Passion Kills You So Should You Apply Yourself?

Every so often we receive devastating news of grim events and unexpected deaths of those we love and admire. We grieve, we mourn and we recover – but we never forget those who engage in life threatening occupations – for a passion so deep, to the point of obsession (or sheer insanity).

Their remarkable talent and their drive is infectious, and they serve as inspiration to us all – in both, our brightest and darkest moments of our personal and professional lives.

And without any further ado, these are some of the controversial public figures that today we remember and continue to be touched by their legacy:

Bruce Lee (27 November 1940 – 20 July 1973), Chinese American actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement. Bruce Lee died while working on the film Game of Death, after complaining of headaches. Deceased at age 33.

Ayrton Senna da Silva (21 March 1960 – 1 May 1994), three-time Formula One world champion Brazilian racing driver. Widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time.

He was killed in a crash at Tamburello corner while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. Passed away at aged 34.

Daniel Clive Wheldon (22 June 1978 – 16 October 2011), 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion, and winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2005 and 2011, British racing driver. Wheldon died from injuries shortly after a collision at the 2011 IZOD IndyCar World Championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on 16 October 2011, at the age of 33.

Marco Simoncelli (20 January 1987 – 23 October 2011), winner of the 250cc World Championship with Gilera in 2008 Italian motorcycle racer. He competed in the Road Racing World Championship for 10 years from 2002 to 2011. Simoncelli died after an accident during the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang on 23 October 2011, aged 24.

These tragic fatalities attract media attention and bring to our awareness the high level of commitment and danger involved.

But what other every day occupations carry such terminal risks and hazards?

• Coal Miner and Mining Machine Operators – Inherently dangerous, mining fatalities rose 74% in 2010 to 172 deaths. Mining machinery operators suffered 23 deaths in 2010, causing a steep fatality rate.

• Front Line Policing – The number of police officers killed on the job skyrocketed 40% in 2010 to 134 from 96 the year before. Craig Floyd, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund in Washington, said that the increase in police fatalities has continued into 2011 with year-to-date deaths up 22% through early August.

• Aircraft Pilots,  Flight Engineers and Air Traffic Controllers – The odds of an airplane flying into the control tower on your shift are statistically low. However, the air traffic controller occupation is one of the most stressful out there. However, for the aircraft pilots and flight engineers out there, the chances of an airplane crash and other aircraft incidents is significantly higher.

• Truck Driver – More truckers and delivery men, die on the job than any other vocation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Last year, there were 683 fatalities among this group.

• Roofer – According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data, roofer fatalities have decreased by about 17% over the past two years to 57 in 2010.

• Nurse and other Front Line Healthcare Workers – Close contact with a variety germ carrying sharps and patients. Common subjects of assaults and other violent acts.

• Supervisor – Own or staff stress levels, revenge or retribution, suicide or homicide.

• Cashier – Risk of attack to self either during attempted robbery or unhappy/inebriated  customers.

• Farmers, Ranchers & Stock Handlers – Accidents while caring for or carrying out procedures involving live stock.

• Taxi Driver – traffic incidents, homicide.

The list of hazardous occupations is by no means exhaustive, and we bow to all the men and women who serve our communities and society, and commit to tremendous responsibility by entering such professions. They include:

Commercial Fisherman | Armed Forces and Special Forces Commando |Emergency Professionals | Medical Waste Disposal Technician | Refuse and Recycling Collectors | Janitor | Nuclear Reactor Plant Operator | Bomb Disposal Technician | Logging Workers | Power Line Worker and Electrician | Iron & Steel Worker | Construction Worker | Non-Construction Laborer | Miscellaneous Extraction Workers | Guard | Industrial Diver | Carpenter | Welder | Auto Mechanic | Cook | President / Politician 

Furthermore, the workplace poses additional dangers to women, as according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2011, workplace or work-related homicides incurred by men were down by 10% in 2010, but workplace homicides to women increased by 13%.

So today we ask you: If passion kills you, should you apply yourself?

Please share your views regarding dangerous occupations. Have we missed some hazardous professions from the list?

Are you someone who often puts your life at stake in your occupation? What drives your determination?

Who has inspired some of your life and career decisions along the way? Have you got someone you look up to, admire their vision, drive, ambition and strive for perfection?

We look forward to hearing from you.

Article by Ioana Lazarov

Ioana Lazarov is a Careers Blogger for Express and Star, and a contributor to a number of other sites. She is a graduate of University of Wolverhampton School of Applied Sciences with a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Psychology, and additionally holds a Life Coaching Diploma. Her career pursuits and passions include Psychology and Mental Health Rehabilitation, Automotive Electric Systems Manufacturing and Engineering and Retail. When she’s not tweeting, facebook-ing and blogging, she enjoys the finer things in life: friends, food, traveling and sports.

Ioana has written 21 awesome articles for us at Fernando Tarnogol – Careers Blog

Twitter: @IoanaLazarov | Facebook | Google+

Write for us a Guest Post!