Page 30 - Occupational Health & Safety, January/February 2020

FOOT PROTECTION
Foot Protection Ideas for an Increasingly Aging Workforce: Improving Safety and Preventing Injuries
Keeping all skilled workers within the workplace for as long as possible should be a high priority to any business. BY KEVAN ORVITZ
Everyone gets older. That’s not exactly news- worthy. However, the effects of aging within the workplace are important and critical to the success of any business. Statistics show
that 42.1 million workers will be over the age of 55 by 2026, a projected increase from 35.7 million in 2016. This means aging workers will make up nearly a quar- ter of the labor force.1 While many industries thrive, other industries such as construction and manufac- turing may be troubled by the shortage of skilled workers. Keeping all skilled workers within the work- place for as long as possible should be a high priority to any business.
Aches and Pains
Unfortunately, many aging workers are plagued by chronic illness, disease, and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), which negatively impact health and produc- tivity. The pain and symptoms associated with MSD are frequently labeled as “back pain.” However, back pain is just one of the many symptoms of MSD, and ignoring the root cause can lead to nerve damage and cause serious health issues that can require significant time off work, costing workers and employers greatly.
Older workers are more vulnerable to aches, pains and MSD, which increases their contribution to costs related to workplace injuries and fatalities. Statisti-
cally, workers’ compensation claims, absenteeism, and healthcare costs go up as the employee ages.2 As we age, it’s harder to recover from injury and illness. Employers owe their workers the ability to work in a safe and mindful space.
Older workers may not be able to change their workload, reduce their hours, or request less physical work, without the risk of losing their job, pension or benefits. Being motivated by fear often causes workers to lose focus on their actions and safety in the work- place. Aging workers are 19.8 percent more prone to MSD. Individuals aged 25 to 35 have an incident rate of 92.9, while their senior coworkers aged 55 to 64 have an incident rate of 115.9.
The higher MSD incident rate may be due to the fact that as we age, we lose muscle mass, bone density and strength. Combining these natural physical pro- gressions with hard labor can be a disastrous outcome for many, especially if their workplace is disinterested in cultivating a workplace that promotes safety at any age.
Pain Free Solutions
The first step towards a safer future for aging workers is through improving the workplace’s safety program. Safety programs that do not focus on aging workers have tremendous pitfalls. Not only are they missing the opportunity to identify all workplace hazards, but they are also alienating a large portion of the workplace.
Changing the role of aging workers within the company may not be possible. However, making their jobs less physically demanding is important. Ensuring enough breaks are not only offered, but actually taken, is important. Giving aging workers the ability to take a moment to rest and recuperate can make a tremen- dous difference in their day and lives.
Some workers are forced to work in awkward posi- tions all day, working on the ground or even ceiling. Having an open discussion with workers about their physical demands and how they are affected by them is a great way to gain insight into their lives. Not only does it help strengthen the relationship between work- er and employer, but it illuminates workplace hazards and trends that can be affecting many workers.
Since it’s not always feasible to change the worker’s job, it is possible to introduce activities into the work- place that alleviate pain. For example, implementing time to stretch can make a tremendous difference
26 Occupational Health & Safety | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020
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