While fears about the higher incidence of injuries for older employees may have been overstated in the past, there is little doubt that older workers present different safety risks than their younger co-workers. Issues such as eyesight and hearing, the ability to lift heavy weights safely, and recovery time after injury all become a bigger concern with older workers. In order to address these risks and keep control of workers comp losses, employers must adapt their safety programs to take more consideration of the needs of older workers. As workers age, tasks that they could complete easily when they were younger become more difficult, and they may need additional help to complete those tasks safely.
Employers seeking to change the way employees perform tasks need to make resources available to evaluate work procedures, and then make the necessary changes to prevent injuries. Making support available is only half the battle, however. Keeping workers healthy so they are less likely to be injured in the first place also should be a key concern. Providing the necessary training to encourage healthy living needs to be carefully thought out and tailored to address the concerns and sensibilities of older workers.
By investing in the right tools and the right techniques, companies should be able to help their workforce and see a return on investment through lower comp claims, as well as getting control of health care costs for your business.
Bobby Bland PWCA, CIC
Commercial Risk Service
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