New Jersey readers may be surprised to learn that transportation mishaps and crashes killed more U.S. workers than any other type of job-related accident in 2016. Meanwhile, workplace violence leapfrogged slips, trips and falls to become the second leading cause of job-related fatalities that year.
The report used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries to determine the most dangerous jobs in America in 2016. According to the report, logging topped the list, with a fatality rate of 135.9 deaths per 100,000 workers. The second most dangerous job was fishing, with a fatality rate of 91 deaths per 100,000 workers. Aircraft pilots had the third most dangerous job, with 86 deaths per 100,000 workers. Roofers and trash collectors rounded out the top 5, with 48.6 and 34.1 deaths per 100,000 workers, respectively.
Transportation accidents were responsible for the most worker deaths in 2016, accounting for 40 percent of all fatalities. The report said that 632 truckers, 116 farmers and 62 groundskeepers lost their lives in transportation-related incidents. Workplace violence was the second most common cause of worker deaths in 2016, overtaking slips, trips and falls. Examples of deaths caused by workplace violence included robberies and assaults by customers and killings committed by disgruntled co-workers.
Workplace accidents cause thousands of injuries and deaths across the U.S. every year. Individuals injured in a job-related accident might want to speak to an attorney about applying for workers’ compensation benefits, which provide financial assistance as they recover. An attorney can often be of assistance in preparing and submitting the required claim documentation.
Source: EHS, “A Look at the Most Dangerous Jobs in the U.S.“,Lin Grensing-Pophal, July 13, 2018