When it comes to finding work, Tombstone residents should consider themselves lucky they are stuck on land.

Every year thousands of people die from work-related accidents, and the world’s most dangerous job is fishing. In the industry, there are almost 112 fatalities per 100,000 workers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

While Tombstone may not have to worry about drowning in a nearby ocean or other fishing-related accidents, the town has its own set of dangerous jobs. And some workers do not have health insurance to help cover costs in case of an accident.

“It’s a rule of thumb that you don’t touch or lean on anything holding the world above your head,” Carey Granger, senior tour guide at the Good Enough Mine, told customers as they began heading down into the mine.

Granger said his job as a tour guide for the mine tour is not very dangerous — he just has to make sure people use common sense while they are on the tour.

But there are other parts of Granger’s job that are less safe.

In 2007 there were 181 fatalities in the mining industry (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The employees at the Good Enough Mine may not be drilling and pulling silver out of the mine these days, but Granger said his job still carries some risks.

“There are some dangerous aspects of my job,” Granger said.

Besides giving tours of the mine, Granger also renovated the mine. He said some of the dangerous aspects of that job include: working around rock that could crush a foot, getting lost in the mine, falling, and working around heavy equipment.

“We also spend a lot of time working around steel,” Granger said. “That’s obviously dangerous.”

Although the job comes with a list of potential risks, Granger said right now the company does not provide health insurance for its employees. But, he added, it is going to pretty soon.  

Next on the list of dangerous jobs is the welding business, where it is not unordinary to play with fire — and steel for that matter.

Structural iron and steel workers came in fourth on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ list of America’s most dangerous jobs. In 2007, 40 people died from work-related injuries.

Darrin Workman — a welder, fabricator and owner of Tombstone Welding — said he works with a lot of heavy steel.

“So there’s a lot of danger in that, I guess,” Workman said.

And Workman does not have health insurance.

When asked what he would do if an accident did happen he replied, “I just make sure it doesn’t.”

Careful treatment of his equipment helps Workman avoid the potential risks of his job.

But steel is not the only heavy and dangerous thing in Tombstone.

“Preacher Tom” is a farrier, which means he works with horses. More specifically, he puts shoes on those horses.

He said his job is dangerous because he uses six pounds of steel and the equivalent of eight-penny nails to shoe a 2,000-pound horse.

“Now imagine when one of those boys has an attitude,” he added. “And we do have some horses with an attitude.”

“Preacher Tom” told a story about when he was putting shoes on one horse and flew 10 feet through the air, slid four feet on the ground and then hit a building, putting a dent in it.

“Dangerous? Yeah,” he said.

He said he would not talk about what kind of health insurance he has, but added, “Let’s just say I ain’t dumb.”

At least one of Tombstone’s dangerous jobs comes with health insurance.

The deputies at the Marshal’s Office get their health insurance through the city.

Deputy Jose Olivas said his job is dangerous because anyone he comes into contact with could be someone who wants to avoid law enforcement.

“There’s always that slight possibility that it could turn physical,” Olivas said.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 143 police and sheriff’s patrol officers — or 21 per every 100,000 employees — received fatal injuries from their work.

“This isn’t a job that’s routine,” Olivas said. “We have to put our life on the line everyday in what we do.”