Dangerous Jobs Come in All Kinds

Trash Collection, a Dangerous Profession

Like millions of other American workers, coal miners realize that danger is part of the job.

Responding to the explosion early this year at the Sago Mine in West Virginia that left 12 miners dead, federal officials recently toughened safety requirements for coal mines. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, coal miners are among those most likely to die on the job, along with oil and farm workers, ship hands and loggers.

But the data also shows that deadly accidents involving a dozen workers are rare in any field. And, when the data is looked at in terms of the everyday risks to workers’ lives and health, coal miners aren’t any more likely to be hurt on the job than those workers who do much more common jobs, like trash collectors.

Workers in industries that appear much less hazardous than coal mining, such as baggage handlers and couriers— are at an even greater risk of suffering serious injuries that can keep them out of work or put them in hospitals.

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Kathy Yaworski with the Johnstown, PA Office

How long have you been with American Mining? It will be 14 years in May.

What did you do before working here? I worked for Dale Thompson at Gay & Taylor Insurance Adjusters doing American Mining's Workers Comp claims. Before that I was a bartender for 10 years.

How have things changed since you started working at AMIC? When I first started in May 1992, Dale and Judy had established the AMIC office in Johnstown the year before. We didn't have computers. We did everything by correspondence and mail. I did my draft requests on a form, writing out all required information and sending it to Home Office. Home Office would then print up the drafts and return them back to us for mailing.

What's your average day (or week) like? I assist Dale and Mike with the workers comp lost time claims. Every day I get the mail from Dale and Mike. I code the medical bills and make sure they pertain to the correct files for the claimants. Then, once a week I send the bills to MBA to be processed for payment per the workers comp Act 44 guideline. The following week they're returned and listed by our download. I verify that all the information is correct to request the drafts so the bills can be processed for payment. I also pay all bills for attorney fees, IME's, surveillance and other miscellaneous drafts. I do what ever else that's needed and try to stay out of trouble.

What do you like most about your job? That it is a relaxed atmosphere. Everyone knows you are responsible, you can do your job efficiently and not have someone breathing down your neck. Everyone gets along great and cares about each other. There's a true respect for family, if someone's having a crisis at home, everyone helps out at work and also tries to lighten your heart in many ways.

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