My interpretation is how the risks (statistics) of those job functions are more known, people choose to avoid them. But the people that are-the-statistic don't necessarily agree with or understand those statistics.

For example, if OP is a coal miner that hasn't had health issues yet, they may choose to discount statistics that declare x% of coal miners have negative health outcomes.

This feels correct. It's why they included the tidbit about their youth, they're saying their job was better than the life they grew with.