What Profession is the Most Dangerous?

[Gypo Logger]

I'm cinching up the deal right now, and I think my name is on those 33 trees.
They belong to a housing co-op and I just need approval. It's been one year in the making and I heard thru the grapevine that I was highly recommended for the job, which means alot to me.
This job is so filled with danger, but I love it. Falling is one thing, bucking is another, however skidding poses it's own brand of challenges.
As everyone knows I have been using a 50 horse tractor and winch to skid timber, it works well, but a tree can still boss it around, moreso than my 540A JD, especially on slopes and the limited protection it affords.
You must be all eyes at all times and be one jump ahead of things and know what you are going to do next in a split second.
I love it all so much though, I can't get enough of it!
John

 

[Billy_Bob]

...Be careful out them woods. The bucket truck operator I was working with today told me how he struck a ground worker earlier in the week with a branch...

I almost got hit once when I was standing on the ground and another worker was trimming limbs up in a tree. I thought I was far enough away to be safe (twice the distance of the limbs he was cutting), but the limb he cut was long, the end hit the ground, then the limb "pole-vaulted" in my direction, the end of the limb heading straight for the side of my head.

I was wearing a hardhat and long sleeves. I was able to deflect the limb away from myself with my arm. I did not have any injuries.

But if I was not wearing a hardhat and was not watching what was going on above, I would have been clobbered in the side of the head and then maybe shoulder. And that limb was quite heavy... I stand a little more than "twice the distance of the limbs" back now...

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I do not believe insurance companies look at professional status when making most dangerous job list, they just lump all tree climbing related injuries together.

I'd be VERY surprised if that were true. There is a lot of money at stake, and assessing risk accurately is their bread & butter. There are also a ton of regulations about how they do research, compile statistics, and report them.

Since their abilty to assess risk is directly related to their financial performance, accurate research is considered a fiduciary duty. They would get in plenty big trouble if they lumped Joe Homeowner in with professionals, and then set rates based on those numbers.

And did I mention there's big money involved? Just like with you guys - the more accurately you can estimate your costs (time, equipment, fuel, risks) for a job, the better you can price them. If you are constantly estimating too high, your competition is going to get the jobs. If you estimate too low, you will get the jobs and lose money. I'd bet ALL of you would like to have a way to ACCURATELY predict your cost on every job you bid. You do the best you can, but better information is always a good thing.

Same with the insurance biz, like them or not.

 

[Sylvatica]

most dangerous profession is actually ALASKAN KING CRAB FISHERMAN

Sometimes you eat the crab, and sometimes the crab eats you.

Pulling crab pots out of the dark, freezing Bering Sea looks like a seriously dangerous gig.

 

[a_lopa]

im pretty sure jockeys as in horse racing have the most dangerous job

 

[superman_36]

also deaths per hour worked the crabbers don't work as many hours as loggers and pilots so deaths per total hours worked go to crabbers

 

[BoesTreeService]

According to USA today, analyzing both injuries and fatalities, firefighting is the most dangerous profession.

 

[Sizzle-Chest]

also deaths per hour worked the crabbers don't work as many hours as loggers and pilots so deaths per total hours worked go to crabbers

i wouldnt say that to a crabber, they work almost 24/7. if they aint crabbin, they're scrapping ice off the boat or getting hurt, its seriously hardcore work. but im realizing now that you maybe mean that per year they work less, which is true . . .

According to USA today, analyzing both injuries and fatalities, firefighting is the most dangerous profession.

and funny thing bout that one too, wildland firefighter is considered really dangerous because of high death rate, but its the real killer is driving to and from fires, accounts for most of the firefighting deaths

 

[BoesTreeService]

While driving to and from incidents is dangerous, it is not the leading cause of line of duty deaths - Cardiac events is number one (over exertion fighting fires or training, then traumatic injuries. Wildland fire fighting is considered really dangerous simply because of the headlines garnered when something happens. Typically when fire fighters dies in wildland fires it happens to several people at once. In structural fire fighting its usually only one or two at a time and doesnt get the press. But far more fire fighters are killed in structure fires than wildland fires. I dont know how may arborists, loggers or crabbers are killed annually, perhaps someone can fill me in on those numbers, but annually around 100 firefighters make the ultimate sacrifice.

 

[WESCOMAN]

I would say those Special Op boys have the most dangerous job. There just dam good and most come home but the danger still is there!

 

[Ekka]

Hey guys, I didn't make the list up it was those other blokes ... it's on there.

Yeah, where are people going to get proper stats, I dont know, I dont care.

I understand you Gypo, you're an adrenelin junky, there's lots of us.

 

[smokechase II]

Boes Tree Service
It is cardiac for structural fire fighters for sure. If we remove stastical aberrations like Sept 11th.
But for wildland fire fighters in the US, it is currently between driving and taking the pack test. {Not true, but sounds like I'm making a point.}
Based on exposure time, we are actually doing fairly well - no one is perfect, in regard to burnover and snag fatalities. That is true.

 

[Sizzle-Chest]

Boes Tree Service
It is cardiac for structural fire fighters for sure. If we remove stastical aberrations like Sept 11th.
But for wildland fire fighters in the US, it is currently between driving and taking the pack test. {Not true, but sounds like I'm making a point.}
Based on exposure time, we are actually doing fairly well - no one is perfect, in regard to burnover and snag fatalities. That is true.

hey smokechaser, in 2002 I went to fight fire in colorado and we stopped at the site of the storm king disaster. it was pretty powerfull, you could still see their fire line dug into the side of the hill. and what was more amazing was the brush they died in was only scrub oak! not more than a few feet tall. There were crosses on the hill to mark where each of the 14 firefighters died.

 

[GASoline71]

One of the most dangerous jobs out there is working on the flight deck of a US Navy aircraft carrier. Gotta have your head on a swivel up there! Go Navy!

Gary

 

[MOE]

I have heard several differnent jobs being listed as most Dangerous. firefighting, crabbing, shaft coalmining, lineman,etc. I'm a full time structural firefighter and see the dangers in that. Who ever said heart attack is the biggest firefighter killer is right.
That being said, when I watch deadliest catch and crab fishing, I can only think that those guys are totally nuts.

 

[smokechase II]

Sizzle:
In the modern era, brush is the most likely fuel model to get us.
That Gambels Oak at South Canyon is a problem unto itself. It is commonly described as not burning or flat out ripping.
Just about 30 air miles from "Storm King" was the 1976 Battlement Cr fire that killed 3 Mormon Lake Hotshots. That was the fire that made use of shelters mandatory.