Legal Definitions - hazardous employment

Hazardous employment refers to any job or work activity that inherently involves a significant risk of injury, illness, or death to the employee. These risks typically arise from the nature of the tasks performed, the environment in which the work takes place, or exposure to dangerous materials, equipment, or situations. Due to these elevated dangers, legal systems often impose specific regulations, safety standards, or compensation provisions for workers engaged in such occupations.

• Example 1: A logger working in a remote forest, felling large trees with chainsaws and operating heavy machinery to transport logs down steep terrain.

  This is a clear example of hazardous employment because the logger faces constant and severe risks. These include being struck by falling trees or branches, serious lacerations from chainsaws, crush injuries from heavy equipment, and working in unpredictable outdoor conditions that can lead to slips, falls, or exposure to extreme weather. The potential for severe injury or fatality is an inherent part of the job.

• Example 2: An emergency medical technician (EMT) responding to accident scenes, often involving traffic collisions, fires, or violent incidents, and providing immediate care in unpredictable environments.

  This illustrates hazardous employment due to the EMT's frequent exposure to dangerous situations and environments. They face risks of injury from unstable accident sites, exposure to infectious diseases from patients, potential violence from agitated individuals, and the inherent dangers of working near active roadways or hazardous materials. The job requires them to enter situations where their personal safety is often compromised to assist others.

• Example 3: A chemical plant operator responsible for monitoring and controlling processes involving highly corrosive acids and flammable gases under high pressure.

  This constitutes hazardous employment because the operator works daily with substances and systems that pose significant risks. Potential dangers include chemical burns, respiratory damage from toxic fumes, explosions or fires due to leaks or malfunctions, and exposure to extreme temperatures. Even with stringent safety protocols, the inherent nature of handling such volatile materials makes the work dangerous to health and life.