The Most Dangerous Jobs in the World and What You Can Do to Stay Safe
According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), roughly 2.3 million workers succumb to work-related injuries and diseases from a wide range of safety risks and hazards - that leads to more than 6,000 deaths daily.
But in which occupations do these injuries and deaths take place? What are the most dangerous occupations to work in? An article from HR Director Canada lists five of the most dangerous jobs in the world, highlighting why we should prioritize workplace safety.
According to the article, the five most dangerous jobs are:
Average fatality rate of 15.96 deaths per 100,000 workers
#5. Commercial fishermen and women
Commercial fishermen (and women) face a number of safety hazards when they go out on the boat each morning. The obvious one is drowning, but they can experience cold-water shock and hypothermia. They are also at significant risk of slips and falls from heights. These safety hazards are compounded by the tough labor, long hours, and dangerous weather conditions.
35.8 per 100,000 workers was the fatality rate in 2014
#4. Waste and recycling workers
It is not common knowledge, however, that the people who take away our waste, recycling, and compost are exposed to a number of dangers like the potential to be trapped or crushed by heavy machinery, as well as long-term exposure to harmful chemicals and toxins, causing respiratory illnesses and sometimes poisoning. Labour statistics say that the “fatal injury rate for waste collectors is 33 per 100,000—ahead of policemen, construction workers, and miners.”
The fatal injury rate for the construction industry in 2020 was 10.2, up from 9.7 in 2019
#3. Construction workers
Construction workers face some very serious safety hazards, most notably falling from great heights, resulting in serious injuries as well as deaths. Scaffolding can be slippery, even collapsing with workers on it. On top of the fatal falls, construction workers also face electrocution and burns, hearing damage, and trench collapses – they are also exposed to the sometimes dangerous natural elements.
The fatal injury rate decreased to 11.4 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers in 2015
#2. Oil and gas workers
Working with dangerous elements like oil and natural gas presents a number of work safety hazards like major fires and explosions from flammable gases. These workers also experience fatal and debilitating falls from structures and equipment in which they are regularly working. And when they are transporting this equipment, oil and gas workers face the risk of auto accidents and vehicle collisions.
Annual death rate of 5 out of approximately 3,000 full-time underwater welders
#1. Deep-sea divers
Those who dive and work in deep water do it for a range of reasons including pipe repairs and maintenance, dam building, and seismic surveying. This broad category of workers is so dangerous because they are performing their jobs in an environment that is deadly for humans. They of course, face drowning, equipment malfunction, aggressive marine life, and decompression sickness or the bends, which occurs when the diver ascends too quickly.
Safety: The best investment you can make
So how do you protect workers who faces such serious work dangers on a daily basis? Well, the answer is not so simple but with the steps and planning outlined below, you can increase the safety of your team members, regardless of what job they have.
The ILO’s staggering numbers remind us why we need to invest in our most important resource of all: our people. As we approach the first day of spring, employers must look at making worker safety a priority for the year and plan accordingly. This should include regular safety training and risk assessments, as well as looking at ways to improve the overall work safety culture – you won’t regret it.
Make worker safety a priority
Is your industry included in the list above? Even if it isn’t, improving your team’s safety should continue to be a goal this year, saving your workers from injury and death (and the accompanying emotional impact), as well as saving your organization from the significant costs of worker time off and potential litigation. Setting and reaching safety goals have a long and deep impact within both the team and organization, benefiting other important areas like productivity, employee mental health, and as you’ll read below, the company’s work culture.
Set goals and improve workplace safety
Train your staff in the art of work safety
Yes, it requires some time, but providing safety training to your team is completely worth it. Safety training ensures that employees thoroughly understand any relevant company safety protocols and provides opportunities to practice these protocols in a practice setting. Holding safety training sessions regularly will also keep the team up to date and refreshed on injury- and fatality-preventing safety practices in their workplace. Additionally, these training sessions are a great forum to build team culture and relationships.
Discover the major benefits of safety training
Why risk assessments should be a priority
The important first step to protecting workers is conducting an exhaustive assessment of all existing and potential safety hazards threatening the team. Before any steps can be taken to mitigate or eliminate any safety hazards, risk assessments must be done to identify these hazards and document them. And because workplaces can be dynamic environments with regular changes taking place, risk assessments must be done regularly to spot any new hazards. Make risk assessments a regular practice and a normal component of operations.
Take a free risk and hazard assessment template
The important role of a lone worker policy
While practice and safety training are incredibly important for protecting your team and lone workers, any solid safety program has a policy for lone and remote workers. The key to making the most safety impact is to word the policy so that it is accessible and understandable to everyone it benefits within the organization. In the policy, it is crucial that the said benefits are clearly presented and outlined, showing staff why certain safety protocols and practices are in place – this will get everyone on board and on the same page.
Create your own effective lone worker policy!
A great work safety culture
As we mentioned earlier, positive safety culture in the workplace is incredibly important to protecting staff and lone workers. Strong safety culture is an environment where the entire team understands and values the protocols in place to protect their coworkers. It is also a place where employees are not hesitant to speak up about potential safety issues, having the intention of not only protecting themselves but their fellow workers as well.
Learn about what makes a positive safety culture special