The 47 Jobs That Are Most Damaging To Your Health

Some jobs intrinsically have more health risks than others.

A flight attendant working in close quarters with passengers is more likely to catch an infectious disease than a lawyer working in an office, for example. Factor in the greater exposure to cosmic radiation, abnormal sleep patterns, and a less-than-clean work environment, and it's just not the healthiest job.

To rank the most unhealthy jobs in America, we used data from the Occupational Information Network, a US Department of Labor database full of detailed information on occupations.

In order to analyze jobs by their impact on workers' health, we took O*NET measures of six health risks in each of the 974 occupations in the database: exposure to contaminants; exposure to disease and infection; exposure to hazardous conditions; exposure to radiation; risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, and stings; and time spent sitting, since studies show that frequent inactivity shortens your lifespan. O*NET scores these factors on a scale from 0 to 100, with a higher score indicating an increased health risk.

Read on to find out which jobs have the most potential to damage your health.

46 (tie). Mining roof bolters

Roof bolters operate machinery to install support bolts in underground mines.

Median annual salary: $58,450

Overall unhealthiness score: 51.3

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 97
   2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 86

   3. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, and stings: 85

   46 (tie). Chemical equipment operators and tenders

   Chemical equipment operators and tenders run equipment to control chemical reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products.

Median annual salary: $47,800

Overall unhealthiness score: 51.3

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 92
   2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 89

   3. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, and stings: 64

2. 44 (tie). Respiratory therapists

3. Respiratory therapists assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders.

Median annual salary: $59,710

Overall unhealthiness score: 51.8

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 98
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 69

   3. Exposure to radiation: 55

2. 44 (tie). Gas plant operators

3. Gas plant operators distribute or process gas for utility companies and others.

Median annual salary: $69,030

Overall unhealthiness score: 51.8

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 87
   2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 75

   3. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, and stings: 64

2. 43. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

   Construction cranes are seen in downtown Los AngelesThomson Reuters

   Mobile heavy equipment mechanics diagnose, adjust, and repair equipment like cranes, bulldozers, and conveyors used in construction, logging, and mining.

3. Median annual salary: $50,860

Overall unhealthiness score: 52.2

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 99
   2. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, and stings: 94

   3. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 83

2. 40 (tie). Plumbers

   Plumbers assemble, install, or repair heating, water, and drainage pipes and fixtures.

Median annual salary: $52,590

Overall unhealthiness score: 52.3

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 87
   2. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, and stings: 79

   3. Exposure to disease and infections: 58

2. 

   40 (tie). Mine shuttle car operators

3. Mine shuttle car operators operate cars that transport from the working face of a mine to mine cars or a conveyor.

4. Median annual salary: $56,890

Overall unhealthiness score: 52.3

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 100
   2. Time spent sitting: 82

   3. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 80

2. 40 (tie). Locomotive firers

Locomotive firers monitor locomotive instruments and watch for obstacles and train signals.

Median annual salary: $60,360

Overall unhealthiness score: 52.3

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Time spent sitting: 94
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 94

   3. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 76

39. Median annual salary: $73,110

Overall unhealthiness score: 52.5

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 94
   2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 76

   3. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, and stings: 73

3. 38. Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs

4. Sheriffs enforce law and order in rural or unincorporated districts or serve legal processes of courts.

Median annual salary: $61,050

Overall unhealthiness score: 52.7

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 77
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 72

   3. Time spent sitting: 58

2. 34 (tie). Radiologist

3. Radiologists examine and diagnose disorders and diseases using X-rays and radioactive materials.

Median annual salary: $206,920 

Overall unhealthiness score: 52.8

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to radiation: 87
   2. Exposure to disease and infections: 85

   3. Time spent sitting: 74

2. 

   34 (tie). Metal-refining furnace operators and tender

3. Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders operate or tend furnaces to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.

Median annual salary: $41,040

Overall unhealthiness score: 52.8

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 100
   2. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, and stings: 96

   3. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 94

2. 34 (tie). Embalmer

3. Embalmers prepare bodies for burial in conformity with legal requirements.

Median annual salary: $40,150

Overall unhealthiness score: 52.8

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 83
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 83

   3. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 75

2. 34 (tie). Elevator installers and repairer

3. Elevator installers and repairers install and repair elevators.

Median annual salary: $78,890

Overall unhealthiness score: 52.8

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 98
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 82

   3. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 61

2. 33. Nuclear medicine technologist

   Nuclear medicine technologists prepare radioactive isotopes for use in diagnostic medical procedures.

