Some jobs, it’s fair to say, are inherently more dangerous than others. These tend to be the positions that involve working with hazardous tools and materials, as well as unpredictable, natural elements, like the weather, and animals.
If you’re working from height, then you face an additional level of danger, too.
In the UK, a number of industries stand out as particularly dangerous. We know this because of the accident data collected by RIDDOR, which is reported by the Health and Safety executive.
Accidents at work are inherently bad, but they also create reputational and legal risks for the employer associated with them. Workplace accident claims can be pursued by affected employees, or by their next of kin.
So, which jobs stand out as most dangerous?
Construction
You might have heard that construction is the most dangerous industry in the UK. According to the data, 51 people were killed in the industry in 2023/24, which represents an increase over the 42 killed per year between 2019 and 2023. This amounts to around a third of workplace deaths in the UK, on top of the sixty-thousand-odd construction workers who sustained serious injuries in the same year.
Agriculture
Of course, while construction might be responsible for the most fatalities, it cannot be said to be the most dangerous industry. This is because there are far more construction workers than there are farmers. On a per-capita basis, agriculture is far more lethal.
Around 7.51 fatal injuries occurred per 100,000 workers in forestry, fishing and agriculture in 2023/24, compared with just 2.43 construction workers, and 0.42 workers in all industries.
Risk in farming tends to stem from the use of hazardous materials and equipment, and the fact that many farmers work on their own. When an accident occurs in these circumstances, there might be a delay of hours before help is sought. This delay can be critical – which is why mobile devices that can be used to raise the alarm are so worthwhile.
Transportation and warehousing
The more road miles a given driver accumulates, the more risk they’re assuming. This is especially so if these hours occur consecutively, without appropriate breaks.
In the warehouse, risk tends to stem from different sources. Heavy machinery, as well as the injuries that come from performing the same actions, over and over again, can generate risk for workers in logistics.
Manufacturing
The sheer size of the manufacturing sector makes it responsible for a considerable number of fatal injuries, as well as serious ones. Workers might come into contact with electrical dangers, moving machines, and slippery floors. Having policies in place to identify and eliminate these hazards can be vital.