Aging Workforce Guide

The population of the United States continues to get older. About 29% of the U.S. is age 55 or older, and many are working for more years than earlier generations did. As they age, workers face new health and workplace injury risks, especially strain and soreness, and they are more likely to heal slowly and suffer complications from injuries.

According to the Professional Safety, Occupational Medicine, and the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Journal, “Companies need to be flexible in their job operations to try to accommodate to the aging worker. When people age their physical capabilities diminish and in time, job demand exceeds worker capabilities. Studies of skilled and semi-skilled workers show a peak of work performance in the late 30s and early 40s with a decline in skill in their 50s and 60s. In addition, recovery time and job-related fatalities are higher.”

Frequent injuries for older workers include soreness from repetitive work, shoulder injuries (especially rotator cuff), and knee injuries. Some of the main physical factors contributing to these injuries, and suggestions for managing them at work, are found below:

Other options to help reduce the risk of injuries to an older workforce include:

• Re-evaluate all workstations for ergonomic risk factors. Modify workstations to accommodate aging workers, especially where awkward postures like bending or reaching are noted. The addition of adjustable workstations is a good engineering control that can reduce some work injury. Adjustable stations can reduce back injuries while increasing both productivity and worker morale.
• Review lifting requirements to decide if weights need to be reduced.
• Establish an ergonomic response team and policy. The team will respond to any employee concern about a task or complaint of discomfort. Educate all employees and management about the importance of their participation to address all strain exposures early and quickly.
  
• Select appropriate lighting in the workplace. Eyesight deteriorates with age so lighting that seems adequate for a younger worker may not be suitable for an older person.
  
• Promote exercise, healthy diet, and the reduction of alcohol and tobacco use among employees.
• Change job functions to the preference of the aging worker. Aging employees who have declining physical capabilities have an increased risk of work-related injury if work demands remain constant over time. Many job functions can be tailored to fit the needs and capabilities of older workers.
  
• Encourage mentoring relationships between older and younger workers. Knowledge can be passed on to the younger worker. This also moves some of the physical demand away from the older workers to the more capable younger workers.
  
• Move injured workers back to work through a transitional job duty program and not directly into their job. Advance them to more demanding tasks as they improve.
  
• Create and maintain a database for the physical demands of each job.