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The safest jobs in the U.S.
Merino and German black face ewes approach the photographer at the Educational and Reserach Station for Animal Breeding in Brandenburg state on January 27, 2012 in Gross Kreutz, Germany.
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Today the Labor Department of Labor releases its annual list of the most-dangerous jobs in the U.S. In years past, commercial fishing has been at the top of it. This year, the top five most dangerous included fisherman, loggers, pilots, garbage men, roofers.
Of course, that list also gives us some insight into what the safest jobs are. There aren’t many serious hazards associated with potato farming, and with sheep and goat farming. Well, most of the time.
“They’re always stepping on my toes,” Della Williams says. She runs Sleepy Goat Farm, near Danville, Va.
The government bases its list on the number of “fatal occupational injuries” in each profession. In 2010, there were three deaths related to sheep and goat farming. Williams says the worst that’s happened to her is she’s been kicked and pushed into an electric fence.
Dee Harley owns the Harley Farms Goat Dairy, in Pescadero, Calif. According to her, “the job is not dangerous at all,” but, she adds, “if there’s a few that have horns, you need to be kind of careful.”
Other professions with relatively few fatal occupational injuries include commercial banking, landscape architecture, and cereal manufacturing.
Sara Higgins owns Raspberry Field Farm Granola, which is based in Upstate New York. She says the biggest danger in her line of work is temptation.
“We have a little bit of a snacking problem, because we do take breaks with yogurt and granola,” Higgins says, adding it can be hard if you are counting calories.
The most dangerous job in the world is the sedentary white collar job coupled with modern living convinces, laptops and I pads. Why? Combine sitting at a desk all day with driving everywhere and the use of I pads and tv’s you deny the body the necessary and functional movement it needs to maintain basic musculoskeletal health.
Your article is looking at “dangerous” jobs in terms of acute injury and death. But chronic pain, stress related disorders, repetitive strain injuries (RSI’s), and orthopedic conditions are by far more prevalent with greater impact on society on a personal level (number of people in pain) and how these white collar jobs and injuries affect the national economy. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics report that the introduction of the personal computer to society in 1982 had a very detrimental affect on people in the workforce. The number of worker comp claims for RSI’s jumped from 17% in 1982 upt to about 65% in 2000. Here are some numbers that reveal the truth about chronic issues and its affect on the economy and just how many Americans are falling apart
“In 2000 job stress and injury cost the economy $300 billion in lowered productivity, repetitive strain injuries, compensation claims, absenteeism, healthy insurance and medical expenses (The American Institutes of Stress, 2000)
More than 1 in 4 Americans has a musculoskeletal (orthopedic) condition requiring medical attention. (http://www.boneandjointburden.org).
50 million Americans are afflicted with persistent pain each year. (American Pain Foundation).
In 2006, more than 44.4 million patients visited a physician with a complaint of back pain. In recent years, between 48% and 60%2 of adult persons in the United States reported experiencing neck or low back pain in the previous 3 months (National Center for Health Statistics; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Hospital Discharge Survey, 1996-2006).
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, each year about 650,000 Americans need to have their knees or hips replaced through total joint replacement surgery and one in ten Americans visit their doctor for arthritis pain.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, found that in 2007, 27 million adults reported back problems with $30.3 billion spent on treatments to ease the pain.
According to NBC News 600,000 people choose back surgery each year for pain; only 26 % of patients who opted for spinal fusion type surgeries returned to work two years later. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39658423/ns/health-pain_center/t/back-surger...)
The New York Times reported in May of 2012 that about 500,000 people undergo Carpel tunnel Surgery each year. (http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/carpal-tunnel-syndrome/s...) Even worse full restoration is achieved in less than 60% of cases (based on two year post surgery follow up).
The most dangerous job I had was not as a GI in Vietnam in 1966-67, but as a bush pilot in Alaska. I used to scare the stuff out of me about twice a day with the flights in bad weather and landings in tight places. During one 15 month period, I lost 11 bush pilot acquaintances I knew. I gave it up after a crash -- not so much because I it scared me, but because I was so embarrassed I hadn't saved the airplane. I went on to have a successful 40 year global career in aviation
I worked in the circus for 3 years: I witnessed or suffered cuts from rigging knives, blunt injuries from falling sidepoles, truck accidents, fights with townies, fights with drunken circus workers, injuries caused by equipment failure, and injuries from dangerous circus acts. I saw people fall off the top of the tent (outside) while rigging it, and from the top of the tent (inside) doing an aerial act.
And don't get me started on my years as a sailor on tall ships...
As a commercial photographer flying in a helicopter into the Kaneohe Valley to photograph wire antennas stretched across two peaks of the Ko ʻ olau Range. Heavy winds off the ocean pushed us dangerously close to the wires. I was able to get the shot but it was hairy.
In 1966-67 I was a GI in Vietnam. Belatedly, thanks to you and to all of the wonderful Donut Dollies for all you did, for all of your kindnesses and thoughtful actions. You did so much, endured so much and never seemed to complain. Once on a commercial flight I sat next to a 66-67 Dolly. We ended up holding on to each other with very teary eyes.
A few winters ago, as a novice rural resident seeking economic refuge from the city during the depths of the recession, I tried working as an assistant to a dog musher (10 dogs pulling a sled). By nightfall, I had developed hypothermia and concussion. So, I did not continue with the job. Actually, I never got paid for that first day either.
