The Top 25 Most Fatal and Dangerous Jobs in America

Compared to working conditions before the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was established in 1970, today’s U.S. work environment is, for the most part, safer than ever. With that said, some jobs will always involve dangerous conditions with the potential for fatalities. A police officer will always face the possibility of being shot on the job. A trucker driver will always face the potential of being involved in an automobile accident. Specific occupations are inherently dangerous, some more so than others.  

  

This chart highlights the top 6 events that lead to workplace fatalities.

 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported 5,190 fatal work injuries in 2021, an 8.9% increase from the reported 4,764 injuries in 2020. More key findings from the BLS 2021 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary include the following: 

• A worker died every 101 minutes from a work-related injury in 2021.
• 798 on-the-job fatalities resulted from exposure to harmful substances, the highest total for this type of injury since 2011.
• Falls, slips, and trips resulted in 850 total fatalities in 2021.
  
  

Any company that reports any fatalities needs to evaluate the safety of their working conditions and safety plans and consider the specific risks for those who work there. By knowing which occupations are most at-risk in advance, individuals and companies can ensure they’re doing everything possible to limit workplace hazards and keep their employees safe. This article will provide a comprehensive understanding of the top 25 most dangerous occupations, all backed up by BLS data. It will also highlight what OSHA reports as everyday events that cause fatalities for each occupation and the kinds of injury events that all employees should be concerned about at work.  

 

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Top 25 Most Dangerous Occupations

 

The following list of the 25 most dangerous jobs in America is ranked by the fatal workplace injuries reported in 2021 by the BLS. Below is a breakdown of each occupation and some fatal events OSHA shows for each.

 

Rank	Occupation	2021 Fatalities
#1	Transportation and material moving: heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers	1523
#2	Protective services	302
#3	Construction laborers	255
#4	Landscaping and groundskeeping	142
#5	Agricultural workers	133
#6	Material moving workers (by hand)	124
#7	Roofers	115
#8	Maintenance and repair workers, general	95
#9	Tree trimmers and pruners	78
#10	Building cleaning workers	69
#11	Carpenters	68
#12	Security guards	67
#13	Automotive service technicians and mechanics	63
#14	Electricians	61
#15	Farmworkers and ranchers	59
#16	Painters	58
#17	Extraction workers: oil and gas/mining	54
#18	Welders	43
#19	Heating and air conditioning (HVAC)	42
#20	Pipelayers and plumbers	36
#21	Forestry and logging: fallers	33
#22	Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics	31
#23	Electrical powerline installers	30
#24	Bus and truck mechanics	28
#25	Recyclable material collectors	23

 

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Transportation and Material Moving: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Truck drivers deliver goods using a tractor-trailer combination or a heavy truck. The job often involves long hours on the road, and sleep deprivation creates hazards that can cause accidents. 

Below are some of the fatal dangers that those working in transportation and truck driving occupations face on the job:

• Being crushed or struck by objects when loading or unloading freight
• Exposure to harmful chemicals and/or substances
• Vehicular accidents

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Protective Services: Jailers/Firefighters/ Police Officers 

Protective services occupations are charged with maintaining order and protecting life and property by enforcing laws and ordinances. In firefighters' cases, these workers face active fire situations, fire, and explosive threats and assist citizens in need. Transportation incidents and vehicle crashes are uncommon as they race to a scene. Below are some of the fatal dangers protective occupations face on the job:

• Dangers associated with responding to emergency incidents
• Engaging with armed suspects; 
• Responding to fires.

 

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Construction Laborers

Construction laborers perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. Below are some of the fatal dangers construction laborer occupations face on the job:

• Falls, trips, and slips, mostly from ladders, scaffolding, and roofs
• Injury from unsafe contact with objects and equipment
• Electrocution
• Injury from falling objects on a construction site

 

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Landscaping and Groundskeeping

Landscapers maintain property grounds, which may involve digging, fertilizing, and mowing. Below are some of the dangers workers in the landscaping and groundskeeping occupations face on the job:

• Overturned mowers
• Broken or poorly maintained equipment
• Being struck by a motorist
• Drowning near pools and ponds
• Heatstroke

 

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Agricultural Workers

Agricultural workers plant, grow and harvest vegetables, fruits, and other crops. Below are some of the fatal dangers workers in agricultural occupations face on the job:

• Being caught by rotating parts on tractors and equipment
• Being crushed and pinned by tractors, agricultural trucks, and harvesters
• Hot weather, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke

