Working in a Dangerous Business

Fortunately, neither Icon Services Corporation nor Commercial Divers Plus have experienced the death of an employee, although both understand it's a very high possibility in both of their industries. According to Shaw, licensing and insurance go hand-in-hand in the security world.

"Professional liability insurance is very expensive and is a necessity to meet licensing requirements, but more importantly, to provide coverage for any unforeseen incidents," Shaw says.

Galipeau says he encourages divers to work safely. "I set my standards very high because a failure can be very costly and life-threatening," he says. "We've never had an injury in just over 10 years of being in business," he adds.

But not all high-risk companies can say the same. Over the last 30 years, Dr. Paul Kenneth Glass has worked with construction workers, pilots, truck drivers, law enforcement personnel and firefighters to help them grieve the deaths of co-workers.

"Most high-risk industries and organizations provide substantial training and protections to reduce risks of injury or death; nevertheless, death remains a threat inherent in many of their job responsibilities," says Glass. After the death of a co-worker, one would assume the difficulty for the remaining staff to move on. But according to Glass, "The loss may hit them very hard; yet the nature of 'high-risk jobs' is that they often build resilience. This is an essential ingredient in the life of the 'high-risk' workers," he says. "This is a skill that can be learned and refined to perform well in a dangerous occupation."

Glass says it's important to treasure, respect and support the individuals who put themselves on the line for their job, just like Shaw and Galiepeau. "Consider what the world would do if we did not have these individuals," he says.