Median annual salary: $74,350

Overall unhealthiness score: 53.0

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to radiation: 100
   2. Exposure to disease and infections: 93

   3. Exposure to contaminants: 44

2. 32. Refrigeration mechanics and installer

3. Refrigeration mechanics and installers install and repair industrial and commercial refrigerating systems.

Median annual salary: $45,910

Overall unhealthiness score: 53.3

Three biggest health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 93
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 91

   3. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, and stings: 71

2. 31. Critical care nurse

3. Critical care nurses provide advanced nursing care for patients in critical or coronary care units.

Median annual salary: $68,450

Overall unhealthiness score: 53.5

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 99
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 65

   3. Exposure to radiation: 61

29 (tie). Service unit operator (oil, gas, and mining)

Service unit operators operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells and other mining operations.

Median annual salary: $48,610

Overall unhealthiness score: 53.7

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 94
   2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 89

   3. Risk of minor burns, cuts, stings, and bites: 77 

2. 29 (tie). Chemical plant and system operator

3. Chemical plant and system operators control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines.

Median annual salary: $59,920

Overall unhealthiness score: 53.7

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 99
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 96

   3. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 71

2. 27 (tie). Continuous mining-machine operators

3. Continuous mining-machine operators operate self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors or into shuttle cars in a continuous operation.

Median annual salary: $51,840

Overall unhealthiness score: 54.0

Three biggest health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 100
   2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 98

   3. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, and stings: 64

2. 27 (tie). Emergency medical technicians and paramedics

   Emergency medical technicians and paramedics assess injuries, administer emergency medical care, and extricate trapped individuals. Transport injured or sick people to medical facilities.

Median annual salary: $32,670

Overall unhealthiness score: 54.0

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 89
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 73

   3. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, and stings: 53

2. 26. Refractory materials repairers (except brickmasons)

3. Refractory materials repairers build or repair equipment such as furnaces, kilns, cupolas, boilers, converters, ladles, soaking pits, and ovens, using refractory materials.

Median annual salary: $45,230

Overall unhealthiness score: 54.8

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 100
   2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 85

   3. Risk of minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 85

2. 25. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

3. Refuse and recyclable material collectors collect and dump refuse and recyclable materials into trucks.

Median annual salary: $35,270

Overall unhealthiness score: 55.0

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 97
   2. Time spent sitting: 69

   3. Exposure to disease and infections: 63

2. 24. Nuclear equipment operation technicians

3. Nuclear equipment operation technicians operate equipment used for the release, control, or use of nuclear energy to assist scientists in laboratory or production activities.

Median annual salary: $79,140

Overall unhealthiness score: 55.2

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to radiation: 89
   2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 77

   3. Exposure to contaminants: 65

2. 22 (tie). Medical equipment preparers

3. Medical equipment preparers prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.

Median annual salary: $34,400

Overall unhealthiness score: 55.7

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 94
   2. Exposure to disease and infections: 92

   3. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 64

2. 22 (tie). Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers

3. Airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers navigate and pilot the flight of fixed-wing, multi-engine aircraft, usually on scheduled air-carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo.

Median annual salary: $127,820

Overall unhealthiness score: 55.7

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Time spent sitting: 93
   2. Exposure to radiation: 73

   3. Exposure to contaminants: 68

2. 21. Derrick operators (oil and gas)

   Oil and gas derrick operators rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud through a drill hole.

Median annual salary: $48,130

Overall unhealthiness score: 56.0

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 100
   2. Exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 93

   3. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 91

3. 20. Veterinary technologists and technician

4. Veterinary technologists and technicians perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals and prepare vaccines and serums for prevention of diseases.

Median annual salary: $25,250

Overall unhealthiness score: 66.5

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 87
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 82

   3. Exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 77

2. 

 

19. Medical and clinical laboratory technologist

Medical and clinical laboratory technologists perform complex medical laboratory tests for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.

Median annual salary: $61,070

Overall unhealthiness score: 56.7

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 96
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 91

   3. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 79

2. 18. Surgical technologists

   Surgical technologists assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel.

Median annual salary: $45,160

Overall unhealthiness score: 57.3

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 82
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 81

   3. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 59

2. 17. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

3. Stationary engineers and boiler operators maintain or operate stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or industrial processes.

Median annual salary: $59,400

Overall unhealthiness score: 57.7

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 99
   2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 89

   3. Exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 84

2. 16. Surgical assistant

3. Surgical assistants help surgeons during surgery by performing duties like tissue retraction, insertion of tubes and intravenous lines, or closure of surgical wounds.

