Physical Danger
This job has the potential to be super dangerous. All sorts of terrible things could happen to you, including but not limited to the following:
- You could get smushed by the building you're demolishing.
- You could get knocked in the head by construction debris.
- You could be electrocuted or gassed.
- You could be literally blown up.
- You could injure yourself with a hand tool.
- You could have an unfortunate run-in with a larger piece of equipment, like a wrecking ball.
- You could lose your hearing, thanks to all the noise at the demolition site. (What?)
Now that you're familiar with the many dangers you face as a demolition contractor, you're probably wondering how likely you are to encounter the Grim Reaper while on the job. Well, according to OSHA, more than 800 construction workers suffered a fatal workplace accident in 2012 (source).
This number probably sounds appallingly high to you. Remember, however, that more than one million people work in the U.S. construction industry. That means, overall, the chances of you getting snuffed while demolishing something are pretty slim. They're not impossible. But they're slim.
Just...wear those safety goggles, okay?