Game for some danger pay? Here are SA’s most dangerous jobs

You’d think that some of SA’s most dangerous jobs would be along the lines of healthcare workers and pretty much anything requiring you to work with crowds thanks to the global COVID19 panic. Perhaps the current viral situation does make jobs in healthcare a little riskier, but today, we’re not focusing on the healthcare sector

For some brave souls in the county, fear is part of the job description. Some South Africans go to great heights, crawl through tight spaces, and even see imminent death as a normal day-to-day thing. Adzuna recently hunted down the bravest of the brave and took a more in-depth look at just what makes their jobs so scary

SA’s most dangerous job countdown

Construction workers

Occupational Care South Africa states that two construction workers are killed every week. They also say that anecdotal evidence points to the fact that workers don’t adhere to safety standards, and that is the cause of 80% of all accidents in the sector.

Wind turbine technicians

We can’t imagine how scaling crazy high structures daily could ever be compared to an office job. South Africa is always striving to clean up its carbon footprint, which means we have a lot more wind turbines in place compared to 5 years ago. Obviously, this also increases the demand for brave souls willing to maintain those structures.

Jobs in adventure tourism

Any kind of job in the adventure tourism sector ensures a continual adrenaline rush, but they’re also absolutely terrifying. From bungy jumping to skydiving (can we mention pothole dodging?) and even ostrich racing, SA’s adventure tourism sector is growing.

Paramedics and Policemen

Paramedics and emergency response personnel put their lives at risk by entering hazardous areas and situations, all for the sake of saving the lives of others. You probably heard about the number of incidents that took place in the Western Cape involving criminal attacks on paramedics not too long ago. Members of SAPS are also in constant danger, whether they realise it or not. In 2017, SAPS released a statement saying: “The fact that our members are attacked in the line of duty, serves as a harsh reminder of the challenges our officers are faced with daily to ensure that South Africans are, and feel, safe.”

Mining

South Africa is well known for its rich mineral resources like diamonds, gold, platinum and chromium. Our country is also very reliant on those natural resources, and yes, the people that mine them. Mining is, and probably always will be, one of SA’s most dangerous jobs. The workplace is scary, to say the least, and yet, there are thousands of people employed in the sector. Maybe it’s an exciting thing, but we’re glad we’re not at risk of entrapment, inhalation of toxic gasses, or even vessels exploding under pressure.