade helpers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 22.9
8. Underground mining machine operators
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 26.7
7. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 27.9
6. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 28.8
5. Structural iron and steel workers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 36.1
4. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 48.1
3. Roofers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 59.0
2. Fishing and hunting workers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 75.2
1. Logging workers
Fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers: 82.2
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