Median annual salary: $41,070

Overall unhealthiness score: 57.8

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 87
   2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 70

   3. Exposure to contaminants: 69

2. 14 (tie). Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator

3. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

Median annual salary: $45,760

Overall unhealthiness score: 58.2

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 97
   2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 80

   3. Exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 74

2. 14 (tie). Veterinarian

3. Veterinarians diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals. 

Median annual salary: $48,500

Overall unhealthiness score: 62.3

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 88
   2. Exposure to disease and infections: 77

   3. Exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 69

2. 

   13. Histotechnologists and histologic technicians

3. Histotechnologists and histologic technicians prepare histologic slides from tissue sections for microscopic examination and diagnosis by pathologists.

Median annual salary: $61,070

Overall unhealthiness score: 59.0

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 88
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 76

   3. Exposure to disease and infections: 75

2. 12. Immigration and customs inspector

3. Immigration and customs inspectors investigate and inspect people, common carriers, goods, and merchandise, arriving in or departing from the US or between states to detect violations of immigration and customs laws and regulations.

Median annual salary: $78,120

Overall unhealthiness score: 59.3

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 78
   2. Exposure to disease and infections: 63

   3. Exposure to radiation: 62

2. 11. Podiatrist

   Podiatrists diagnose and treat diseases and deformities of the human foot.

Median annual salary: $124,830

Overall unhealthiness score: 60.2

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 87
   2. Exposure to radiation: 69

   3. Exposure to contaminants: 67

3. 10. Anesthesiologist assistant

4. Anesthesiologist assistants help anesthesiologists administer anesthesia for surgical and non-surgical procedures. They monitor patient status and provide patient care during surgical treatment.

Median annual salary: $101,480

Overall unhealthiness score: 61.3

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 97
   2. Exposure to radiation : 72

   3. Exposure to contaminants: 71

9. Anesthesiologist

Anesthesiologists are physicians who administer anesthetics prior to, during, or after surgery or other medical procedures.

Mean annual salary: $269,600*

Overall unhealthiness score: 61.8

Top three health risks:

1. Exposure to disease and infections: 90
2. Exposure to contaminants: 81
3. Exposure to radiation: 72

* Exact median annual salary is unavailable for this occupation.

8. Flight attendant

Flight attendants provide personal services to ensure the safety, security, and comfort of airline passengers during flight. They greet passengers, verify tickets, explain use of safety equipment, and serve food or beverages.

Median annual salary: $48,500

Overall unhealthiness score: 62.3

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 88
   2. Exposure to disease and infections: 77

   3. Exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 69

2. 7. Prosthodontist

3. Prosthodontists construct oral prostheses to replace missing teeth and other oral structures to correct natural and acquired deformation of mouth and jaws, to restore and maintain oral function, such as chewing and speaking, and to improve appearance.

Median annual salary: $126,050

Overall unhealthiness score: 63

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 88
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 74

   3. Time spent sitting: 66

2. 6. Nurse anesthetist

3. Nurse anesthetists administer anesthesia, monitor patient's vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia.

Median annual salary: $160,270

Overall unhealthiness score: 63.7

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 96
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 87

   3. Exposure to radiation: 79

2. 5. Dental assistant

3. Dental assistants help dentists, set up equipment, prepare patients for treatment, and keep records.

Median annual salary: $36,940

Overall unhealthiness score: 65.5

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 96
   2. Exposure to radiations: 85

   3. Exposure to contaminants: 7

2. 4. Dental laboratory technician

   Dental laboratory technicians construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.

Median annual salary: $37,680

Overall unhealthiness score: 65.7

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to contaminants: 99
   2. Time spent sitting: 85

   3. Exposure to disease and infections: 72

2. 3. Veterinary assistant and laboratory animal caretaker

3. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics.

Median annual salary: $25,250

Overall unhealthiness score: 66.5

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 87
   2. Exposure to contaminants: 82

   3. Exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 77

2. 2. General dentist

3. General dentists examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. They may treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth and fit dental appliances or provide preventive care.

Median annual salary: $153,900

Overall unhealthiness score: 69.5

Top three health risks:

1. 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 95
   2. Exposure to radiation: 85

   3. Time spent sitting: 82

2. 1. Dental hygienist

3. Dental hygienists clean teeth and examine oral areas, head, and neck for signs of oral disease. They may educate patients on oral hygiene, take and develop x rays, or apply fluoride or sealants.

Median annual salary: $72,910

Overall unhealthiness score: 72.8

Top three health risks:

1. Exposure to disease and infections: 100
2. Exposure to radiation: 91
3. Time spent sitting: 85

Max Nisen contributed to an earlier version of this post.

Read the original article on Business Insider. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Copyright 2018.

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