Dangerous Jobs #10 Construction Workers

Construction workers are privy to a huge amount of different environments, including underground, height and highway and building site work. Construction workers are central to the development of all infrastructure projects. They work with scaffolding, underground tunnels, heavy equipment, power tools, hazardous materials and explosives.

All these risk facts bring the occupation to the number 10 spot on the top 10 dangerous jobs list.

Dangerous Jobs #9 Electrical Line Workers

Electrical workers are primary responsible for repairing broken power lines and the high risk nature of the occupation brings the job to number 9 on the dangerous jobs list.

Electrical workers have to climb high electric poles and work erratic hours, depending on hazards and community need.

Electrical line workers also work within a variety of different weather conditions and when mixed with electricity, hugely impacts work health and safety in the occupation.

Dangerous Jobs #8 Iron and Steel Workers

Steel workers are responsible for a large majority of construction.

Though they are paid relatively well, iron workers are susceptible to the dangers of physically demanding work, encounters with hot steel furnace, handing scaffolding and working at great heights.

Steel workers are exposed to a variety of different weathers and no matter their balance or coordination, walking on 4-inch metal plants brings them to the number 8 spot on the most dangerous jobs list.

Dangerous Jobs #7 Miners

The 7th most high risk job is mining. Miners face a variety of different work health and safety hazards daily including:
• Cave-ins (one of the most common underground mining accidents)
• Gas explosions (often occurring in coal mines from the build-up of methane gas)
• Chemical leakage (where work health and safety procedures are not followed and chemicals not securely stored)
• Electrocution (generally through the use of electrical equipment such as drills, industrial machines and lighting)
• Fires (commonly triggered by gas leaks, electrical faults and spillage of flammable chemicals).

Dangerous Jobs #6 Truck Drivers

In 2011, there were more than 200 fatal crashes involving truck drivers, accounting for over 15% of all road fatalities.

Truck road incidents are attributed to the drivers increased time behind the wheel. Long hours and boring stretches of road make staying alert and focused a huge challenge and increase the odds of accident.

In addition, truck drivers are required to do a large amount of lifting and carrying when unloading cargo (at times toxic chemicals and materials, which is a huge work health and safety risk), adding to the strenuous nature of their job.

Dangerous Jobs #5 Roofers

Roofing involves work from extreme heights, huge inclines, uneven footing and slippery surfaces, usually without a safety harness.

Roofers work all year round and through a variety of different weather.

They carry large solar panels, metal sheets and roof tiles making work extremely strenuous and tiring.

Dangerous Jobs #4 Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers

Transportation accidents, including crashes, are the leading contributor to pilots being ranked as one of the top 4 most dangerous occupations in Australia.

While the job include a large financial compensation for the risks and responsibilities associated, pilots work extremely long hours with can contribute to fatigue and those involved in bush flying and crop dusting are the most dangerous types due to the miniature size of the plane and low flying activities.

Dangerous Jobs #3 Loggers

At number 3 on the top 10 most dangerous jobs list is the logger.

Loggers have one of the most high risk jobs due to not only the height and unstable, uneven terrain that they work, but the inclusion of chain saws and machinery (dangerous without the added external factors) and you can see why loggers are in a high risk environment.

Loggers also work throughout the year in less-than-perfect weather conditions as well as being located in remote locations.

Dangerous Jobs #2 Farmers and Ranchers

Farmers and ranchers are regularly listed in the top 3 most dangerous jobs in the world. They face a huge amount of work health and safety hazards including injury from machinery, livestock and chemicals and pesticides.

Farmers also work extremely long hours and perform physically demanding tasks which increase the risk of OHS accident.

Dangerous Jobs #1 Fisherman

As you probably expected, in the number one spot for highest risk occupations in Australia is commercial fisherman.

Handling heavy nets with hundreds of kilos of fish through torrential rains, slippery decks, stormy seas, cold wind and the potential shark encounter means being a commercial fisherman is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.

In Australia, there are around 130 fatalities for every 100,000 fisherman and the occupation is considered 17 times more dangerous than mining.