People use different measurements when they are determining which jobs in the United States are most dangerous. The list can also vary from year to year.
According to Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, an online magazine that discusses workplace safety, the most dangerous jobs in the United States are those with the highest workplace fatality rates. The magazine’s list of the deadliest occupations was as of 2024.
Some of these especially dangerous jobs may come as no surprise to Alameda County and Contra Costa County residents. For example, agricultural work, work in construction, and roofing all made the list. Logging and commercial fishing also were among the deadliest jobs.
Some jobs on the most dangerous list might come as a surprise
However, they may have not come to mind to some Californians, but workers in transportation, especially those who fly for a living and those who drive trucks, are also at the highest risk of workplace fatalities.
What makes the jobs on this list so dangerous can depend on the nature of the job. For example, roofers and those in construction are prone to falls from heights.
Construction workers also frequently use dangerous machinery and tools, as do commercial hunters and fishers. Those who log a lot of travel miles as part of their jobs, including commercial fishers, are more prone to motor vehicle and other transportation accidents.
However, there are some common themes between these jobs. In most of them, workers learn safety while on the job as opposed to receiving training before entering a dangerous situation. Weather is also a contributing factor in many fatal workplace accidents.
If a person in the greater Bay Area suffers a fatal or other severe workplace accident, they have access to important financial benefits through California’s workers’ compensation system. They should make sure they have the appropriate legal advice and know-how to take full advantage of this option.