According to the 2016 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, logging is the most dangerous job in America. New Jersey residents may also face a higher risk of an on-the-job fatality if they work as roofers or iron or steel workers. Loggers had a fatal injury rate of 135.9 per every 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers. This list was published in late 2017 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Truck and sales drivers were also on the list, and this is because 40 percent of all worker fatalities in 2016 were caused by transportation accidents. In addition to truck drivers, many farmers and groundskeepers were also killed in such accidents. However, the No. 2 spot on the list of most dangerous jobs in America was held by the fishing industry. They had a fatality rate of 86 per 100,000 FTE workers.

Other common causes of workplace accidents that lead to injury or death were slipping or tripping incidents and workplace violence. In fact, workplace violence was the second-leading cause of death in the workplace for 2016. What this shows is that employers need to have a plan to help keep workers safe from both common and evolving threats to their safety.

If an employee is hurt at work, he or she is generally entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. If a person is killed at work, the family members of the deceased worker may be entitled to a death benefit. An attorney may help those who are applying for compensation to better understand the process and their rights. This may allow an application to be approved in a timely manner.