The 34 Deadliest Jobs in America

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A worker does a logging task
A worker does a logging task. (Stock image/Adobe)

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Some jobs are more dangerous than others, although the U.S. saw the lowest number of fatal work injuries since 2013 last year.

Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we found the jobs that had the highest rates of fatal injuries in 2020.

Here are the 34 deadliest jobs in America, along with their 2020 fatality rates per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers.

34. Hand laborers and freight, stock and material movers

What they do: They move materials such as from loading docks.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 5.0

33. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 5.1

32. Pipe layers, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters

What they do: Lay out, install or maintain pipes, plumbing and sewer systems.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 5.2

31. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 5.9

30. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 6.0

28. (tie) Industrial machinery installation, repair and maintenance workers

What they do: Repair, maintain or install machinery.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 6.2

28. (tie) 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 full-time equivalent workers): 6.2

27. Automotive service technicians and mechanics

What they do: Diagnose, adjust, repair or overhaul automotive vehicles.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 7.2

26. Carpenters

What they do: Construct, erect, install or repair structures and fixtures made of wood.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 7.8

25. Electricians

What they do: Install, maintain and repair electrical wiring, equipment and fixtures.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 8.0

24. Security guards and gambling surveillance officers

What they do: Guard, patrol or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence or infractions of rules.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 8.3

23. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 9.2

21. (tie) Telecommunications line installers and repairers

What they do: Install and repair telecommunications cable.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 11.6

21, (tie) Painters and paper hangers

What they do: Paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges and other structural surfaces.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 11.6

20. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 11.7

19. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 12.3

18. Police 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 full-time equivalent workers): 13.4

17. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 14.4

16. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 15.3

15. Miscellaneous agricultural workers

What they do: Work on farms or other agricultural businesses.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 16.6

14. Construction equipment operators

What they do: Operate one or several types of power construction equipment.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 17.6

13. Construction laborers

What they do: Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 18.1

12. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 18.6

11. Grounds maintenance workers

What they do: Maintain grounds of property, using hand or power tools or equipment.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 19.4

10. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 20.9

9. Underground mining machine operators

What they do: These workers operate underground machines and equipment like conveyors.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 21.6

8. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

What they do: Drive trucks or other vehicles over established routes or within an established territory and sell or deliver goods.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 25.8

7. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 32.5

6. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 33.1

5. 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 full-time equivalent workers): 34.3

4. Construction trade helpers

What they do: Assist construction laborers on construction sites.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 43.3

3. Roofers

What they do: Cover roofs of structures with shingles, slate, asphalt, aluminum, wood or related materials.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 47.0

2. Logging workers

What they do: Use mechanized equipment or hand tools to cut down trees.

Fatal injury rate (per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers): 91.7

1. Fishing and hunting 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 full-time equivalent workers): 132.1

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