At the close of 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released data on fatalities sustained within the U.S. workforce in 2016, and the results show a 7% rise over the prior year, representing the third consecutive year of increase.
The total tally of all on-the-job fatalities for 2016 was 5,190, and it was the first year since 2008 that the number surpassed 5,000.From Forbes magazine.
According to the U.S. Center For Disease Control: "In 2016, a total of 2,744,248 resident deaths were registered in the United States[.]"
So, less than 0.2% of the U.S. deaths were work related injuries, and many of those deaths were from causes not usually considered particularly strongly related to the workplace environment like traffic accidents and homicides. In contrast, 99.8%+ of deaths were not work related.
This is pretty amazing. On a back of napkin calculation basis, most men spend roughly half of their waking hours for roughly half of their lives (about 25% of all of their waking hours in their lives) on the job, and most women spend only a modestly lower share of their waking hours in their lives on the job (perhaps 20%). So, you are roughly 100 times as safe on the job as you are when you are not at work.
The most dangerous activities in life, by far, are retiring and living your first year of life.
This is pretty amazing. On a back of napkin calculation basis, most men spend roughly half of their waking hours for roughly half of their lives (about 25% of all of their waking hours in their lives) on the job, and most women spend only a modestly lower share of their waking hours in their lives on the job (perhaps 20%). So, you are roughly 100 times as safe on the job as you are when you are not at work.
The most dangerous activities in life, by far, are retiring and living your first year of life.
The top ten most dangerous jobs also illustrate the basic conclusion that working outdoors is much more dangerous than working indoors.
10. Grounds Maintenance Workers
Fatal Injuries In 2016: 217
Fatal Injury Rate Per 100,000 Workers: 17.4
9. First Line Supervisors Of Construction Trades And Extraction Workers
Fatal Injuries In 2016: 134
Fatal Injury Rate Per 100,000 Workers: 18.0
8. Farmers, Ranchers And Other Agricultural Managers
Fatal Injuries In 2016: 260
Fatal Injury Rate Per 100,000 Workers: 23.1
7. Drivers, Sales Workers And Truck Drivers
Fatal Injuries In 2016: 918
Fatal Injury Rate Per 100,000 Workers: 24.7
6. Structural Iron And Steel Workers
Fatal Injuries In 2016: 16
Fatal Injury Rate Per 100,000 Workers: 25.1
5. Refuse And Recyclable Material Collectors
Fatal Injuries In 2016: 31
Fatal Injury Rate Per 100,000 Workers: 34.1
4. Roofers
Fatal Injuries In 2016: 101
Fatal Injury Rate Per 100,000 Workers: 48.6
3. Aircraft Pilots And Flight Engineers
Fatal Injuries In 2016: 75
Fatal Injury Rate Per 100,000 Workers: 55.5
2. Fishers And Related Fishing Workers
Fatal Injuries In 2016: 24
Fatal Injury Rate Per 100,000 Workers: 86.0
1. Logging Workers
Fatal Injuries In 2016: 91
Fatal Injury Rate Per 100,000 Workers: 135.9
In contrast, factory work, whose dangers gave rise to safety regulation in the workplace, is now almost as safe as working in an office or at the mall.
My brother used to own a logging company.
ReplyDeleteHe put a strong emphasis on safety, but his workers' comp rates were through the roof.