When people think about dangerous jobs, they tend to focus on jobs where people might die. There is plenty of merit to this, as anyone working in a job where deaths are common would want to be aware. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 2.9 workers per 100,000 died in 2017, for a total of 5,147 fatalities. However, the average American is roughly 1,000 times more likely to get hurt at work than die. In 2018 alone, approximately 3.5 million American workers suffered some kind of non-fatal injury or illness.
Beware if you work in healthcare, public administration or in the courier/messenger profession, as ValuePenguin found these to be the most dangerous non-fatal industries in the U.S. Nearly 60% of the states measured reported one of these three categories among the most dangerous industries. The most dangerous job-industry connection was found in Nevada. Here, performance arts company workers were 15 times more likely to be hurt or fall ill at work than the average Nevada worker; citing 56.7 injuries or illnesses per 100 workers.
*Analysis represents 42 states, including Washington D.C., based on the available data. Sorted by Statewide Incident Rate.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
Methodology
In order to rank the most dangerous industry in every state, we compiled state level non-fatal incidents rates by industry code from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. The incident rate measures the number of injuries and illnesses you would expect in an industry per 100 workers. Florida, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota and South Dakota are not included in the list due to either outdated or missing data.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
The most dangerous & non-fatal industry in the U.S.: Health care
Average annual 14.09 injuries or illnesses per 100 workers
16 states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming) ranked the healthcare profession as the most dangerous industry.
Working in a hospital puts you directly in the proximity of other people’s germs. There is also a lot of lifting and supporting healthcare professionals have to do to move injured or sick people around. All of that physical activity plus exposure to bacteria is the likely reason behind why hospitals are so dangerous for workers. In total, 16 states ranked health or social care as their most dangerous industry.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
The second most-dangerous industry: Public administration
Average annual 13.68 injuries or illnesses per 100 workers
6 states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, West Virginia) ranked the public administration profession as the most dangerous industry.
Public administration professions, including police protection, correction officers and administration of housing programs, urban planning, and community development, were the most dangerous jobs across six states. The odds of police being injured or ill was greatest in West Virginia, with the likeliness being nearly five times that of other professions. Those working in corrections in Arkansas were eight times more likely to be injured or ill than the average worker.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
The third most-dangerous industry: Couriers & messengers
Average annual 8.43 injuries or illnesses per 100 workers
3 states (Alabama, Georgia, Illinois) ranked the courier and messenger profession as the most dangerous industry.
Couriers and messengers are responsible for transporting items in busy cities during all types of inclement weather. We’ve all witnessed the seemingly reckless bike riding of a messenger, so it is understandable how this profession could be one of the most dangerous. One survey found that 66% of biker injuries were a result from car and/or pedestrian collisions and only 24% said they always wear a helmet. However, only 32% of these bicycle messengers have health insurance.
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
What are the most dangerous jobs within the healthcare profession?
Within the healthcare industry, those working in nursing and residential care facilities were found to work in the most dangerous, non-fatal professions across eight states.
Ohio nurses and residential care facility workers were seven times more likely than the average Ohio worker to suffer from injury and illness; the highest odds across the healthcare profession. In Maryland, those in the same field had an incident rate of nearly 21 injuries or illnesses per 100 workers.
North Carolina and Delaware hospital employees were over four times more likely to be injured or fall ill than the average worker.
Here are the most dangerous (but non-fatal) industries by state:
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
42. Washington, D.C.
Industry: Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods
Incident rate for profession: 8.3
Incident rate for all professions: 1.8
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.61
Image Credit: dkfielding.
41. Louisiana
Industry: Correctional institutions
Incident rate for profession: 11.8
Incident rate for all professions: 2.2
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 5.36
Image Credit: lucentius/istockphoto.
40. Texas
Industry: Rendering and meat byproduct processing
Incident rate for profession: 8.4
Incident rate for all professions: 2.3
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.65
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/istockphoto.
39. Alabama
Industry: Couriers and messengers
Incident rate for profession: 7.5
Incident rate for all professions: 2.4
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.13
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
38. Delaware
Industry: Hospitals
Incident rate for profession: 10.4
Incident rate for all professions: 2.5
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.16
Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.
37. North Carolina
Industry: Hospitals
Incident rate for profession: 10.6
Incident rate for all professions: 2.5
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.24
Image Credit: Sean Pavone / iStock.
36. Virginia
Industry: Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals
Incident rate for profession: 10.5
Incident rate for all professions: 2.6
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.04
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
35. Georgia
Industry: Couriers and messengers
Incident rate for profession: 8.7
Incident rate for all professions: 2.7
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.22
Image Credit: Sean Pavone / iStock.
34. Massachusetts
Industry: Other ambulatory health care services
Incident rate for profession: 12.9
Incident rate for all professions: 2.7
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.78
Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.
33. Ohio
Industry: Nursing and residential care facilities
Incident rate for profession: 19.6
Incident rate for all professions: 2.7
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 7.26
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
32. Arkansas
Industry: Correctional institutions
Incident rate for profession: 21.8
Incident rate for all professions: 2.7
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 8.07
Image Credit: iStock.
