According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the national average fatality rate across all professions tracked by the U.S. Department of Labor is a mere 3.3 deaths per 100,000 workers. But alarmingly, there are roughly two dozen occupations where that rate is many times higher than that, including one with a fatality rate of a staggering 530 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers.
To determine the most dangerous jobs in the U.S., 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2021 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries from the BLS. Occupations are ranked according to the most annual fatal injuries per 100,000 workers. Employment data used to calculate fatalities and injuries per worker came from the BLS Employment Projections program for 2021. We excluded broad-categories of occupations and occupations with fewer than five reported fatalities in 2021.
High-risk professions include loggers, commercial divers, industrial fishers, and virtually any blue-collar role within the nation’s oil and gas fields. The list also encompasses lower-paying positions such as taxi drivers, tree pruners, and roofers, as well as jobs in various mechanical trades like farm equipment mechanics, power-line installers, and elevator repairers. (Also read, 18 hazardous jobs the US military pays extra for.)
Here are the most dangerous jobs in the U.S.
Click here to read our detailed methodology.
23. Crane and tower operators
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 20.0 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 9
> Common cause of fatal injury: Contact with objects and equipment
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 390 (864.7 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 45,100
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22. Farmworkers, farm, ranch, and aquacultural animals
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 20.1 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 46
> Common cause of fatal injury: Transportation incidents
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 4,950 (2,166.3 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 228,500
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21. Structural iron and steel workers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 20.3 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 14
> Common cause of fatal injury: Falls, slips, trips
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 780 (1,130.4 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 69,000
20. Roustabouts, oil and gas
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 21.4 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 8
> Common cause of fatal injury: Transportation incidents
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 520 (1,394.1 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 37,300
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19. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 21.6 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 5
> Common cause of fatal injury: Falls
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 400 (1,724.1 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 23,200
18. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 21.9 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 8
> Common cause of fatal injury: Contact with objects and equipment
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 40 (109.6 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 36,500
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17. Maintenance workers, machinery
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 22.2 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 13
> Common cause of fatal injury: Falls, slips, trips
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 720 (1,230.8 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 58,500
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16. Audiovisual equipment installers and repairers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 22.6 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 6
> Common cause of fatal injury: N/A
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 340 (1,278.2 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 26,600
15. Taxi drivers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 23.3 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 30
> Common cause of fatal injury: Murder
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 260 (202.3 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 128,500
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14. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 23.7 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 30
> Common cause of fatal injury: Exposure to harmful substances or environments
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 1,910 (1,508.7 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 126,600
13. Wellhead pumpers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 27.8 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 5
> Common cause of fatal injury: Electrocution, explosion
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 20 (111.1 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 18,000
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12. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 28.3 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 14
> Common cause of fatal injury: Contact with objects and equipment
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 660 (1,333.3 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 49,500
11. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 30.0 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 16
> Common cause of fatal injury: Transportation incidents
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 460 (863.0 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 53,300
10. Sailors and marine oilers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 36.2 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 10
> Common cause of fatal injury: Transportation incidents
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 380 (1,376.8 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 27,600
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9. Athletes and sports competitors
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 38.0 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 6
> Common cause of fatal injury: Sudden cardiac death
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 920 (5,822.8 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 15,800
8. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 41.7 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 874
> Common cause of fatal injury: Transportation incidents
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 43,500 (2,076.7 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 2,094,700
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7. Earth drillers, except oil and gas
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 42.9 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 7
> Common cause of fatal injury: Contact with objects and equipment
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 240 (1,472.4 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 16,300
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6. Roofers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 72.4 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 115
> Common cause of fatal injury: Falls, slips, trips
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 1,960 (1,234.3 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 158,800
5. Extraction worker helpers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 80.6 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 5
> Common cause of fatal injury: Transportation incidents
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 20 (322.6 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 6,200
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4. Tree trimmers and pruners
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 122.4 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 78
> Common cause of fatal injury: Falls, slips, trips
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 840 (1,318.7 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 63,700
3. Commercial pilots
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 123.7 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 59
> Common cause of fatal injury: Crashes
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 190 (398.3 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 47,700
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2. Commercial divers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 233.3 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 7
> Common cause of fatal injury: Equipment failure
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): N/A
> Total employed (2021): 3,000
1. Fallers
> Fatal work injury rate (2021): 589.3 per 100,000
> Fatal work injuries (2021): 33
> Common cause of fatal injury: Contact with machine or object (such as a log)
> Non-fatal injuries (2020): 40 (714.3 per 100,000)
> Total employed (2021): 5,600
Methodology
To determine the most dangerous jobs in the US, 24/7 Wall St. referenced the 2021 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupations are ranked according to the most annual fatal injuries per 100,000 workers. Employment data used to calculate fatalities and injuries per worker came from the BLS Employment Projections program for 2021. Non-fatal injury data from the BLS Survey of Non-fatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses from 2020.
We excluded broad-categories of occupations to avoid double counting fatalities. For example, we included commercial airline pilots on this list of most dangerous jobs, but we excluded the broader category of airline pilots and flight engineers. Occupations with fewer than five reported fatalities in 2021 were excluded.
Information about common causes of injury also came from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries report. The reported injuries are often only for a fraction of the total number of fatalities, and so the cause listed may not necessarily be the most common cause of 2021 deaths. In cases where causes of death were not reported to the BLS, such as with commercial pilots, fallers, and commercial divers, athletes and sports competitors, wellhead pumpers, taxi drivers, elevator and escalator installers and repairers, we conducted independent research. A clear common cause of death for audiovisual equipment installers and repairers could not be determined.
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