5 Common Occupations Filled with Risks and Hazards

Guest Post

Accidents can happen at any second to anyone, but most of us can make it in and out of the office on a daily basis without one scratch. There are some people out there, however, who choose occupations where bumps and bruises are frequent, long-term health problems are probable down the road, and even death wouldn’t be an unlikely occurrence.

Miners

Gas explosions, caving roofs, and nearly invisible pools of water are just a few of the dangers that miners have to keep an eye out for. Mine cave accidents are not a rare event to hear about on the news, and it’s a wonder why someone would even be interested in that occupation. Aside from all the accident prone aspects of mining, there are many long term health effects as well due to miners inhaling dangerous particles in the air. Although safety measures are taken much more seriously now, it doesn’t take mining off the list of dangerous jobs. However, it might make people appreciate the coal, jewellery, cookware, pipes, and metal they use on a daily basis a little more seeing as mines are where it all comes from.

Farmers

Farming crops and raising livestock might not seem like the most dangerous job in the world, but due to the heavy machinery, animal trampling, and toxic chemicals, farmers tend to have one of the highest accident rates than any other occupation. Farmers are at a higher risk for heart disease, back problems, and even some types of cancer, and bone fractures and vehicle related accidents are frequent every year. After reading the statistics, the image of the farmer with the red barn isn’t as wholesome as it once seemed.

Fishermen

Many people plan a fishing trip when they need to relax and get out of the city, and it might appear that fishing for a living is all about the peace and quiet. However, it’s far from the ideal family fishing trip on the weekends. Aside from being a lonely and frustrating job, fisherman suffer injuries resulting from slipping and sliding on the boat in all kinds of harsh weather, and hooks frequently pierce their skin when trying to get the fish onboard. Lifting nets full of pounds of fish onto the ship helps contribute to back problems down the road as well, and the fishing industry has one of the highest rates for on-the-job fatalities.

Truck Drivers

Long hours on the road mixed with inadequate sleep is never a good recipe for operating a motor vehicle. However, many people choose the live-on-the road lifestyle which is one of the top contenders for most employee injuries and deaths. Truckers often are required to drive in dangerous weather conditions, but despite the road conditions and lack of sleep, they also have to rely on the safety of other drivers which is never a guarantee.

Construction Workers

With all the harnesses and hard helmets, construction work might sounds like a safe bet. However, with electrical complications, falls, and toxic inhalants, it’s a risky business to get into. Chemical spills can lead to injuries from slipping, and cuts can lead to infections. There are many accidents that occur on site each year, and fatalities are unfortunately not entirely rare either.

All jobs have their pros and cons, and most jobs have some kind of negative effect on health. Office jobs can strain the eyes, and grocery clerk positions are bad for the feet and back. However, miners, farmers, fishermen, truck drivers, and construction workers might appear to have pretty common jobs, but the day-to-day physical labor poses harsh threats to overall health and wellbeing and, in some cases, even life itself.

Arlene Chandler is a freelance writer who focuses on preparing for the unexpected turns life can take. She currently writes about income protection insurance for the Australian life insurance provider, http://www.suncorp.com.au/insurance/life-insurance.

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