The 10 Most Dangerous Jobs In Washington

All jobs involve risks, but some professions are hazardous.

Research from Resume Genius ranks the most hazardous jobs in our state, based on injury and fatality rates.

Garbage and recycling collectors' work is the #1 most dangerous job

The garbage collector ranks first, with a fatality rate of 41.1, and has the lowest median salary in the study at $48,350. When I first saw the 41.4 fatality rate, I initially was led to believe that 4 out of 10 die. Not the case at all.

The number 41.4 says that, in one year, about 41 or 42 of those 100,000 people might sadly die because of something dangerous that happened at work.

It's a way to compare the riskiness of different jobs. Garbage collection is one of the riskier ones because of things like heavy trucks and busy roads, but it's still very rare for any one person. Most garbage collectors go to work and come home safe every day.

It's not like 4 out of every 10 – that would be thousands dying all the time, and it's not. It's much, much smaller. The job is demanding and dangerous, but the chance for any one worker is still pretty low. Safety rules help a lot, too.

So, we know that garbage collectors have the most dangerous profession. Here are the remaining top ten hazardous jobs.

2. Logging Worker Median salary: $49,540

Cutting down trees might be an old-fashioned way to make a living, but it is also dangerous. 

3. Roofer Median salary: $50,970

Jobs keep the roofs over our heads — and for some people, those jobs include installing, maintaining, and fixing those very same roofs. The heights are high, and the risk of a career-ending injury is there every day.

4. Truck Driver Median salary: $57,440

None of our common goods would be possible without truck drivers. While it might seem like a straightforward job, it entails working 70-hour weeks. Some long haulers have no time, no freedom, and a very high accident risk.”

5. Firefighter Median salary: $59,530

This profession saves lives and protects our community. Firefighters show a high mortality rate of 27 per 100,000, but they also deal with trauma, smoke inhalation, exposure to collapsing structures, and chemical exposure.

6. Iron and Steel Workers Median salary: $61,940

The construction and building industry depends on its specialized skills that are not easily replaced. There is a risk involved in erecting structural frameworks hundreds of feet in the air.

7. Police and Detectives Median salary: $77,270

Anyone in law enforcement is bound to face dangerous, high-stress, high-risk situations every day. Like firefighters, they protect and serve our community at the risk of personal safety.

8. Farm Manager Median salary: $87,980

Farmers feed the world. Managing an entire agricultural operation takes more supervisory and operational than hands-on, physically risky labor. As a farm manager, you're responsible for long-term planning and the operation.

9. Electrical Power Line Technician Median salary: $92,560

An electrical power line technician, who works near high-voltage power systems at great heights, earns just under six figures, though the risk factors are high. The decent pay is accompanied by a relatively low fatality rate of 18.4 per 100,000 workers.

10. Pilot Median salary: $198,100

Flying requires training; it is a skill that can deteriorate over time. The 31.3% fatality rate is primarily influenced by non-commercial aviation, meaning the daily risk for most commercial pilots is significantly lower, enhancing overall safety.