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| Source: www.portagefirefighters.org |
Do police and firefighters (who, oddly
enough, have almost the same chance of dying on the job) really have
higher workplace fatality rates than other occupations?
Yes.
And no.
Check out the 2006 fatality statistics
published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor. The national average mortality
rate on the job for all occupations is 4 deaths per 100,000 workers.
Police and firefighter deaths on the job are a bit over 4 times that
average. Clearly their jobs are more hazardous than what most
working people have to face.
But let's compare that public
safety mortality rate with some other blue collar, mostly male
jobs. The figures below are the number of on-the-job deaths annually
per 100,000 workers, by occupation (and note the average for men vs. women):
Read the full story: www.open.salon.com
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