The list of the world’s most dangerous jobs can be ranked by fatality rate or the amount of risks involved. Many of these jobs are physically demanding and have to be carried out in hostile environments. However, men and women across the world choose to dedicate their lives to these dangerous professions — we take a look at the three most extreme:
- Commercial divers
Welding, building and repairing structures at around 1,000 feet under water, commercial divers have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.
The most common injuries of commercial divers are a result of their tools and machinery. However, recent developments have made equipment safer and helps protect the divers themselves. Take HTL’s Seasnake for example. The tool means that divers do not have to be present when a Fastlok connection is released, reducing the potentially fatal effects of subsea gas release.
- Nuclear divers
Nuclear divers run the constant risk of exposure to radiation. Responsibility levels are high and applicants have to go through extensive criminal and health checks before they can start any work.
Once employed, these divers spend hours in the cooling pools of nuclear reactors carrying out vital procedures. Due to the dangerous environment, special cooling suits are worn to prevent the divers from overheating. The suits are decontaminated after the dive too.
- Oil rig workers
These days, many people work on oil rigs. While the risks of the profession are made clear, accidents can still happen, making working oil rig workers one of the world’s most dangerous jobs.
Fires on the rigs are responsible for the majority of the accidents experienced by oil rig workers according to U.S. Centres of Disease Control. Among all of the other accidents contact with dangerous equipment is another cause of fatalities says U.S. Centres of Disease Control. Over 6 percent of deaths are caused by heavy machinery.
Working in these harsh and unpredictable environments poses a major threat to the health of the workers. However, with advancements in technology and engineering, accidents at work can be kept to a minimum.
