[DanT]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

===quote from DanT====
Sure, it can result in long-term brain damage along with other chronic diseases that take away your life expectancy, but what a game, huh!
===end of quote from DanT=====


So does working in coal mines, oil rigs and many other jobs that people are just working stiffs trying to provide for their families.

That's a great point, BigRedChief. Thank you for reminding me of that. One of my colleagues at UC Davis has done a lot of work in estimating the costs associated with occupational illness and injury. There's a brief description of some of his findings at this link http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl.../etc/cost.html.

Here's a selective quote from that page

The most important findings involving socioeconomic and geographic characteristics are listed in the following.

Disabling injuries are strongly correlated with job experience. New employees, regardless of age, experience a high and disproportionate number of injuries.

Men are more likely than women to sustain a work injury. This is especially true for an injury resulting in death The nonfatal injury ratio for men to women is nearly 2:1, whereas the fatal injury ratio is about 11:1.

...

The self-employed, persons employed in small firms, and persons over age 65 are at high risk for sustaining an injury death.

Laborers, truck drivers, and taxi drivers generate among the highest death rates of all occupations.

Mining, farming, and construction are the industries with the highest rates of fatal and nonfatal injuries.

...

Operators and laborers generate the greatest numbers of deaths and nonfatal injuries among all broad occupation groups.

Laborers, truck drivers, nursing aides, janitors, assemblers, stock handlers, and cashiers generate the most disabling injuries among detailed occupations.

Being at work is not safer than being at home. People who work are more likely to be injured at work than at home. This is especially true for men. Moreover, work-related injuries are more likely to result in hospitalizations than injuries originating outside of work.