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June 2006 — Vol. 84, No. 5

SMALL BUSINESS

Ergonomics and the aging workforce

Tips for preventing injury to older workers

By Arlette Loeser

Certified ergonomist, occupational therapist, assistive technology practitioner and principal of Ergonomics Within Reach LLC in Avon

 

By 2008 the average age of workers in this country will be 41, up from 35 in 1980, as a result of “the baby boomer impact.”

Not only is the average age of the workforce rising; so is the number of workers ages 45 to 65. Studies indicate many of these employees want to retire later than “normal” and to stay employed as long as they can.

Older workers often have traits, such as positive work values, experience and loyalty, that are assets to an employer. But they also can present challenges related to the natural aging process.

Aging affects a person’s body and learning style. Both factors can heighten the risk for injury and diminished work productivity.

Typical physical changes are decreased flexibility and muscle strength, vision changes, and slower-healing musculoskeletal injuries. Generally, flexibility and muscle strength gradually start to decrease when a person is between the ages of 35 and 40. By age 60, the body will potentially have lost 15% to 20% in strength and flexibility. These changes can increase the risk for muscle strain and injury. The body part most often injured in older workers is the back.

Here are some suggestions for preventing injury to your older workers.

Vision

After age 35, visual changes take place more rapidly. Improper use of bi/trifocals or graduated lenses, or improper prescriptions can cause workers to compensate with unhealthy postures that can lead to neck and shoulder discomfort, eye strain, and headaches.

Suggestions:

  • Have adequate lighting: Consider the “40/40 rule” — after age 40, people need 40% more light.
  • Use a larger font size: Larger is generally better for most employees, but that’s particularly the case for older workers, who often need glasses for reading or computer use.
  • Check computer monitor images: Older monitors tend to lose their crisp images and may flicker. Consider investing in flat-screen monitors, which have crisper visual images, eliminate glare and offer greater flexibility in placement on a work surface.
  • Encourage yearly eye exams to ensure proper eyewear and eye health.

Fitness/injury prevention

Flexibility is the initial muscle characteristic to diminish, with strength a close second. Balance and posture can also be affected. The impact of sustained sitting can lead to spinal disc degeneration.

Suggestions:

  • Encourage employees to move and stretch during breaks and lunch. Consider implementing an “in-house” stretch or movement program.
  • Learn the differences between the vast selection of “ergonomic” chairs in order to make smart buying decisions that benefit your employees and the company budget.
  • Require work pauses and breaks to allow for muscle recovery.
  • Educate employees about ergonomics and their role in injury prevention.

Training/education

Older employees tend to relate new information and skills demands to prior experiences. They process information more slowly and look for logical connections of ideas.

Suggestions:

  • Use practical examples and cases.
  • Reinforce new information with written materials and immediate application of the new skill set.
  • Train at a slower pace, with more repetition.