Nearly all the deadliest jobs in America last year were “blue collar,” with loggers topping the list, according to newly released federal data.
SO WHAT
It’s no wonder there’s a shortage of blue-collar collar workers.
THE DETAILS
Of the eight occupations with the highest fatality rates in 2021, at least seven would be considered blue collar, per a Dec. 16 Bureau of Labor Statistics report.
- Logging saw the most deaths per 100,000 workers in 2021, ahead of fishers and hunters, the deadliest occupation of 2020.
- Transportation-related injuries were the biggest cause of the work-related deaths (38%), followed by falls, slips and trips (16%).
- Over 5,000 people died on the job last year, up 9% from 2020, and the overall occupational death rate (3.6 per 100,000) was the highest since 2016.
THE KICKER
Job-specific dangers and personal safety are the top workplace concern of blue-collar workers, The Harris Poll found in October, even above long hours, high pressure and low pay.
- Meanwhile, blue-collar labor shortages across industries have reached crisis levels.
