8 Common Jobs with the Highest Cancer Risk

Some of the most common jobs you can think of also come bundled with a high risk for cancer. We are talking about farmers, firefighters, groundskeepers and even hairdressers. Here’s our round-up of the common jobs with the highest risk of cancer.

1. Firefighters 

It seems firefighters’ most notable occupational hazard would be dying in the line of work while trying to put out a raging fire. However, firefighters are more likely to die of cancer as multiple studies have shown. It is estimated that 68% of firefighters are at risk of developing cancer. Exposure to chemicals such as flame-retardants and smoke puts them at higher risk of certain cancers including kidney cancer, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and esophageal cancer than the general population.

By contrast, the general population has only a 22% risk of developing cancer. In 2016, seven in 10 career firefighters were killed by cancer, as they had a 14% higher risk of dying from the disease.

2. Oil workers

Oil workers have a higher risk of cancer because of the dangerous chemicals they are constantly being exposed to along with the prolonged exposure to UV radiation. Oil workers have a high risk of respiratory cancers, oral cancers, and skin cancer. Their risk of cancer is significantly higher when they don’t wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which is quite commonplace in the profession.

Proper research and proactive behavior can help in reducing these risks. Understanding what is a workplace risk assessment and what needs to be done after it can help oil workers reduce their risk of cancer. Furthermore, oil companies should also take steps to ensure their workers’ safety.

3. Grounds maintenance workers 

With 17.4 deaths per 100,000 workers, grounds maintenance workers have a similarly risky jobs to construction workers’. Groundskeepers are at risk of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and lung cancer especially if they use glyphosate-based herbicides such as the Round-up weed killer. They also work a lot in the sun without proper protection which boosts their risk of skin cancer. Asbestos exposure is tied to high risk of asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

4. Construction workers 

Falling from heights and getting killed by heavy machinery are not the only risks construction workers have to face on a daily basis. Exposure to toxic chemicals and materials such as asbestos, Portland cement, soil dust, toxic dyes, and silica can significantly up their risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma.

5. Radiology technicians 

Radiology technicians are some of the unsung heroes of the medical world because they help diagnose severe conditions while putting their own lives at risk. These medical professionals have a higher risk for thyroid cancer due to X-ray exposure. It is estimated that their risk of cancer jumps 1.5 times after performing at least 50 X-ray procedures. A Locum radiologist salary is also quite attractive.

6. Farmers 

While farmers and other agriculture workers have healthier lifestyles than the urban population has –which means that they have lower risk of heart disease and other lifestyle conditions– they are more likely to develop multiple deadly forms of cancer including skin cancer from spending long hours out in the sun and prostate and breast cancer from cancer-causing pesticides. 

Farmers may also have to deal with lung cancer due to exposure to toxic chemicals coming from fertilizers and engine exhaust, along with blood cancer (especially in poultry farmers).

7. Car mechanics 

Car mechanics spend long hours inhaling dangerous chemicals such as asbestos from various spare parts used during brake and clutch repairs. While asbestos on its own cannot lead to cancer, if it gets dislodged, tiny airborne asbestos fibers are released into air and can reach the mechanic’s lungs.

Repeat exposure to asbestos fibers is tied to higher risk of mesothelioma, an extraordinarily aggressive form of cancer affecting the lining of the lungs and of other organs. Exposure to benzene is tied as well to a higher risk of certain cancers such as lung cancer and leukemia.

8. Salon workers 

Hairdressers, barbers, manicurists, and pedicurists have a higher risk of developing a laundry list of cancers including blood cancer, bladder cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer due to the many toxic chemicals they are being exposed to day in day out. 

Toxic hair dyes can up these professionals’ risk of respiratory disease and lung and larynx cancers. Formalin and formaldehyde found in nail hardeners and polishers are two common cancer-causing chemicals in nail saln workers. Titanium dioxide found in several beauty and skin care products is also a likely culprit when it comes to the risk of cancer among beauty salon employees.

To Wrap It Up 

Over the last decades, workers have been exposed to dangerous substances causing lung cancer, breast cancer, blood cancer, mesothelioma, and many more, which has led to needless deaths, pain, and suffering. While some careers come packed with the risk of cancer such as radiology technicians and there’s little one can do about it, most of the common jobs with the highest risk of cancer on our list come with a preventable risk if workers take the necessary precautions and employers don’t skimp on workers’ safety.