Almost any occupation in California poses at least some risk of on-the-job injury to employees. Some occupations pose more of a risk than others. Listed below are the top five high-risk occupations based on information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in reverse order.
5. Garbage Collectors
There are 34 fatal injuries per 100,000 garbage and recycling collectors per year. These workers often have to lift trash bins by hand into trucks and transport it to landfills. Most often, fatalities happen when the employee is struck by a garbage truck or other automobile.
4. Roofers
Roofers face 41 fatal injuries per every 100,000 workers each year, and they are often due to falls off roofs and ladders. Along with climbing and working in high places, roofers are responsible for carrying roofing items like shingles, metal and other tools with them.
3. Derrick operators for gas, mining and oil
A derrick holds the drilling and pumping equipment used to extract items from wells and mines. Derrick operators have 46 fatal injuries per 100,000 employees each year. Frequently, these injuries are due to contact with equipment or transportation accidents.
2. Pilots and flight engineers
Pilots and flight engineers communicate with air traffic control, monitor the airplane’s flight system and navigate airplanes, helicopters and other aircraft. Their fatal injury rate is 53 per 100,000 pilots. Additionally, most of these fatalities occur in privately-owned aircraft crashes and not regular commercial flights.
1. Logging Workers
Logging ranks as the #1 among high-risk occupations with 111 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers. Logging workers deal with heavy logging machinery harvesting forests for wood, paper products and other goods. Fatal injuries are often the result of run-ins with machinery or falling logs and trees.