The Top 10 Most Dangerous Jobs in South Carolina

In 2023, 112 South Carolina workers died on the job. About two percent of South Carolina’s workforce suffered non-fatal injuries or illnesses at work and 19,000 South Carolina workers suffered injuries severe enough to require time off work or a transfer to a less strenuous (and often lower-paying) job while their injuries healed.

While all jobs can pose injury risks, some have higher death and injury rates than others. At the Steinberg Law Firm, we understand how life-changing and concerning an on-the-job injury can be. Our attorneys know the South Carolina workers’ comp laws and how to challenge the system to get you the care and compensation you need while you heal.

The Top Four Workplace Dangers

Job-related injury and death statistics show four injury categories are so common that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) highlight them in every report. These top four workplace dangers cause most injuries and illnesses at work. 

They include:

• Transportation incidents. Car accidents, collisions between vehicles and workers on the ground, and similar incidents caused 39 percent of all South Carolina work-related deaths in 2023.
  
• Exposure to harmful substances and environments. Extreme temperatures, toxic gases and chemicals, and other exposures caused 21 percent of all South Carolina workplace deaths in 2023.
  
• Slips, trips, and falls caused 16 percent of fatalities on South Carolina job sites in 2023.
  
• Contact incidents, such as becoming pinned or trapped between materials, equipment, or machinery, caused 14 percent of South Carolina’s fatal work injuries in 2023.
  

Other dangers lurk at work sites as well. If you’re injured at work, notify your employer, seek medical help by visiting the hospital or seeing a healthcare provider, and talk to an attorney immediately. 

South Carolina’s Most Dangerous Jobs

The most dangerous jobs in South Carolina include construction and manufacturing work. Yet they also include work in health care and hospitality roles. The range of jobs posting high injury rates shows just how risky work can be and how important it is to talk to an experienced lawyer if you are hurt. 

Trucking

In 2023, fourteen truckers lost their lives in work-related accidents. Truck drivers face ongoing risk from roadway hazards, including other motor vehicles. These drivers can also be injured or hurt in other situations, such as while fixing a truck issue, loading or unloading cargo, or in incidents at job sites. 

Waste Management

Waste management is essential, yet it can also be dangerous. In 2023, ten waste management workers died while on the job in South Carolina. The most common causes of death were transportation incidents (3 deaths) and exposure to harmful substances and environments (3 deaths).

Retail Trade Workers

Seven retail trade workers died on the job in South Carolina in 2023. Retail trade workers can face risks on loading docks, on the sales floor, or from aggressive customers or coworkers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, thirty percent of fatalities were work-related homicides. 

Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors

In 2023, eight job-related deaths in South Carolina occurred among construction workers focused on foundations, structures, and building exteriors. These contractors posted the single highest death and serious injury rates of all workers in the construction industry.

Roofers

Roofing remains a dangerous occupation. Three people died while working on roofing jobs in South Carolina in 2023. The risk of a fatal fall from a height is particularly high for roofing professionals.

Building Equipment Contractors

In 2023, six building equipment contractor workers died on the job, the second-highest death rate of all construction industries, according to the BLS. Equipment contractors face risks from becoming trapped or pinned in equipment, as well as other dangers. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) consistently lists “construction” as the most dangerous job category in the United States. In 2023, construction workers suffered 28 percent of all work-related deaths in South Carolina.

The construction industry regularly reports higher rates of death and serious injury than any other single industry. Building contractors and roofers all work within the construction industry, emphasizing the high risk of injury and death in these occupations. 

Manufacturing

In 2023, thirteen South Carolina workers suffered fatal injuries in manufacturing jobs. Manufacturing poses several risks, including exposure to hazardous substances and environments and the risk of being pinned or trapped in machinery.

Warehouse Workers

Three warehouse workers died in South Carolina in 2023, and many more suffered serious injuries. Warehouse work is essential to the South Carolina economy, yet it can also pose risks of both sudden and long-term injuries. Back injuries and other repetitive strains are common causes of harm in this industry.

Healthcare and Social Assistance

Three healthcare and social assistance workers faced fatal injuries in South Carolina in 2023. Top injury risks vary, depending on a particular worker’s role.

According to the National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2023, the data revealed that women had the most fatalities in social assistance and private healthcare. Nurses and health care teams face higher risks of back injury while moving patients and equipment, for example, while social workers can face risks from aggressive clients or family members.

Hospitality Workers

Leisure and hospitality are among South Carolina’s biggest industries, especially in growing areas like North Charleston and West Ashley. In 2023, however, South Carolina lost 4 hotel and restaurant workers to fatal workplace injuries. 

In summary, the most dangerous jobs in South Carolina are roles in the trucking, construction, and manufacturing industries.

What to Do If You’ve Been Injured On the Job

If you’re injured at work, tell your boss or someone in charge at your workplace right away. Seek medical attention immediately, using 911 or if your injury is less severe, ask for a list of doctors you can see for your injury.  Make an appointment as soon as you can. Save all paperwork related to your injury, as it may help you prove your claim later. 

Talk to an experienced South Carolina workplace injury lawyer as soon as possible. An attorney can help you protect your rights and get the workers’ compensation and medical benefits you need. To learn more, contact the Steinberg Law Firm today.