Comments on: The Most Dangerous Job (in America)

By: Derek K. Miller

Derek K. Miller — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:31:23 +0000

I ran some of the numbers in a post back in 2003 after the shuttle Columbia blew apart, and being an astronaut is indeed a very dangerous job, despite all the thousands of hours of training and billions of dollars spent trying to keep it safe:

http://www.penmachine.com/2003/02/damn-lies-statistics-and-fatality.ht ml

The problem is that the sample size is very small, so there are wild variations year to year. On average, being U.S. President is very dangerous too (given the number of assassinations over the decades). So is being a professional high-altitude mountain climber.

Raymond also has a point about the military, but I think it's usually excluded from these lists because being in a job where people are TRYING to kill you (as opposed to accidentally dying) is a whole different kettle of fish. I also don't think current U.S. military mortality rates match those of astronauts (or presidents). However, some reports claim that 63% (!) of World War II German U-boat crew members perished on the job, and the stats weren't much better for Allied bomber crews either (about 30%). No current job that I know of comes close to that.

By: MadMolecule

MadMolecule — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:39:57 +0000

This probably doesn't apply to last year specifically (I don't recall any space-related deaths last year), but over time, I suspect Astronaut is the most dangerous job. I can think of 15 or 20 who've died, and there have only been a couple hundred of them, right?

By: su.wei

su.wei — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:38:55 +0000

i used to commercial fish up here in alaska. for crabbers the big dangers come from wild storms and huge waves. out on the bering sea waves will wash over the deck. but yeah, mistakes definetly cause alot of deaths up here. if you get caught on a crab pot, there is nothing anyone can do, and you essentially get dragged to the bottom of the ocean.

By: Raymond Ross

Raymond Ross — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:05:20 +0000

For the life of me, why don't they list being in the military as being dangerous? It is a job, isn't it? What about the deaths of our soldiers over in Iraq?

List like this always forget to include our military. And I know that job HAS to be very dangerous!

By: tomSk

tomSk — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:59:24 +0000

fishing is dangerous: naturally because of the weather, but also cause if you make a mistake you could very easily lose an arm or leg or just get whipped overboard.

I did it for a (very) short while - happened to start in weather building up to gale force - I couldnt stand on the boat unless I could hold on to something (and I was sick as a dog) meanwhile this older guy was walking across the deck, pausing casually to light his pipe - with matches(!) wind howling around us, boat lurching sickeningly
But it's one of those things - if you like working on the water, you LOVE it - I'd go back if I got a chance.

Re making loads of money - it happens, but then you dont make anything when the weather is bad (unless maybe in bigger boats that can handle the weather) - and if you make the money you've got to work HARD for it...

By: stacyj

stacyj — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:42:13 +0000

Interesting article, although I wish they went into more detail about what makes commercial fishing so dangerous (does it mainly have to do with the risk of the boats sinking or is there something else going on?) - maybe I need to check out that 'Deadliest Catch' show, after all ... (@ #5: why are statements in the post such as "Forbes looks at the 10 most dangerous jobs in the UNITED STATES" and "co-founder of Commercial Fishermen of America, a San Francisco-based nonprofit representing U.S. commercial fishermen" not "specific" enough for you?)

By: alguien

alguien — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:15:02 +0000

America is a big continent. Please specify wich country are you talking about.

By: MENLOHEAVYWEIGHT

MENLOHEAVYWEIGHT — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:31:15 +0000

THOSE GUY ARE BAD ASSES

By: Rocky Rook

Rocky Rook — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:08:05 +0000

I could never do a job like that.

By: Geekazoid

Geekazoid — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:56:54 +0000

Not to diminish my respect for them but the pay is pretty good too, well deserving for the risks and dangers involved.

By: nick

nick — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:40:37 +0000

im a saturation diver in the gulf of mexico. its pretty dangerous, but safty is a very big issue for every one involved in working operations. those fishermen do have it rough, though.