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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Drive for a Living?

Workplace safety concerns are high for those who spend their working hours behind the wheel

Jim Gorzelany CTW Features
Those whose jobs require them to spend a major amount of time behind the wheel are more likely to die on the job than are members of the police, according to the workplace safety education firm eTraining, While fishermen, loggers and airline pilots were cited for having the highest fatality rate per 100,000 full-time workers, sales representatives, truckers, delivery van drivers and the like suffered the highest number of deadly accidents during 2011 (a total of 683), based on data compiled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Transportation incidents claimed 39 percent of all fatal employment-related casualties last year, with 21 percent occurring on the highway. The good news is that workplace deaths across the board are on the decline, with 4,547 deaths recorded in 2010, compared with 6,217 fatalities posted in 1992. If you log many miles each week as part of your profession, perhaps it’s time to seek out a safer way to make a living. Like lion taming.