These Are the Top 10 Deadliest Jobs in America

It appears that in all the excitement of the 2012 presidential election, we (I) have failed in our (my) commitment to bringing you highly informative (and sometimes contentious) “top whatever” lists.

So, in an attempt to make up for this gross oversight, here's a list of the most deadly jobs in the U.S. in 2011.

“In 2011, 4,609 people were fatally injured on the job,” CNBC.com reports. “That total works out to 3.5 fatal work injuries per every 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. By this count, the workplace is .1 percent safer than it was 2010.”

CNBC.com bases its findings on annual workplace data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The report continues:

Among the findings in the BLS’ report, violence and other injuries from people and animals accounted for 780 fatalities, or about 17 percent, which includes 458 homicides and 242 suicides. In both those categories, shootings were the most frequent manner of death. Of those 780 fatalities, 37 deaths were either animal or insect related.

The BLS report found that in terms of fatal work injury rate -- the number of deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers -- agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting are among the most deadly industries, with a rate of 24.4 per 100,000 workers.

Without any further introduction, here are the deadliest jobs in America in 2011 [Note: The following fatal injury rates do not account for workers younger than 16, volunteers, or resident military. All block quotes via CNBC.com]:

Taxi drivers (and chauffeurs)

Number of fatal work injuries: 63

Fatal work injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 19.7

In another trend emerging from the year’s data, two out of every five fatal work injuries resulted from transportation incidents, with 57 percent of those on the roadway and 11 percent non-roadway (such as a tractor in a field). Of that percentage, about 16 percent were comprised of pedestrians struck by vehicles.

Electrical-power line installers and repairers

Number of fatal work injuries: 27

Fatal work injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 20.3

In all, the BLS report showed 171 deaths from exposure to electricity, or four percent of all fatal work injuries.

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

Number of fatal work injuries: 759

Fatal work injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 24

There was a six percent jump in work-related fatal injuries in this subcategory of driver/sales workers and truck drivers from 2010. The larger story is that this is part of transportation and material moving showed the highest level of fatalities since 2008 – a total of about a quarter of all occupational fatalities.

Farmers, ranchers, & other agricultural managers

Number of fatal work injuries: 260

Fatal work injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 25.3

The number of fatal work injuries in this job category is down five percent from the 2010 stats, reversing the previous year’s increase.

Structural iron and steel workers

Number of fatal work injuries: 16

Fatal work injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 26.9

Fatal falls, slips or trips account for 666 deaths, or 14 percent of all fatal work injuries

Roofers

Number of fatal work injuries: 56

Fatal work injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 31.8

Falls to a lower level caused 541 deadly work injuries in 2011, or 12 percent of all injuries that year.

Refuse and recyclable metal collectors

Number of fatal work injuries: 34

Fatal work injury rate (per 100,000 workers): 41.2

Some 119 deaths in 2011 resulted from workers getting caught in running equipment or machinery, or about three percent of deaths.

Click here to see the top 3 deadliest jobs in the U.S.

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All photos courtesy Getty Images.