The labor industry has come a long way in making workplaces safer for those who must work in them. Regulations regarding wages and hours, safety equipment and the minimum age of employees have all contributed to a safer working environment. Also a factor is the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a public agency in charge of overseeing and enforcing occupational safety and health legislation. The establishment of the workers' compensation system further protects workers who experience injury on the job.

While every employer has a legal duty to keep their workers reasonably safe, however, some jobs are more dangerous than others. CNNMoney compiled a list of the ten most dangerous jobs, based on fatalities per 100,000 workers.

The top three most dangerous jobs in the U.S. are commercial fishing, logging and piloting airplanes. Anyone with cable television has probably heard of the reality show "The Deadliest Catch," so it is not a surprise that fisherman top the list at 116 fatalities per 100,000 workers. Weather is the fisherman's deadliest foe.

It is no shock that, in a profession where the tools of the trade include axes and chainsaws, the fatality rate for loggers is higher than for, say, secretaries. Loggers experience 92 fatalities per 100,000 workers.

Bringing up the rear at a rate of 71 fatalities per 100,000 workers are airplane pilots. Pilot error, defective equipment, and the weather all contribute to airplane fatalities. Pilots, however, are relatively well compensated for the risks, earning a median wage of over $115,000. That's about twice what fisherman and loggers make per year combined.

Workplaces in general are becoming safer however. Fatalities on the job last year declined 23% from the year 2000. The year 2009 was the "safest" on record since the Bureau of Labor began tracking occupational fatalities. Last years numbers were similar to 2009.

Source: CNNMoney, "America's most dangerous jobs," Les Christie, Aug. 26, 2011