Dangerous Jobs (part II)

5) Roofer

Putting shingles on a house is far more dangerous than it may sound, and roofing is statistically one of the most dangerous jobs on the market. Roofers, or roof mechanics as they are also called, are susceptible to critically damaging or even fatal falls if not properly secured to their work areas. They are also prone to exhaustion, dehydration, and even heatstroke in the summer months when the sun is beating down on the tar of the roof. Such conditions can lead to serious health effects, and even death, if not immediately and properly treated.

4) Military

It's quite obvious that a military position, especially if one is on active duty infantry, comes with a large degree of danger and a constant exposure to violence. Infantrymen have to constantly fight the wars – ON FOOT, meaning dodging incoming explosives and shooting back and forth with the enemy, among a host of other deadly situations. The fact that roughly 25 million soldiers died in World War II and that Americans have suffered some 2300 fatalities and over 20, 000 injured in the War in Afghanistan can attest to the fact that this is not a safe job.

3) Pilot

Those of you who are afraid of flying, just imagine how the pilot must feel, as their chances of death increase dramatically with each passing flight. There are a number of ways for a flight to go wrong, including engine failure, severe turbulence, and most dangerously, improper takeoffs and landings. As crashing into the ground at fast speeds from a high altitude is pretty much not survivable, many pilots die each year. When it comes to pilots of smaller aircrafts, their chances of injury and death increase due to a lack of safety precautions and other circumstances. 

2) Fisherman

While the idea of sitting in a boat all day on the calm seas while catching fish may sound like a great time, the reality is far more scary. Fishermen are in a constant state of danger, having to deal with long, freezing nights affecting their well-being, the use of dangerous equipment, and violent storms that could hit at any time. Any or all of these can cause drowning and loss of employees in the sea. In the U.S., fishermen faced a fatality rate of 75 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2013, a scary statistic and also one of the highest rates for a profession. 

1) Lumberjack / Logger

Probably not quite what you were expecting at number one, but loggers have, by far, the most dangerous job. Logging is actually filled with potential accidents just waiting to happen. Though the profession has evolved over the years, the dangerous equipment used to cut trees today can still bring serious injury or death to the careless, and the constant falling trees have taken numerous lives in the industry. Modern loggers also face the highest fatality rate for a profession at 91.3 deaths per 100,000 workers, a statistic that helps puts them on our list as the most dangerous job you could have.