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WFH Reason #1 Professional Services is one of the least dangerous fields to work
Personnel working virtually most likely do not work in the most dangerous industries of the world. What sectors of the economy are considered hazardous for your health? Which fields pose the highest threat to severe bodily injury and fatality? Research finds these higher risk fields to be the most dangerous for their work force:
- construction,
- mining,
- fire-fighting,
- military,
- farming,
- fishing, and
- security and protective services
WFH Reason #2 Threat of traumatic physical injury leading to death remote
But, you say. The conditions perceived as hazardous for one worker could be perceived by others as exciting, thrilling and interesting. Let’s discuss further. We look to studies to dissect factors related to risk, threat of danger and death to be those that expose employees to:
- physical risks to the body brought about by mechanical, electrical, or chemical elements,
- threat of physical violence and psychological hazards,
- societal expectations associated with the unspoken requirement to be physically courageous, tough and fearless in the face danger
WFH Reason #3 Devoid of occupations experiencing high on-the-job deaths
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states succinctly, the occupations experiencing the highest on-the-job death rates are:
- loggers
- hunters and fishermen
- roofers
- waste and recycled materials collectors
- aircraft pilots and engineers
- construction workers
- truck drivers
- grounds maintenance
- steel and iron workers
As we reflect upon this year, remote workers principally working online in the comfort of our homes, for much we are grateful. For instance, taken together, all workers employed in the US experience a fatal work injury rate of 3.5 work-related deaths for every 100,000 full time workers. Let’s put this data in perspective.
Compared to the low death rate of 3.5 per 100,000, loggers experience a 98.9% death rate; hunters and fishermen, 86.9% fatality rate, and roofers 51.8% rate of death for every 100,000 full time workers.
As one can imagine, many of the most perilous jobs in the world are occupied by men. Studies show when analyzing work-related fatalities by gender, women “may experience more chronic musculoskeletal conditions, anxiety and depression.” (Danger zone: Men, masculinity and occupational health and safety in high risk occupations, Safety Science).
WFH Reason #4 Overexertion the most reported work-related injury
In contrast to the industries with the highest risk jobs, fields where remote jobs are plentiful are replete with opportunities where little physical risk is expected. Occupations within the professional services umbrella include: information technology, accounting, finance, sales, marketing, legal, and engineering, among others.
The National Safety Council (NSC) attributed most prevalent reasons workers take days away from work to these three causes:
- overexertion and bodily reaction
- accidental contact with an object (wall, desk corner, cabinet)
- tripping and falling
As you can see, none of these on-the-job injuries have high risk of traumatic injury or death. Which leads us to another area less exposure to traffic and possibly lowering the likelihood of death when commuting to and from work.
WFH Reason #5 Reduction in exposure and involvement in traffic accident
The Texas A&M Traffic Institute estimates “working from home keeps us safe.” Not to be outdone hybrid workers too can benefit by working at home a few days per week, and commute using public transportation to fulfill their return to the office obligations.
A post of interest:
For instance, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) reports “commuters can reduce crash risk by 90% when taking public transit instead of driving.” Should hybrid staff live close to the office, they may consider cycling. Cyclists according to the New York Post can also lower their risk of experiencing an early demise (death) by 47% when cycling to commute to the workplace.
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