The 5 Most Dangerous Jobs in Tampa

Work-related deaths and injuries in Tampa hit record-high. Here’s what you need to know.

No employer, family member, or coworker ever wants a fatality to occur in the workplace. But it happens. In 2019, work-related deaths reached a 12-year high, with more than 5,300 fatalities occurring across the country. To put that number in perspective, a worker died every 99 minutes from a work-related injury that year.

A similar trend was observed in Florida. In 2019, 306 people died while on the job, which does not include the thousands more who were severely injured at work. Another alarming statistic is that Hispanic and Latino worker fatalities were up 13% in 2019, which is the highest it has been since 1992.

The report published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the number of work-related deaths, accidents, and illnesses continues to increase. Here we breakdown the 5 most dangerous jobs in Tampa, calculated by the total fatalities of each occupation in 2019.

The 5 most dangerous jobs in Tampa

1. Transportation and material moving

The most common workplace deaths in Tampa were related to transportation, with transportation accidents accounting for 40% of all work-related fatalities. Truck drivers, delivery drivers, and others who are required to be on the road for long periods of time are at higher risk for being involved in traffic accident.

2. Construction and extraction

The second most common workplace deaths in Tampa were related to construction and extraction. About two-thirds of the people who died in this industry last year were independent workers. Roof and high-rise construction had the highest number of injuries and fatalities.

3. Protective service

The third most common workplace deaths in Tampa occurred among protective service members, including police officers, fire fighters, EMTs, and correctional officers. The majority of the fatalities were caused by traffic accidents.

4. Installation, maintenance, and repair

The fourth most common workplace deaths in Tampa were related to jobs in installation, maintenance, and repair, which includes mechanics and technicians in the aviation, automotive, power generation, and electrical industries. These professions often involve working with heavy equipment, chemicals, and high electrical voltages, which creates a high-risk environment.

5. Management, business, financial operations

This may come as a surprise, but the fifth most common workplace deaths in Tampa were related to jobs in management, business, and financial operations. While most of these occupations are “desk jobs,” the Bureau of Labor Statistics report found that these professions require a lot of travel, with the majority of these fatalities occurring as a result of traffic accidents.

Fatal work injuries in Tampa by event

In the above section we shared the most dangerous jobs in Tampa. Here, we breakdown the top causes of these fatalities, showing the most fatal work injuries in Tampa by event.

1. Transportation incidents

Across all professions, traffic accidents were the leading cause of work-related deaths in Tampa.

2. Falls, slips, trips

Fatal work injuries caused by falls, slips, and trips were particularly high among construction and extraction occupations. Most of these incidents happened when a worker was working on an elevated surface, such as a roof, high-rise construction site, or crane.

3. Violence and other injuries by people or animals (includes homicides and suicides)

Violence was the third highest cause of fatal work injuries in Tampa. Violence incidents tended to occur in work situations where a person was working late night shifts alone, working in high-crime areas, or guarding valuable property or possessions.

4. Contact with objects and equipment

Fatal work injuries resulting from contact with objects and equipment was the fourth most common type of work-related deaths in Tampa. This type of incident was more prevalent in construction, mechanic, and maintenance occupations. These incidents included a moving object striking a worker, a part of the worker’s body being compressed in heavy equipment, or a worker being crushed from a structure collapse.   

5. Exposure to harmful substances or environment (includes substance overdoses)

Fatal work injuries resulting from exposure to harmful substances or toxic environment was the fifth most common type of work-related deaths in Tampa. Nearly half of these deaths involved nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol resulting in unintentional overdoses. Since 2011, fatal workplace overdoses have increased 328%.

What to do if you’re injured or a loved one dies while at work in Tampa?

Call Darrigo & Diaz immediately at 813-774-3341

Florida requires all businesses to carry workers’ compensation insurance. This means that any Tampa employee injured or killed on the job is required by law to receive benefits to cover medical bills, lost wages, and physical and emotional distress.

Five steps to take after your workplace injury in Tampa

Under Florida law, you’re required to take certain actions within set deadlines in order to be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Here are critical steps that must be followed:

1. Report the injury to your employer. You’re required to notify your supervisor or manager within 30 days of the incident or you may forfeit your rights to workers’ compensation benefits.
2. Complete a workplace injury report. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to keep workplace injury reports. Demand to fill out the report, even if your employer says it’s not necessary. Save a copy for your records.
3. Seek medical care. You must seek medical attention immediately, even if you don’t think your injuries are that severe. If you don’t go to the doctor, your workers’ compensation benefits may be denied or significantly lessened.
4. File a claim. You must submit a claim for workers’ compensation benefits within 2 years of your injury in order to be eligible for compensation.
5. Contact an attorney. The workers’ compensation attorneys at Darrigo & Diaz can guide you through the complexities of filing your claim and ensure you receive all the workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to under Florida law.

The importance of an experienced wrongful death lawyer

If you lose a loved one to a work-related injury in Tampa, the last thing you want to think about is the legal process to follow. However, the reality is that it is extremely important to contact and hire an experienced wrongful death lawyer in Tampa immediately. An experienced wrongful death lawyer in Tampa will know how to protect your rights and will fight to ensure your family receives the justice, support, and compensation you deserve and need.

At Darrigo & Diaz, we have successfully tried cases some of the most devastating and complex wrongful death cases in Tampa Bay. We stand apart from other law firms because we genuinely care about and make every effort to connect and support our clients.

When you contact Darrigo & Diaz, we will quickly show that we care about you and the circumstances that led to your losses. We will work hard to tell your story and make sure that we pursue justice on behalf of you and your loved one. Our experienced wrongful death lawyers know that there is no amount of money that can make up for the loss of a loved one. Still, our justice system allows families to pursue civil actions against those who have behaved in a way it led to their loss. Darrigo & Diaz will fight to ensure you obtain the full amount of compensation you are owed.

If you have been seriously injured while at work in Tampa, or a loved one has died while on the job, we’re here to help.

Call Darrigo & Diaz immediately at 813-774-3341

Call 813-774-3341 or contact us online to schedule your free case consultation.

And, if you prefer to not visit our office, you don’t have to! As Tampa’s e-firm, we offer potential and existing clients the option to meet with us and hire over the phone, via video conferencing, or through email. Call 813-774-3341 to learn more.