 

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Material Moving Laborers

These laborers manually move freight, stock, and other worksite materials by hand. This occupation includes all manual laborers not elsewhere classified. Below are some of the fatal dangers material moving occupations face on the job:

• Being crushed by objects, such as trailers and pallets
• Exposure to harmful substances
• Being caught between objects, such as conveyors

 

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Roofers

 

Roofers cover roofs and structures with shingles, slate, asphalt, wood, and other materials to protect buildings from the elements. Below are some of the fatal dangers roofing occupations face on the job:

• Falls account for over 80% of all fatalities 
• Electrocution 
• Heat stress
• Collapsing roof

 

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Maintenance and Repair Workers, General 

 

Maintenance workers lubricate machines, change parts, and perform machinery maintenance. Below are some of the fatal dangers maintenance occupations face on the job:

• Electrocution while repairing machinery
• Being caught between objects
• Becoming entangled in machines
• Exposure to hazardous chemicals

 

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Tree Trimmers and Pruners 

 

Tree trimmers and pruners prune trees and shrubbery with handheld machines such as handsaws. They often work off the ground in the tree canopy and may use truck-mounted lifts. Below are some of the fatal dangers tree trimming occupations face on the job:

• Falls (from trees or bucket lifts)
• Electrocution from powerlines
• Being crushed by machines
• Being struck by falling debris

 

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Building Cleaning Workers

These workers return buildings and properties to orderly condition. They perform heavy cleaning duties, such as cleaning floors, power washing walls and tanks, and removing rubbish. Below are some of the fatal dangers cleaning occupations face on the job:

 

• Exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as hydrogen sulfide
• Drowning in pools and tanks
• Being caught between objects

 

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Carpenters 

 

Carpenters construct structures and fixtures made of wood and similar materials. Below are some of the fatal dangers carpentry occupations face on the job:

• Falls from ladders, scaffolds, and framework
• Being crushed by structure collapses, such as walls and trusses 
• Being struck by objects

 

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Security Guards

Security staff guard, patrol, or monitor premises to stop theft, violence, or rule infractions. Below are some of the fatal dangers security occupations face on the job:

• Being shot, stabbed, or physically attacked
• Being struck by vehicles
• Falls from heights 
• Exposure to harmful or toxic substances

 

 

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Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics 

 

Mechanics diagnose and repair automotive vehicles. Below are some of the fatal dangers automotive mechanics occupations face on the job:

• Being crushed by a falling vehicle
• Exploding tires
• Tank explosions while torch cutting

 

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Electricians 

Electricians install and repair electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures. Below are some of the fatal dangers electrical occupations face on the job:

• Falls from ladders
• Electrocution while installing wiring
• Accessing energized panels
• ARC flash hazards

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Farmworkers and Ranchers

 

Farmworkers and ranchers manage ranches, greenhouses, nurseries, timber tracts, and other agricultural companies. Below are some of the fatal dangers farmwork occupations face on the job:

• Being crushed in between equipment, tractors, and augers
• Being crushed by a hay bale or hay baler
• Hot weather
• Exposure to pesticides and chemicals

 

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Painters

 

Painters use brushes, rollers, and spray guns to apply colors to structures, automobiles, or other objects. Below are some of the fatal dangers painting occupations face on the job:

• Falling off ladders and roofs
• Heat stroke
• Exposure to solvent vapors

 

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Extraction Workers: Oil and Gas/Mining

 

Extraction workers drill, blast, and run machinery to extract oil or minerals from the earth. Below are some of the fatal dangers extraction occupations face on the job:

• Being struck by pipes
• Explosions and fire
• Becoming caught in machines and equipment

 

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Welders

 

Welders join metal components or fill holes in fabricated metal products. Below are some of the fatal dangers welding occupations face on the job:

• Hot temperatures
• Electrocution
• Burns from fires and sparks

 

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 Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Mechanics

 

HVAC mechanics install and repair heating, central air conditioning, HVAC, or refrigeration systems. Below are some of the fatal dangers HVAC occupations face on the job:

• Electrocution
• Falling from ladders, ceilings, and rooftops
• Explosive air pressure release

 

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Pipelayers and Plumbers

 

Pipelayers and plumbers lay, cut, connect, and install sewer structures. Below are some of the fatal dangers pipelaying and plumbing occupations face on the job:

