Some jobs are riskier than others. While there are jobs that expose workers to accidents, there are also those that put them at a higher risk of accidents plus radiation. Here are two of them.
Miners
No surprise there. Miners are constantly exposed to different risks so that their job is probably considered one of the most dangerous in the world. Mining may expose workers to falls, cave-ins, explosions and suffocation. But, mining in the U.S. is not even half as dangerous today as it was in the 1940s, during the height of the American nuclear weapons programs.
Then, a multitude of workers were hired to work in hundreds of mines, where they were exposed to radiation from the decay of radon and uranium, leading to many cases of cancer. The regulations were not as strict then because knowledge about radiation was sorely limited. According to Nuclear Care Partners, mining today is about a thousand times safer, and many workers then and now are eligible for uranium worker benefits.
Airline Pilots
Flying is still a lot safer than driving, but it is not without its share of accidents and strange incidents. Also, pilots spend hours in the cockpit of a plane, without the protection that clouds and distance give people on the ground against UV-A radiation.
The plastic or glass windshields of airplanes do not protect the pilots and cabin crew against UV-A exposure, but rather may even make the effect much worse. When they fly over clouds or snowy ground, their exposure is heightened because of the reflection. UV-A radiation is linked to melanoma.
There are several other jobs that expose people to dangers including radiation. With a better understanding of the nature of such jobs and the invention of items that protect people, these jobs are much safer today. Still, it pays to know that they come with their fair share of risks before you make a career out of them.