**3. High-risk occupations**

High-risk occupations present a useful framework for studying the effect of chronic stress on health. By definition, high-risk occupations include work that may be disproportionately exposed to hazardous work environments (e.g., construction, materials handling, emergency response, military) [24]. High-risk occupations imply greater exposure to situations considered potentially dangerous, harmful, or threatening, and potentially, chronically elevated stress responses and excessive cortisol release. Studying the effects of stress in high-risk occupations is also important when taking into consideration performance and duties that are expected to be executed when under stress. Occupational stress that influences performance can result in errors, lower productivity, burnout, or workplace injury, affecting not only the individual but straining the infrastructure of their workplace and health resources [25]. While there are many different types of high-risk occupations,

this chapter will focus on the occupation of policing and two subspecialties as an example, given the authors' existing expertise in first responder stress, both from a physiological and psychological standpoint.
