Risky Business! Top 10 most dangerous jobs in Australia
Is going to work each day putting you at risk? Tatiana Coulter highlights the 10 most dangerous jobs in Australia.
Our jobs are probably the most important factor if we are to reach our dreams and secure a better future for our family. What we do for a living & the salary we earn is a huge factor in the quality of life we enjoy today, and in the future.
So how would you feel if your job was actually a risk to your future?
This is the disconcerting reality that many workers face. Recent research has identified certain types of employment as serious threats to the health and well-being of those who perform these roles.
Employees in these jobs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Canberra – or anywhere between – may either find it harder to obtain cover for life insurance, income protection insurance or total & permanent disability (TPD). Or they may be required to pay higher premiums for insurance.
The top 10 most dangerous jobs in Australia are:
1.Transport and storage industry
If you work with warehousing or trucking industry, you are at high risk. This industry tops the list of the most dangerous jobs in Australia. With an average of 65 fatalities in one year, workers in transport and storage need to take extra caution and be prepared in case the worst happens. Aside from fatalities, there were also 8,450 workers who filed for serious injury compensation claims in 2012 from this industry
2. Fishing, agriculture, and forestry
In any country, commercial fishing is probably one of the most dangerous jobs. With 53 reported deaths and 3,815 serious injuries for the year, this industry takes the second spot on our list. Workers in fishing, agriculture, and forestry are at risk of dying of animal attack, intense heat, and drowning.
3. Construction
With 30 recorded deaths for the year and 12,485 serious injuries, construction workers need to take extra caution because they are more likely to get hit by stationary objects or fall off from a building than other workers of different industry.
4. Manufacturing
Those who are working in factories are at high risk of getting killed by car accidents, falling objects, and hard fall from a height. There were 18 deaths and 16,670 serious injuries recorded for the year. Twenty-six percent of these serious injuries are caused by muscle stress due to heavy lifting.
5. Public administration, safety, and defense
It cost 13 lives and 4,300 severe injuries for the year in order to keep Australia safe. This industry employs around 1.1 million people and most fatalities happen on the road.
6. Mining
The mining industry is number six on the list with seven deaths and 2,670 injuries for the year. Miners are at risk of getting trapped or hit by moving objects.
7. Retail trade
Working in retail won’t exempt you from experiencing accidents at work. With six recorded deaths for the year, people who work in retail are vulnerable to explosions, contact with hazardous chemicals, and being trapped between certain objects. In addition, lifting heavy loads caused around 11,200 serious injuries in retail.
8. Professional, technical, and scientific services
Car crashes, electrocution, falling, and being hit by falling objects are the most common fatal threats for lawyers, engineers, accountants, scientists, and other professionals serving this industry. There are six deaths and 2,100 serious injuries recorded for the year for these bright minds.
9. Wholesale trade
Importing and exporting goods can pose a threat too with five recorded deaths for the year and 5,315 serious injuries. The biggest cause of these injuries is lifting heavy objects.
10. Gas, water, electricity, and waste services
With 530 serious injuries reported for the year, the common causes of injuries in this industry are muscle strain and falling from a height. Working outdoors need extra caution too, since you can get attacked by an animal or trapped between objects.
This list has real some surprises – who would have thought professionals such as lawyers & accountants would be regarded as dangerous jobs? How this will impact life insurance premiums in the future will be interesting to watch.
What’s clear is that unforeseen accidents can happen anytime and anywhere, so it is important for you & your family that you are prepared. Now is the best time to seek life insurance advice and review the amount of coverage you have on your insurance – don’t wait until it’s too late. There are options you can check out like Income Protection Insurance and Total and Permanent Disability Insurance.
Tatiana Coulter is CEO of Family Life Insurance Advisers. A qualified financial planner, she has over twelve years of experience in financial services. Tatiana specialise in advising parents on the key risks to their family, and how to effectively manage these to ensure that children are fully protected.
Amanda
June 18, 2015 at 6:26 am
Great list! I guess Insurance
Great list! I guess Insurance Adviser should be included in the list but all in all it’s good. Thanks for sharing!