Two of the 10 most dangerous job sectors in America are in the healthcare industry, according to a recent analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by Fitch Law Firm.
The firm, which focuses on personal injury and wrongful death suits, examined the number of nonfatal injuries in each industry per 200 million hours worked (or 100,000 full-time workers at 40 hours per week, 50 weeks per year). The higher the rate of injuries, the more dangerous the law firm considers the job.
Ambulance services ranked third, with approximately 10.5 injuries for every 100,000 full-time workers. Veterinary services topped the list (13.8 injuries), followed by bottled water manufacturing (10.6).
Here is how other areas of helathcare ranked, listed alongside their overall rank out of more than 636 industries and rate of nonfatal injury per 100,000 workers.
3. Ambulance services — 10.5 injuries
5. Nursing and residential care facilities — 10.3 injuries
12. Hospitals — 7.6 injuries
17. Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals — 7.1 injuries
34. General medical and surgical hospitals — 6.1 injuries
81. Specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals — 5.1 injuries
169. Outpatient care centers — 3.9 injuries
330. Home healthcare services — 2.6 injuries
347. Offices of physicians, mental health specialists — 2.5 injuries
414. Home health equipment rental — 2.1 injuries
454. Medical and diagnostic laboratories — 1.9 injuries
539. Surgical and medical instrument manufacturing — 1.2 injuries
632. Direct life, health and medical insurance carriers — 0.1 injuries