The 34 most dangerous jobs in America
34. Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
What they do: Lay out, install, or maintain pipes, plumbing, and sewer systems.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 4.1
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,629
33. Hand laborers and freight, stock, and material movers
What they do: Manually move freight, stock, or other materials or perform other general labor.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 5.2
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 3,068
31 (tie). Firefighters
What they do: Control and extinguish fires or respond to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 6.1
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 927
31 (tie). Industrial truck and tractor operators
What they do: Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 6.1
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,063
30. Security guards and gaming surveillance officers
What they do: Guard, patrol, or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence, or infractions of rules.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 6.2
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 824
29. Welding, soldering, and brazing workers
What they do: Use hand-welding, flame-cutting, hand soldering, or brazing equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 6.4
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,708
28. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
What they do: Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 7.2
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 2,057
27. Carpenters
What they do: Construct, erect, install, or repair structures and fixtures made of wood.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 7.6
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 2,305
26. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
What they do: Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engines.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 8.1
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,923
25. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
What they do: Install or repair heating, central air conditioning, or refrigeration systems.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 8.4
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 2,620
24. Painters, construction and maintenance
What they do: Paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges, and other structural surfaces.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 8.6
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,935
23. Industrial machinery installation, repair, and maintenance workers
What they do: Install, maintain, and repair vehicles, industrial machinery, and electrical and electronic equipment.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 9.3
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 939
22. Electricians
What they do: Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 10.0
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,388
21. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
What they do: Operate one or several types of power construction equipment.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 10.6
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 674
20. Athletes, coaches, umpires, and related workers
What they do: Compete in athletic events, instruct or coach groups or individuals in the fundamentals of sports, or officiate at competitive athletic or sporting events.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 11.7
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 3,438
19. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
What they do: Install and repair telecommunications cable, including fiber optics.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 12.1
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 2,680
17 (tie). First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
What they do: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of workers engaged in landscaping or groundskeeping activities.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 13.2
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,319
17 (tie). Taxi drivers and chauffeurs
What they do: Drive automobiles, vans, or limousines to transport passengers.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 13.2
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,921
16. General maintenance and repair workers
What they do: Perform work involving the skills of two or more maintenance or craft occupations to keep machines, mechanical equipment, or the structure of an establishment in repair.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 13.4
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 2,196
14 (tie). Electrical power-line installers and repairers
What they do: Install or repair cables or wires used in electrical power or distribution systems.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 14.6
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,365
14 (tie). Police and sheriff's patrol officers
What they do: Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, State, or Federal laws and ordinances.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 14.6
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,700
13. Construction laborers
What they do: Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 15.1
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 2,961
12. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
What they do: Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of mechanics, installers, and repairers.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 15.7
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 893
10 (tie). Miscellaneous agricultural workers
What they do: Work on farms or other agricultural businesses.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 17.4
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,316
10 (tie). Grounds maintenance workers
What they do: Maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 17.4
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 2,243
9. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
What they do: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 18.0
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 1,060
8. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers
What they do: Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms or other agricultural establishments.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 23.1
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 28
7. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers
What they do: Drive truck or other vehicle over established routes or within an established territory and sell or deliver goods.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 24.7
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 2,828
6. Structural iron and steel workers
What they do: Raise, place, and unite iron or steel girders, columns, and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 25.1
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 2,158
5. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
What they do: Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 34.1
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 2,702
4. Roofers
What they do: Cover roofs of structures with shingles, slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood, or related materials.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 48.6
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 3,257
3. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
What they do: Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing, multi-engine aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 55.5
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 466
2. Fishers and related fishing workers
What they do: Use nets, fishing rods, traps, or other equipment to catch and gather fish or other aquatic animals
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 86.0
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): Not released
1. Logging workers
What they do: Use mechanized equipment or hand tools to cut down trees.
Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 135.9
Non-fatal injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 2,449
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