Oil spill clean up workers breathe in a hazardous combination of toxins, including methane, hydrogen sulfide, benzene as well as other toxic gases and poisonous chemicals. As a result, many workers develop health problems, ranging from from rashes to respiratory problems to neurological problems. Some experts have estimated the life expectancy of the oil spill clean crew who tended to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, to be 51 years old. Other experts, however, dispute these claims citing a lack of a reliable peer review as evidence.
More Hazardous Jobs:
- A 2007 study found that workers who cleaned up a 2002 oil spill off the coast of Spain began suffering from respiratory symptoms up to two years later.
- In the United States, the most hazardous job in terms of fatalities is fishermen and fishing-related work. In 2008, these types of jobs had a fatality rate of 128.9 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers (FTEs). The average annual salary for these positions is about $27,950 US Dollars (USD).
- Loggers also had a rough go of it in 2008. 116 per 100,000 FTEs were fatally injured on this job, which pays about $30,360 USD per year.