Top 10 Most Dangerous Jobs

When you're literally creating a building from the ground up, there's bound to be some accidents along the way. Similar to a steel worker, and only slightly more dangerous, there are many things that can go wrong when you work in construction, from small injuries like splinters, trips, and cuts, to more serious things like falling from great heights or injuring yourself with one of the many dangerous tools used on the job. In the U.S., there were 215 reported deaths from construction accidents in 2013 alone, making this both a laborious and very dangerous occupation.

While farming is definitely a noble and hard working profession, it is also far more dangerous than you would likely believe. Many farmers have to deal with extremely heavy and dangerous equipment, like cotton pickers and cane harvesters, on a daily basis, which can lead to injury or death. Another surprising factor that farmers need to contend with is animal attacks, which are included in the 220 fatalities that occurred in farming and agriculture-related occupations in 2013 in U.S. – and that’s even more deaths than construction workers that year! While farmers, ranchers and so on, do get to work in the beautiful outdoors, no one can say these are easy jobs.

We think it goes without saying that if you dedicate your life's work to apprehending criminals, there's going to be some dangerous repercussions that go with it. Police officers deal with a large and varied assortment of deadly situations, such as shootouts, car chases, mentally unstable individuals, and even routine traffic stops that can always turn violent on a dime. According to NPR, 126 officers were killed in the line of duty in the U.S. in 2014, and the constant risk and unknown nature of the job make this a very dangerous one to have.

Not only is it a lonely and dirty job, but truck drivers face an unusually large mortality rate. Drivers are forced to travel extremely large distances in a short amount of time, which is a prime instigator for fatigue - and a major cause of death in the field. Exhausted truck drivers make for sick truck drivers, but they can also lead to avoidable but deadly collisions and accidents on the road. In the States, an unbelievable 748 of them lost their lives in 2013 alone, meaning that there are roughly two deaths per day in the profession.

Before making jokes and disrespecting this profession, just remember that it is very necessary and extremely dangerous work. There are a surprising number of ways to get your name on the casualty list for this job, including having to deal with hazardous or sharp materials that can easily puncture both the bag or containers and your skin. A garbage truck itself is also very dangerous, with accidents occurring in the crusher or through careless road collisions. Many things could go wrong, and unfortunately, many do.

Putting shingles on a house is far more dangerous than it may sound, and roofing is statistically one of the most dangerous jobs on the market. Roofers, or roof mechanics as they are also called, are susceptible to critically damaging or even fatal falls if not properly secured to their work areas. They are also prone to exhaustion, dehydration, and even heatstroke in the summer months when the sun is beating down on the tar of the roof. Such conditions can lead to serious health effects, and even death, if not immediately and properly treated.

#4: Military

Also in:

Top 10 Famous Military Ships

It's quite obvious that a military position, especially if one is on active duty infantry, comes with a large degree of danger and a constant exposure to violence. Infantrymen have to constantly fight the wars – ON FOOT, meaning dodging incoming explosives and shooting back and forth with the enemy, among a host of other deadly situations. The fact that roughly 25 million soldiers died in World War II and that Americans have suffered some 2300 fatalies and over 20, 000 injured in the War in Afghanistan can attest to the fact that this is not a safe job.

#3: Pilot

Also in:

Pilot Dogs, Viagra Consent & Octo Abstinence: The Dispatch Ep. 15

Those of you who are afraid of flying, just imagine how the pilot must feel, as their chances of death increase dramatically with each passing flight. There are a number of ways for a flight to go wrong, including engine failure, severe turbulence, and most dangerously, improper takeoffs and landings. As crashing into the ground at fast speeds from a high altitude is pretty much not survivable, many pilots die each year. When it comes to pilots of smaller aircrafts, their chances of injury and death increase due to a lack of safety precautions and other circumstances.

While the idea of sitting in a boat all day on the calm seas while catching fish may sound like a great time, the reality is far more scary. Fishermen are in a constant state of danger, having to deal with long, freezing nights affecting their well-being, the use of dangerous equipment, and violent storms that could hit at any time. Any or all of these can cause drowning and loss of employees in the sea. In the U.S., fishermen faced a fatality rate of 75 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2013, a scary statistic and also one of the highest rates for a profession. Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Sex Worker Electrician Firefighter Coal Miner

Probably not quite what you were expecting at number one, but loggers have, by far, the most dangerous job. Logging is actually filled with potential accidents just waiting to happen. Though the profession has evolved over the years, the dangerous equipment used to cut trees today can still bring serious injury or death to the careless, and the constant falling trees have taken numerous lives in the industry. Modern loggers also face the highest fatality rate for a profession at 91.3 deaths per 100,000 workers, a statistic that helps puts them on our list as the most dangerous job you could have. Do you agree with our list? What job do you think is the deadliest? For more danger-filled top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.