What’s the most dangerous job someone can take?
Statistically, fishermen and loggers top the list for fatal injuries. But that may be misleading, because there are more fishermen and loggers than, for example, human crash test dummies.
The job that frightens me the most is probably hazmat diver. You have to dive into sewers, nuclear reactors or toxic spills to fix things. So you’re potentially exposing yourself to really deadly materials while being trapped deep underwater.
Which dangerous jobs do people commonly fantasize about doing?
Anything that explodes. People like fire, they like bombs. I include oil-well firefighters, who actually go into fires in oil wells and have to put them out.
Is there a correlation between how dangerous a job is and how much it pays?
You’d think there would be, but in many cases there’s not. Cashier is actually a fairly dangerous job, and that’s pretty low-paying. A lot of people get mugged and hurt. Window washers don’t make a great deal of money, generally. Ranch hands. Butchers — you may not think of that as a dangerous job, but it’s pretty risky, There are slippery floors, so you’re carrying around a big hunk of meat and you slip, and there are knives all around. It’s a high-risk environment.
What are some of the best-paying jobs that are dangerous?
Oil-well firefighters get pretty good money. Bomb squad. Deep- sea fishermen can make a lot, but it depends how many fish you catch.
What dangerous job is best suited for the ordinary cubicle worker?
If you want to keep your office job but just add a little adventure to your professional life, I’d try pyrotechnics. You can do it outside your office hours, and as long as you know what you’re doing, you probably won’t blow anything up that you’re not supposed to. Plus, it’s decent money, and everyone will want you to come to their parties. —