
Whatever the reason the reality is the number of
older workers in the workforce is increasing and will continue to grow in the
future. Currently there’s no real agreement on what age defines the “older
worker.” However, statistics (Bureau of Labor Statistics) show that in 2010, 19
percent of workers were 55 and older. By 2024 that number is expected to jump
to 24.8 percent.
Now if you’re someone responsible for safety at
your workplace, this number is significant. Why? Every worker has the right to
expect a safe working environment and every employer has a responsibility to
provide that safe environment. The challenge is there are elements of a safety
program for older workers that are different and need to be considered when you
develop your safety strategy.
While older team members bring a wealth of
knowledge and experience to the workplace, physically they become more
vulnerable. For example, studies show that although they don’t experience the
frequency of injuries that their younger counterparts do, when they do get
injured, the recovery time for older workers is much greater. The injuries are
different as well. For example, younger workers are more likely to have head or
hand injuries; older workers experience back, shoulder and knee injuries more
often. Falls are a major cause of injury at work for any group but slips, trips
and fall for workers 65 and older is about twice the rate of workers under 45.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) has several recommendations for helping older workers remain
safe and healthy. Among them are matching tasks to abilities, managing noise,
slip/trip and other physical hazards, invest in training and building worker
skills and competencies at all age levels and requiring aging workforce
management skills training for supervisors.
Safety programs are not a “one size fits all”
proposition. When creating your safety strategy, make sure there’s something in
it for everyone.
Posted by MJ Thomas
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