Tag Archives: dangerous job

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

THERE’S MUCH TO APPRECIATE ABOUT OUR FARMERS AND RANCHERS!

There’s nothing like the view of a beautiful farm that stretches out among rolling hills.  (I always think I’d hate to have to mow all that land!)  But there’s much more behind those peaceful scenes.  Farming and ranching are on the list of America’s most dangerous jobs.  The consensus is that farmers and ranchers perform their routines in the same way, every day, every year, they sometimes become complacent about hazards that exist.  Bureau of Labor statistics show that on a per capita basis, out of every 100,000 workers, 38 die annually.

The family farm/ranch offers the opportunity to work out in the fresh air, keep the hours you wish (usually sunup to sundown), and often involves the entire family doing their share of work.  Children may be vulnerable to certain risks on a farm, such as playing around unattended equipment, ponds or tanks, or handling tasks that are not age-appropriate.  It’s recommended that the farmer/rancher check out any hazards that exist around the farm that could cause injury to youngsters or themselves.

It’s hard to list every danger that farmers/ranchers face, but here are just a few:

  • Injuries from equipment: augers, mowers, tractors, combines, grinders, balers;
  • Chemicals;
  • Sun exposure;
  • Heat and cold stress;
  • Hearing loss from equipment noise;
  • Livestock;
  • Gun accidents;
  • Storage bin accidents.

Farm animals that produce wool, eggs, milk and meat are considered livestock; they are not pets.  Although farmers and ranchers work with livestock every day and understand their temperaments, visitors, especially those with children, should be aware that even baby animals can kick or bite, and watch out for Momma!  (I learned my lesson when I tried to hold a cute little baby pig – he squealed, and here she came, Hell Bent for Leather!)

There are eleven uniform hand signals that The American Society of Agricultural Engineers recommends that farm families, employees and visitors should know in order to better communicate with each other.  Many times workers are far apart or there’s so much noise, it’s hard to hear each other.  Workers should be educated in first aid and know what to do to respond to an accident.  It is very important that the correct safety equipment is used, according to the risks involved: weather, pesticides, drills, sharp objects, grinders, etc.

We salute our farmers and ranchers for their hard work and dedication to furnishing America’s food and much more.

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

THOSE DARING YOUNG MEN/WOMEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES!

Flying is such a glamorous profession.  I have a friend who is a retired commercial airline pilot, and he has flown all over the world.  He has many interesting stories to tell, and I have always been proud to know he and his crews took their passengers safely to their destinations.

In our series on Most Dangerous Jobs, flying is always on the top ten list.  Statistics show that most often commercial pilots are at less risk than those who fly small aircraft, such as crop dusters, banner planes, fire-fighting planes, air-taxi’s, etc.  Our skies are full of both large and small aircraft, and the future brings even more planes to transport us across the country, and world.  Reports indicate that for every 100,000 pilots, 88 perish annually.

Fifty per cent of active aircraft are considered small, and seventy-five per cent of pilots are licensed to fly only small aircraft.  Many times these pilots are landing in airports that do not have control towers.  Crop dusters work for long periods of time, fly low to the ground, and are exposed to chemicals.  Helicopters and medical flight crews provide air rescue services to stranded adventurers, or to ill patients who must be carried to specialized facilities.  All of these pilots of both large and small aircraft furnish needed transportation to the public.

Alaskan bush pilots have an even higher fatality rate than those who fly in the lower states.  They have to contend with weather conditions that can suddenly lower visibility, and fly in dangerous, mountainous terrains.

Other risks involved in flying are:

  • Pilot error;
  • In-flight icing;
  • In-flight instrument failure;
  • Improper loading;
  • Negligent maintenance;
  • Air traffic controller mistakes;
  • Defective onboard computers or software;
  • Poorly maintained equipment.

We don’t even have to think twice about the risks our military pilots and crews take in their careers.  How would you like to land one of those big helicopters in battle sites, or a guide a jet onto an aircraft carrier?  No, thanks, I will just stay behind my desk!

We have outlined just some of the risks that pilots face in their occupations. We’ve heard the saying, “flying in a plane is less dangerous than driving in a car.”  Those men and women who maneuver an airplane, either large or small, have my respect.

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

HAVE YOU TAKEN A TAXI LATELY?

If so, you may not be aware that taxi drivers in our nation’s cities are on the top ten most dangerous jobs list.  We aren’t trying to keep you from taking a cab, but only to point out the many hazards these persons whose occupations are driving people around day and night come face to face with.

The ratio of deaths per 100,000 workers is 24 annually.  In 2000, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported that 183.8 taxicab drivers per 1,000 were injured from assaults or other violent acts.
Safety training is crucial for potential drivers.  They get valuable advice from experienced drivers on how to reduce their risk of violence.  Working alone, drivers must learn how to read their customers, and never trust anyone, regardless of how well-dressed or well-mannered they may seem.

In New York City, only Yellow Cabs with medallions are allowed to pick up fares off the streets.  (This comes from the 1930’s, and is regulated by the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission.  Medallion numbers are on the side of the cab.)  Gypsy cabs are licensed, and will take customers to many isolated areas that other cabs will not.  The cabs and minivans may be any color but yellow.  Many drivers are from other countries, may have a problem with language, and are treated with hostility by some passengers.  Another “fun” part of drivers’ jobs is dealing with inebriated customers.

There are many safety precautions that drivers should take:  OSHA recommends having an open mike switch on the taxi; bullet-proof shield partitions, and on-board cameras.