31. Missouri
Industry: Police protection
Incident rate for profession: 8.5
Incident rate for all professions: 2.8
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.04
Image Credit: TriggerPhoto/istockphoto.
30. South Carolina
Industry: Nursing and residential care facilities
Incident rate for profession: 9.7
Incident rate for all professions: 2.8
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.46
Image Credit: Joesboy.
29. New York
Industry: Nursing and residential care facilities
Incident rate for profession: 12.5
Incident rate for all professions: 2.8
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.46
Image Credit: FilippoBacci/istockphoto.
28. Illinois
Industry: Couriers and messengers
Incident rate for profession: 9.1
Incident rate for all professions: 2.9
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.14
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
27. New Jersey
Industry: Real estate
Incident rate for profession: 14.3
Incident rate for all professions: 2.9
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.93
Image Credit: Madison, New Jersey by Doug Kerr (CC BY-SA).
26. Nebraska
Industry: Animal production and aquaculture
Incident rate for profession: 8.2
Incident rate for all professions: 3.0
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 2.73
Image Credit: Davel5957/istockphoto.
25. Tennessee
Industry: Sawmills and wood preservation
Incident rate for profession: 10.1
Incident rate for all professions: 3.0
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.37
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
24. Arizona
Industry: Air transportation
Incident rate for profession: 11.8
Incident rate for all professions: 3.0
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.93
Image Credit: iStock.
23. Utah
Industry: Nursing and residential care facilities
Incident rate for profession: 18.7
Incident rate for all professions: 3.0
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 6.23
Image Credit: parkcity_utah / Instagram.
22. Maryland
Industry: Nursing and residential care facilities
Incident rate for profession: 20.7
Incident rate for all professions: 3.0
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 6.90
Image Credit: Christian Hinkle/shutterstock.
21. New Mexico
Industry: Police protection
Incident rate for profession: 13
Incident rate for all professions: 3.1
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.19
Image Credit: Davel5957.
20. Pennsylvania
Industry: Used household and office goods moving
Incident rate for profession: 14.1
Incident rate for all professions: 3.1
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.55
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
19. West Viriginia
Industry: Police protection
Incident rate for profession: 14.6
Incident rate for all professions: 3.1
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.71
Image Credit: iStock.
18. Kansas
Industry: Crop production
Incident rate for profession: 8.8
Incident rate for all professions: 3.2
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 2.75
Image Credit: tomofbluesprings / iStock.
17. Kentucky
Industry: Hospitals
Incident rate for profession: 9.9
Incident rate for all professions: 3.3
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.00
Image Credit: iStock.
16. Minnesota
Industry: Hog and pig farming
Incident rate for profession: 11.8
Incident rate for all professions: 3.3
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.58
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
15. MIchigan
Industry: Administration of housing programs, urban planning, and community development
Incident rate for profession: 12.4
Incident rate for all professions: 3.3
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.76
Image Credit: Courtesy of wikimedia.org.
14. Indiana
Industry: Motor vehicle body and trailer manufacturing
Incident rate for profession: 9.7
Incident rate for all professions: 3.5
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 2.77
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
13. Iowa
Industry: Nursing and residential care facilities
Incident rate for profession: 14.1
Incident rate for all professions: 3.6
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.92
Image Credit: iStock.
12. Connecticut
Industry: Nursing and residential care facilities
Incident rate for profession: 14.5
Incident rate for all professions: 3.6
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.03
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
11. California
Industry: Specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals
Incident rate for profession: 17.9
Incident rate for all professions: 3.6
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.97
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
10. Hawaii
Industry: Residential building construction
Incident rate for profession: 9.3
Incident rate for all professions: 3.7
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 2.51
Image Credit: ehabaref / iStock.
9. Wisconsin
Industry: Nursing and residential care facilities
Incident rate for profession: 15
Incident rate for all professions: 3.7
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.05
Image Credit: csfotoimages/istockphoto.
8. Wyoming
Industry: Health care and social assistance
Incident rate for profession: 16.4
Incident rate for all professions: 3.7
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.43
Image Credit: Davel5957/istockphoto.
7. Oregon
Industry: Hospitals
Incident rate for profession: 12.1
Incident rate for all professions: 3.8
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 3.18
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
6. Nevada
Industry: Performing arts companies
Incident rate for profession: 56.7
Incident rate for all professions: 3.8
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 14.92
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
5. Alaska
Industry: Food manufacturing
Incident rate for profession: 9.6
Incident rate for all professions: 3.9
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 2.46
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
4. Washington
Industry: Framing contractors
Incident rate for profession: 23.7
Incident rate for all professions: 4.2
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 5.64
Image Credit: Pixabay.com.
3. Montana
Industry: Air transportation
Incident rate for profession: 18.2
Incident rate for all professions: 4.4
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.14
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
2. Vermont
Industry: Warehousing and storage
Incident rate for profession: 11.9
Incident rate for all professions: 4.5
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 2.64
Image Credit: iStock.
1. Maine
Industry: Bakeries and tortilla manufacturing
Incident rate for profession: 19.4
Incident rate for all professions: 4.8
Odds of getting sick or injured relative to the average worker in state: 4.04
This article originally appeared on ValuePenguin.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.