• Being crushed by falling pipes
• Trench collapses
• Being struck by pipes

 

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Logging Workers: Fallers      

 

Fallers and logging workers use axes and chainsaws to control the direction of cut trees as they fall. Below are some of the fatal dangers logging occupations face on the job:

• Being crushed by a log skidder 
• Being struck by falling trees
• Being run over by equipment

 

 

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Heavy Vehicle and Mobile Equipment Mechanics

 

Mobile mechanics diagnose and repair mobile mechanical equipment such as cranes, conveyors, and bulldozers. Below are some of the fatal dangers mobile mechanic occupations face on the job:

• Being struck by equipment or by metal shards
• Inclement Weather
• Falls from roofs and equipment

 

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Electrical Power-line Installers 

 

Powerline installers set up or repair cables and wires used in electrical utility systems. Below are some of the fatal dangers electrical powerline occupations face on the job:

• Electrical shock from downed power lines
• Being crushed by a utility pole
• Electrocution while tree trimming

 

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Bus and Truck Mechanics 

 

Bus and truck mechanics work on diesel engine-powered buses or trucks. Below are some of the fatal dangers bus and truck mechanic occupations face on the job:

• Being crushed by a falling bus
• Being struck by equipment
• Hydraulic jack accidents

 

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Waste Collection: Refuse and Recyclable Collectors 

 

Waste collection workers collect waste and dump refuse materials from containers into dump trucks. Below are some of the fatal dangers refuse and recyclable occupations face on the job:

• Being struck by container doors and dumpsters
• Getting caught in a debaler machine
• Being struck by trucks or motorists 

 

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Top Fatality Rates by Industry 

 

 

The different occupations shown above work across a multitude of industries. You will notice similarities between the occupation and industry data. Remember that the chart below is granular, which helps identify the more dangerous parts of industries. For example, general freight trucking compiles the most fatalities for truck-driving occupations.

Rank	Industry	NAICS	Fatalities
#1	General Freight Trucking	4841	460
#2	Building Services and Maintenance	5617	290
#3	Construction Foundation Contractors	2381	255
#4	Landscaping	56173	234
#5	Crop Production	111	178
#6	Construction Building Contractors	2382	163
#7	Public Order and Safety	922	152
#8	Animal Production	112	131
#9	Automotive Repair and Maintenance	8111	102
#10	Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction	1121	95

 

 

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Causes of Fatal Work Accidents

The below table highlights all the events that cause the most fatalities. 

Rank	Event	Fatalities
#1	Falls to a lower level	680
#2	Roadway collision with other vehicles	649
#3	Shooting by other people—intentional	387
#4	A vehicle struck object or animal	283
#5	Struck by falling object or equipment	227
#6	Exposure to electricity	152
#7	Falls on the same level	145
#8	Caught in or compressed by equipment	143
#9	Fall through surface or existing opening	77
#10	Fires and explosions	76

 

 

A five-year comparison of the top events causing fatalities across all occupations.

 

 

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Common Questions

 

How many fatalities are caused by workplace injuries and illnesses each year?

• There was a total of 5,190 fatalities resulting from workplace events in the U.S. in 2021.  

 

 

If a fatality occurs in the workplace, how soon must it be reported to OSHA by the employer? 

• OSHA requires that a fatality be reported within 8 hours of the event. 

 

What is the most dangerous job in the world?

• The most dangerous job involves working in a motorized vehicle delivering materials or people from one place to another. In total, the BLS reports transportation incidents caused 1,982 fatalities in 2021. With the increasing number of people using portable electronics such as phones and navigation systems while operating vehicles, the dangers will only worsen in future years.

 

What is the most dangerous job in the military?

• The Marine Corps experiences the most fatalities among the services.  

 

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Protecting You At Work

 

Workplaces are dangerous, and safety professionals do their best to enforce a hierarchy of controls to keep individuals safe at work. Unfortunately, even with precautions, many workers will encounter hazardous and potentially fatal events on the job. The best thing you can do to stay safe is to be aware of your surroundings and understand the hazards at work. You should check out articles on OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 training courses, which will help provide a greater sense of the potential dangers surrounding you at work. After reading this article, we hope you see MCR Safety as a company dedicated to keeping you safe. We hope you will consider us for any personal protective equipment (PPE) needs you require. Click the image below to check out our entire PPE collection, or leave us a comment by clicking on the “We’d love to hear from you!” image.

 

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