Safety at Work for an Aging Population of Workers
Everywhere we turn there are articles about more seniors in the workforce. This is not a new trend, but the pattern has clearly stepped up as a result of the current recession. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 1977 and 2007, total employment in the US increased by 59%. Amazingly, employment of workers 65 and over had already increased 101% during this time! For men over 65, the 1977 to 2007 increase was 75%, but for women it was 147%. What does this mean for safety at work? We have a lot to do!
In 2007, the BLS predicted that during 2006-2016, workers age 55-64 are expected to climb by 36.5% and the number of workers between the ages of 65 and 74, and those aged 75 and up, are anticipated to increase by another 80%. With the downturn in the economy, and more seniors returning to work, it’s very likely that the BLS prediction will be exceeded.
Right now, workers 55 and older account for 18.8 percent of the labor force today – higher than any time since 1948. The share of the workplace age 25-55 has been shrinking. This is the first time that the trending shows the number of workers older than 55 increasing while the number of workers 25-54 is decreasing. See the analysis of the trends of the working population by age in each of the last recessions by Today’s Workplace
The physical changes associated with aging affect workers and their safety on the job. Although their risk of injury is relatively low, older workers’ share of serious injuries is likely to increase. And, older workers pose an increased risk for fatal work injuries, require more time to return to work following an injury or illness, and are less likely to receive training as their jobs change.
Here are some ideas that employers and employees can consider as they take steps to ensure older workers are healthy and safe as they continue to work while aging:
• Physical changes vary by individual, but as people age, they tend to lose muscle mass and flexibility; a 15-20% decrease in strength by age 60 is common. So, employers should consider examining work tasks and determining the physical requirements for each job –
to best match the work population with the jobs.
• Balance, vision, and hearing also change with age – a worker age 60 generally requires eight times the amount of light to see as clearly as a 20-year-old. Additional lighting will allow all workers to perform their jobs more safely.
• Non-skid flooring, handrails, and a focus on order and organization can prevent slips and falls.
• Employees can reduce the impacts of aging by maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, and participating in a strength-training program to build muscle and bone mass.
• Sleep deprivation causes reduced attention and reaction times – a safety hazard, so older employees should adjust their sleep habits so they are well rested for work. Shift workers are already more sleep deprived than the day time population, so older shift workers have to be especially careful to get enough sleep.
• The ability to adapt to temperature changes decreases with age; heat and cold affects older workers faster than when they were younger – older workers should layer their clothing. This is especially necessary when working nights, as body temperatures already decrease at night, whether a person is working or sleeping.
©2009 Circadian Age, Inc. ‘Working Nights’
Tags: alertness, fatigue, hearing loss, Human Capital, readiness for work, Safety, shift work, training, vision