Other safety ideas are:

  • Don’t carry a lot of cash; ask fare to use debit/credit cards if possible.
  • Don’t discuss that you have had a good shift with passengers.
  • If they need change for big bills, tell them you do not carry change- you will have to stop at a store before you can make change.
  • Know the city’s emergency procedures.
  • Know trouble call signals.
  • Practice defensive driving.
  • Don’t wear jewelry, especially necklaces.
  • Have a good relationship with your company dispatcher; they may be your lifeline.
  • Keep a flashlight and first aid kit in your taxi or van.
  • Keep windows rolled up, and doors locked.
  • GPS devices help your company track your whereabouts.

Many cabs are equipped with a danger light located beneath the rear license plate, on the left side of the trunk, or in the front grill of the vehicle, which can be switched on by the driver to alert the police to trouble.  Drivers learn through experience how to watch for threatening circumstances and make split-second decisions for self-protection.  They must be constantly vigilant, never letting their guard down.

The next time you need transportation to or from an airport, or another destination, remember the person behind the wheel has a big responsibility with each and every fare – getting them safely to their destination and staying safe himself in the process.

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

A VERY HAZORDOUS JOB…REFUSE COLLECTORS

In our series about dangerous jobs in America, one particular job keeps popping up on several “top ten” lists: refuse collectors.  Also known as garbage collectors, these folks are waste management professionals.  Their job not only includes collecting refuse for disposal, but also for recycling, which has become a very important plan in keeping our planet green.
This occupation is probably one that we take for granted: we know they are going to make their stop by our house regularly.  One thing for sure – they face many hazards in their job performance.  Statistics from the Bureau of Labor show that for every 100,000 workers, 43 in this occupation die annually.

Some of the dangers they face are:

  • Getting hit by passing cars;
  • Falling off trucks;
  • Getting compressed in equipment;
  • Handling chemicals, toxic materials, or contaminated needles that haven’t been disposed of properly;
  • Working in all kinds of weather;
  • Getting cut by glass.
  • Experiencing strains and sprains, and overexertion from jumping off and on trucks.

Recycling is the secondary smelting and refining of nonferrous metals and used scrap.  Workers in recycling also risk being struck by objects, getting caught in equipment, and being exposed to hazardous materials.

When a little boy I knew was about 9 years old, we asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up.  His answer was very sincere: he either wanted to be an airplane pilot or a garbage man.  While being a garbage man or refuse collector may not be as glamorous as a pilot, the person doing the job is a very important part of the waste management community.

General Safety Issues

TIMBERRRRRR!

For those brave souls who make their livings in the logging industry, “Timber” is a very familiar word to warn fellow workers that a tree in their area is being felled.  According to NIOSH (National Institute for Safety and Health), logging has been one of the most consistently hazardous industries, with a fatality rate 23 times higher than the rate of other dangerous occupations.  The Bureau of Labor statistics show that there are 81 fatalities per 100,000 workers.

According to Eric Johnson, editor of Northern Logging and Timber Processing magazine, mechanized equipment has helped to make logging safer.  Loggers now often sit in steel enclosed cabs of big machines, rather than working with chainsaws on the ground.  Controls send chain saws out onto tree trunks from a safer distance.  Heavy machines and equipment are used to cut trees to be transported to a log mill.  Logging contractors are hired by industries such as agriculture, commercial businesses, industrial plants, and government agencies, as well as individual homeowners.

Listed below are just a few of the obstacles that loggers have to contend with, according to OSHA:

  • Injury from chain saws
  • Working with massive weights
  • Falling, rolling, sliding trees and logs
  • Rough terrain
  • Inclement weather
  • High winds

Loggers can get crushed when trees fall in the wrong direction.  Large broken branches from up in the treetops often fall unexpectedly as the trees come down.  These are called “widow makers”.  Medical care is often very far away, so in the event of an injury, it takes a long time to get the attention the worker may need.

Logging companies must follow OSHA regulations in great detail.  Workers must be properly trained, and provided with appropriate PPE: gloves, hardhats, safety glasses, and face protection, as well steel-toe boots.  Well-stocked first aid kits should be at each work location and in each worker transportation vehicle.

We give our logging workers a big “High Five”!  It takes special folks to do what they do.

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

WHAT ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS JOBS IN AMERICA?

Have you ever thought about how dangerous many of the jobs are that people perform every day?  When a thunderstorm hits and the electricity goes out, there are qualified repair persons out there restoring the power, no matter how bad the weather is.  There are fishermen that furnish the delicacies such as crabs and other seafood that you enjoy.  Pilots who get you to your destination seem to have glamorous jobs, but they are on the dangerous jobs list.  Miners come to mind; it seems we don’t appreciate their hard work until we hear of a disaster, and then we realize how it takes special skills to perform their job.  Oil field workers also have jobs that are very demanding; there are many dangers in the oil fields, and workers are taught to respect those risks.

In looking for the ten most dangerous jobs, one finds many lists that are similar, but not the same.  So I am going to list more than ten jobs, including the ones above.  It is my plan to go into more detail later on these risky endeavors.

  • Fishermen
  • Military
  • Logging, timber workers
  • Pilots, flight engineers
  • Structural steel and iron workers
  • Refuse recyclable material collectors
  • Farmers and ranchers
  • Electrical power installers and repairers
  • Truck drivers
  • Construction workers, roofers
  • Miners
  • Oil field workers
  • Law enforcement
  • Firefighters
  • Bodyguards
  • Bomb Squads
  • Coast Guard search and rescue teams
  • Armored car guards
  • Emergency Medical Services

There are many other jobs that I have overlooked; however, your input is needed.  If you know of something I have missed, please let me know.  As time allows, I will write about the risks involved in the occupations mentioned.  It is a very interesting subject, and hopefully, it will be a way of showing the people who perform these jobs how much they are appreciated.