25 Most Dangerous Jobs in America

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5. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
> Fatal injuries in 2016: 34.1 per 100,000 workers
> Total: 31 fatal injuries, 6,170 nonfatal injuries
> Most common accident: Falls, slips, and trips
> Median annual wage: $35,270

Slips and falls are a relatively common hazard among refuse and recyclable material collectors — accounting for nearly one-third of the 6,170 non-fatal injuries on the job in 2016.

The most common cause of fatalities, however, is transportation incidents, which account for 67.7% of deaths. While many of these accidents involve the collectors’ trucks, 29% are classified as “pedestrian vehicular incidents,” which includes accidents in which a worker is struck by someone’s car.

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4. Roofers
> Fatal injuries in 2016: 48.6 per 100,000 workers
> Total: 101 fatal injuries, 3,150 nonfatal injuries
> Most common accident: Falls, slips, and trips
> Median annual wage: $37,760

Roofing work “involves heavy lifting, as well as climbing, bending, and kneeling, frequently in very hot weather,” according to the BLS. At least some of the time this work takes place on rooftops, so there are bound to be serious accidents — and 26.7% of non-fatal accidents are falls to a lower level. Injured roofers spend a median of 20 days away from work following an injury, a relatively long recovery compared to most other jobs. A vast majority of fatal accidents that occur on the job — 80.2% — are also categorized as general falls, slips, and trips.

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3. Aircraft pilots and flight engineers
> Fatal injuries in 2016: 55.5 per 100,000 workers
> Total: 75 fatal injuries, 470 nonfatal injuries
> Most common accident: Overexertion and bodily reaction
> Median annual wage: $105,720

The most common injury for aircraft pilots and flight engineers is overexertion and bodily reaction. Pilots specifically have inconsistent work schedules that often involve overnight layovers. The job can be demanding, and exhaustion is a risk.

While flying is statistically the safest way to travel, it is not without some risk. Some 75 pilots and flight engineers died in 2016 — each death was due to an accident while in transit.

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2. Fishers and related fishing workers
> Fatal injuries in 2016: 86.0 per 100,000 workers
> Total: 24 fatal injuries
> Most common accident: N/A
> Median annual wage: $27,110

Commercial fishing can be a hazardous undertaking, as it is largely physical work. Fishers and related fishing workers can also be exposed to environmental factors such as extreme weather that people in other fields may not be exposed to. In addition, workers may be out on the water or working from a remote area when an accident occurs, and easy access to a hospital or medical professional may not be readily available.There were 86 deaths for every 100,000 full-time workers in the field in 2016, the second most of any job.

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1. Logging workers
> Fatal injuries in 2016: 135.9 per 100,000 workers
> Total: 91 fatal injuries, 900 nonfatal injuries
> Most common accident: Struck by object
> Median annual wage: $37,590

Logging is physically very demanding, and like commercial fishing, the location of the work is primarily outdoors and often in remote areas, far from medical aid. The most common accident is when a worker is struck by an object, such as a log or falling branch. Logging workers also deal with dangerous machinery such as harvesters and chainsaws. There were nearly 50 more fatal injuries per 100,000 logging workers in 2016 than the second most dangerous job. Based on the occupational fatality rate, logging is the most dangerous job in the country and about 38 times more dangerous than the typical job.