Many of you may have seen this hit TV series Ice Road Truckers, a reality TV show which follows the employees of one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Ice Road Truckers was originally aired in the US reaching viewing figures of 3.4million when it debuted in 2007. More recently it has been shown in the UK and gained a large following.
Ice Road Truckers documents the working life of men who work and haul cargo over the ice roads of Canada. It has to be one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Each year the numerous lakes in the Northwest of Canada freeze over. The lakes are then prepared into ice roads in order that the trucks can travel over them. Specialist equipment is used in order measure the depth of the ice and its thickness, minimum being just 27 inches of ice to support the enormous trucks. The Ice Road Truckers work for 2 months during this time they can earn up to a whole years salary in just this short space of time transporting the necessary cargo to the Canadian diamond mines. It is estimated that between 600-900 truckers travel across the frozen lakes delivering approximately 10,000 loads of cargo to the diamond mines in temperatures of below -40 degrees Celsius.
The Truckers have to risk their life in every trip that they take. The possibility of falling through the ice is often a grave reality. The sound of the cracking ice can often be heard inside the truck and serves as a constant reminder of the huge risks entwined in their job. The possibility of the trucks falling through the ice becomes heightened in situations where two trucks pass one another. The trucks have to slow right down in order to control and lower the risk of ice cracking and the lake beneath claiming the truck and the Trucker.
The Truckers have other health risks to try and combat whilst working in such freezing temperatures the truckers are highly susceptible to contracting Hypothermia, Frostbite, Immersion Injury also known as Trench Foot and Snow Blindness. Which can put the Trucker out of work and off the ice roads.
The series has proven to be an interesting insight into the obscure and interesting occupation of Ice Road Trucking as well as highlighting the huge risks these men take on a daily basis.
