The highest risk jobs in different parts of the United States, including Minnesota, pay anywhere from over $35,000 to more than $129,000, according to the National Safety Council. The occupation considered the most dangerous, driving semi or delivery trucks or working as a sales delivery driver, has an average annual salary of between $27,530 and $40,940, according to the agency. The rate or injury for this type of job is 22.1 per every 100,000 workers. In 2012, these industries had over 65,000 non-fatal injuries.
Airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers make more than others in dangerous jobs, with an average salary of $129,600, according to the NSL. The rate of injury for pilots, flight engineers and others in similar positions is 53.4 per 100,000 individuals. Around 27,000 people working in these positions had non-fatal injuries in 2012.
According to statistics from the council, construction workers and fisherman make around the same amount as receptionists and administrative assistants. The higher pay for certain jobs, such as airline pilot, appears to correlate more with the level of education needed for the position rather than the rate of danger for the position.
An employee injured in a workplace accident and a supervisor need to follow certain protocol, including filling out a First Report of Injury with 48 hours of a workplace incident, for the worker to be able to receive workers’ compensation benefits. To bring a personal injury lawsuit against their employers or product manufacturers for a spine or back injury, slip-and-fall accident or leg injury, they need to show that the companies’ negligence or malicious intent led to injuries or illnesses resulting in lost wages or medical expenses.
Source: Wall St Cheat Sheet, “Price of Risk: How Well Do the 5 Most Dangerous Jobs Pay?”, Erika Rawes, June 28, 2014