Logging is the deadliest profession in the United States. One report that analyzed the 2014 stats — the report came out in 2016, as stats do tend to take awhile to be compiled — noted that 111 loggers were killed for every 100,000 .
That’s vastly higher than other professions. For instance, only 47.4 roofers died for every 100,000 , even though roofing is also a profession with high fall risks. Just 18 chauffeurs and taxi drivers passed away for every 100,000, despite the high amount of traffic deaths every year.
So, why is logging so dangerous? Part of it is just the way the stats are presented. There simply aren’t very many loggers. While there were 111 deaths for every 100,000, there actually aren’t even 100,000 loggers in the United States. There were only 78 total deaths. Truck drivers, on the other hand, saw just 24.7 deaths for every 100,000 drivers. That feels like far less than logging — and it is, relatively speaking — but the trucking industry is huge. There were 880 total deaths.
Another key factor is where workplace injuries occur. Taxi drivers, for instance, are usually hurt in the city, close to hospitals. Loggers are hurt in the wilderness. It can take hours just to get medical care. This means that injuries that would have been survivable with immediate treatment could turn deadly when that treatment is delayed.
It’s important for to know that injuries and fatalities can happen in any profession, and there are usually many contributing factors. Those who are hurt also need to know what rights they have to ‘ , whether they’re driving taxis in the city or toppling trees in the forests of Wisconsin.
Source: Time, “The Most Dangerous Jobs in America,” David Johnson, accessed Jan. 13, 2017
