I'm glad to see the pay went up.
If you start banner towing without 135 mins, you will leave banner without 135 mins. (no Cross country time)
Check mark manuevers on pickup is where most people crash.
And I've seen 5 banner planes crash. Sadly, the 2 fatal ones were with the good company.
(nothing against said company, they really ARE safer)
Then there's the hazards of the hook: wrapping the around the rudder horn (seen twice), wrap around the elevator (seen once), wrap around the tail wheel so the pilot had to land with the banner (seen twice), and banners simply not let go (happened to me more than once). Each situation can kill you.
Even with the good company there was pressure to fly in IFR weather, high winds (the airplanes stall at 32kts, not easy to land with a 35kt x-wind)
I won't even start about the BAD companies.
If you're looking for a job, the order should be:
Regional (some start out at 250tt)
135
CFI/pipeline patrol (tie)
Banner
You can limit the risk with excellent maintenance, excellent training, and weeding out the cowboy/macho attitudes.
At the end of the day, it will always be MUCH more dangerous.