A key issue currently on NIOSH’s agenda is the health and safety implications of an aging workforce.
With Baby Boomers now into their sixties, U.S. business is faced with 77 to 80 million people getting toward the end of their working careers.
Are all these older workers a burden or benefit to employers?
It’s a complicated question, says NIOSH research psychologist Dr. Jim Grosch, in a recent interview posted on Safety.BLR.com.
Grosch cites research that suggests older workers are more likely to experience severe and fatal injuries. And it takes them longer to return to work than younger employees following an injury. On the other hand, as a group, they have fewer injuries overall because they are experienced and tend to be more careful.
Translating Research into Practical Programs
To help business cope with an aging workforce, NIOSH is translating aging worker research into practical programs. For example, working with the University of Washington and the state’s Department of Labor and Industries, the institute has created interactive training about the impact of age on safety and health.
The goal is to make workplaces more age-friendly in areas such as ergonomic design, lighting, and computer and keyboard placement.
The training also encourages participation by older workers in health promotion programs. Improving overall health contributes to a reduction in job-related incidents.
The training modules are currently being modified by NIOSH for use in the healthcare and retail industries. You can read more about this initiative at www.agefriendlyworkplace.org.
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Challenges and Benefits
Older workers are also the subjects of inquiry at the University of Kentucky where researchers have identified five challenges of an aging workforce and assigned possible solutions to each.
Challenge 1: Brain drain/labor pool shortage created by the departure of Baby Boomers.
Solution: Succession planning, mentoring, and cross-training of younger workers.
Challenge 2: Dependent care commitments (caring for parents and grandchildren).
Solution: Flexible scheduling and part-time work.
Challenge 3: Increased health problems.
Solution: Improved safety climate through training, rewards, and supervisor commitment.
Challenge 4: Generation gap issues with younger workers.
Solution: Generational empathy training and mentoring.
Challenge 5: Lack of technical skills.
Solution: Technology training and mentoring.
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Stay on Top of Developments
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