The workplace in the United States is increasingly safe, but some jobs still have fatality rates that catch the eye. But which jobs were the most dangerous? Reality shows such as Ice Truckers and Ax Men have popularized a particular image of highly dangerous jobs. While you can not deny the risk of felling trees or driving a truck in the Arctic, most of the most hazardous jobs in the United States are much more famous and well-known.

In 2015, there were 4,836 fatal occupational injuries in the United States, according to a recent report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It is the highest total number of deaths related to the work environment since 2008.
Transportation accidents were, overwhelmingly, the leading cause of mortality. Only road accidents accounted for more than 25% of deaths. Falls, slips, and trips were the second leading cause of death, accounting for more than 800 occupational fatal injuries in 2015.

Although this classification provides a useful perspective on some of the most dangerous jobs in the United States, it does not claim to be definitive. The BLS only included jobs with at least 15 on-the-job deaths reported in 2015 and 40 million or more hours of work (Equivalent to 20,000 full-time employees), so some hazardous occupations can be excluded because they are minuscule. It should also be noted that some jobs present long-term health risks to employees, such as exposure to radiation, which is not represented in the BLS figures. 


Note: The death count in the Fatal Occupational Injury Census excludes deaths from illness unless it was caused by an injury event.

The 10 Most Dangerous Jobs In the US

Which are? We present them below:

1. Lumberjacks

Rate of fatality per 100 thousand workers: 127.8
Average Salary: $ 32,870
Lumberjacks work with heavy loads, adverse weather, and steep slopes. One of the biggest dangers they face are the old branches hooked on the tips of trees that can fall at any time.

The fatality rate increased nearly 25% this year, possibly due to the hiring of new, inexperienced workers due to higher real estate demand. The first year at work is the most dangerous.

In recent years, the work has become more secure thanks to mechanical logging: woodcutters sit in a protected cabin and direct a metal arm that cuts the trunk with an electric saw. 

2. Fishermen

Rate of fatality per 100 thousand workers: 117
Average salary: $ 33,430
Nearly half of the deaths in the fishing industry are caused by the overturning of boats during storms or sinking when the hull is damaged, according to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In these circumstances, the nearest help is often miles away.

In the past, the dangers were greater because of certain fishing practices, such as trying to maximize the amount caught before the end of the season. To avoid accidents, the government proposed a quota system for each fishery, allowing them to obtain it at any time during the season.

"I've lost a lot of friends over the years," said Jake Jacobsen, director of a crab fishermen's cooperative. "My son is a fisherman, and I would not want to lose him because of the old system," he added.

3. Plane pilots

Rate of fatality per 100 thousand workers: 53.4
Average salary: $ 92,060
The pilots of the big airlines have low rates of fatality, but for pilots of airplanes taxi or charter, the work is much more dangerous.

Human flaws are the leading cause of death for aircraft pilots, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration, but advances in weather reports, navigation equipment and locating devices have substantially reduced accidents.

Approximately one-fifth of US air accidents occur in Alaska, according to the NIOSH. There is an explanation: 82% of the towns and settlements of the state are only accessible by air.
Even so, fatal accidents have fallen more than 40 percent in recent years, said C. Joy Journeay, director of the Alaska Air Carriers Association.

4. Roofers

Rate of fatality per 100 thousand workers: 40.5
Average salary: $ 34,220
Roofers face a danger they can not escape: height, which increases the chances of suffering critical injuries in the event of an accident.

But falls are just one of the many risks they have. They can also be burned, electrocuted and exposed to chemicals.

Improved safety training and stricter standards in railings, harnesses and other systems have dramatically reduced fatality rates.

5. Blacksmiths

Fatality rate per 100 thousand workers: 37
Average Salary: $ 44,540
Among the most common hazards for blacksmiths are falls, steel beams, collapsed concrete walls, falling objects and contact with electrical lines.

But according to Steve Rank, executive director of security at the International Blacksmiths Union, a new provision has had a very positive impact on the blacksmiths' workplace: the obligation to place four locks on the vertical beams.

"The number of accidents has plummeted," Rank said.

6. Health workers

Rate of fatality per 100 thousand workers: 27.1
Average Salary: $ 22,560
Many garbage collectors get hurt in the streets. They can be rolled up by carts, cut with broken glass and syringes or hit with objects falling from the truck.

Experienced workers know how to get to the side of the vehicle when they throw the trash and activate the compactor. Plastic bags sometimes contain cans with chemicals or pesticides that can explode under pressure and hurt workers.

In some cities, such as Austin, Texas, workers operate pickup from the truck cab, a move that has reduced the risk of an accident.

7. Electrical line installer

Rate of fatality per 100 thousand workers: 23
Average Salary: $ 54,290
Falls and Electrocutions are the leading causes of fatal injuries to power line installers, who must sometimes work in the cold and storm to restore electricity.

The fatalities have fallen due to an improvement in training, tools and work practices.

8. Truckers

Rate of death per 100 thousand workers: 22.1
Average salary: $ 37,770
The truck driver is a difficult job, and many are faced with the pressure of delivering the merchandise on time. Despite the rules that require rest stops, many drivers suffer from fatigue. In fact, according to a 2005 survey from the Federal Provider Security Administration, 48% of respondents said they had fallen asleep at the wheel at least once in the previous 12 months.

9. Farmers

Rate of fatality per 100 thousand workers: 21.3
Average salary: $ 60,750
More than half of the deaths on farms are caused by tractor accidents, according to the NIOSH. On ranches, off-road vehicles are often the most likely to kill a worker.

Still, according to Don Duval, a South Illinois farmer and president of the White County Farms Office, security has improved a lot since he began working on his farm 40 years ago. Technological breakthroughs and greater awareness have helped change things, Duval said.

10. Construction workers

Rate of fatality per 100 thousand workers: 17.4
Average Salary: $ 28,410
Construction workers are exposed to electrical hazards, landslides, and falling objects. And they perform their work in all weather conditions.

The biggest risk is falls, which cause more than 250 deaths per year, according to Scott Schneider, an occupational safety expert.

In highway construction, car crashes or construction vehicles are one of the most important causes of death.