What is the most dangerous job in Texas? Many will imagine highly visible industries, such as police, construction, and factory jobs. However, the truth is that Texas’s workplace fatalities more often affect a different kind of blue-collar worker.
Mining and Gas Extraction
Would you believe that between 2008 and 2018, as many Americans died in gas and ore extraction accidents as were killed in Afghanistan? The current rate of mining industry deaths in Texas is 8.5 per 100,000 workers. That means about 100 Texan miners and oil workers die on the job every year.
While mining gets a little safer every year, it’s still the third-highest cause of Texas’s workplace fatalities.
Agriculture
Farming and fishing make up the lion’s share of Texas’s workplace injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor, Texas’s 3.2-million-worker agriculture industry sees 23 fatalities for every 100,000 workers. That’s almost 750 Texan deaths per year in fields, farms, and fishing boats.
While plenty of accidents happen on farms, most fatalities take place at sea. Crashing waves, swinging cranes, and terrible weather are just a few factors in the deadly fishing industry. Every year, fishers face nearly 100 fatal accidents per every 100,000 workers. Every person in the Texas fishing industry has a 1-in-1000 chance of dying on the job every year.
Trucking
Rates and actual fatalities are very different. No Texas occupation has a higher number of actual fatalities than the trucking industry. Every year, about 900 Texan truckers lose their lives on the road. This is due to several factors, including overworked drivers, unsafe roads, and inadequate vehicle maintenance.
Preventing these terrible incidents starts with creating a safer workplace. Workplace accidents are usually due to a lack of safety training and equipment. When employers adhere to OSHA requirements, they create a safer environment for all.
If you or someone you love suffered a serious injury or even wrongful death while working one of Texas’ most dangerous jobs, we’re here for you. If you’d like an experienced Houston OSHA attorney from Hendershot Cowart P.C. to evaluate your case, please send us an email or call (713) 909-7323.
