What Are the Deadliest Jobs in Texas?

In Texas, people work thousands of different professions to make a living. Certain jobs involve higher risks of serious injury, leading to devastating consequences and even death to the employees who perform them.

Workers involved in installation, repair, and maintenance operations are at a much greater risk of suffering serious and life-threatening injuries than many other occupations in the state. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, 44 employees who worked in this industry died due to workplace-related injuries. Because of the nature of this work, the likelihood of injuries suffered on the job turning deadly is very high – from heavy machinery to electrocution and burns, this industry can be very dangerous.

Construction work is dangerous across the country. In Texas, construction is an especially deadly trade – in 2012, 82 construction workers died due to fatal injuries in construction accidents. Falls from scaffolding, malfunctioning machinery, and a disregard for applicable safety regulations for employees can all lead to fatal construction accidents.

One of the more surprising occupations that suffer from high rates of workplace death is trash collection. People who collect trash and recyclables from Texas homes each week are at a high risk of death because of the amount of time they spend in large vehicles on the road and the hazardous materials they come in contact with every day. In addition, trash collectors have to work with heavy machinery that could malfunction or lead to serious injuries.

Working up high can come with serious injuries, and roofing employees in Texas often pay the price in this line of work. One of the most dangerous jobs in the state is a roofer because of the high number of falls that occur on the job. Many fatal roofing accidents occur in Texas each year.

The Texas Department of Insurance stated that in 2012, the deadliest occupation in the state of Texas was tractor-trailer truck driving. In 2012, 121 truck drivers lost their lives while on the job in Texas, increasing 57% from the deaths that occurred in 2011. Car accidents alone are a very common occurrence, and truck drivers must encounter these hazards while they are driving. Because of the sheer weight and size of these trucks – often totaling 80,000 pounds including freight – any accidents on the road can lead to devastating consequences.

Another construction industry profession that has a high rate of workplace-related deaths is steel working. When it comes to workplace injuries and accidents, steel workers are especially vulnerable due to the dangerous materials and heavy machinery they have to work with every day. Fatality rates for steel workers are high across the United States – approximately 37 steel workers out of every 1,000 die from workplace accidents every year.

One of Texas’s biggest and most famous industries is our oil and gas industry – and this comes at a price to the safety of oil and gas workers. Approximately 39 workers in the Texas oil industry die from workplace accidents every single year, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Not only does the nature of the work lead to high rates of death, the environment plays a role as well – most oil fields are in remote areas, far away from emergency services and medical help.

If you suffered a serious injury on the job in Texas or lost a loved one due to a workplace accident, you could claim compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, emotional damages, and more. Contact a Texas employee injury attorney as soon as possible to discuss your workers’ compensation claim or personal injury lawsuit.

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