As this number increases, more and more older people will make up the UK’ s workforce. In 2008, there were 3.2 people of working age for every person over 65. This ratio is predicted to fall to 2.8 by 2033, meaning that the ageing workforce is only going to get larger. Many employers see an older workforce as a benefit to their organisations, bringing years of experience |
and skills to a role. However, the growth in the UK’ s ageing workforce may bring challenges for employers too, which they should be aware of and ready to respond to. One of these is work-related musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs. MSDs are conditions that can affect muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and are often caused by over-exertion or repetitive motion. MSDs can often be serious enough |
to prevent people from working – they are actually one of the most common reasons for people taking long-term sickness absence in the UK. Older people can be more susceptible to work-related MSDs. Lifting heavy objects or participating in strenuous activities can become more difficult, bones are more susceptible to breaking and we get tired more easily. This clearly has health and safety implications for |
workplaces, meaning that employers need to be aware of the potential risks and develop strategies to help prevent these. Employers can carry out a risk assessment on their workplace to identify any potential risks. Some changes which employers can make to help accommodate ageing staff members who may be more susceptible to MSDs are fairly straightforward, such as investing in more ergonomically-friendly workstations, |
or adjusting the layout of the workplace to reduce strain on older workers. However, some changes may present more of a challenge. As staff get older, it may mean that their job roles need to change. For example, if an older worker is using manual tools regularly, they may be more at risk of developing an MSD such as back pain, and as such this activity may need to be reduced or eliminated |
entirely from their job role. Of course, the fitness of older workers can differ between people – some older people may have less difficulty continuing in certain job roles than others, and as such each older worker should be treated on a caseby-case basis.
Visit fitforwork. org / employer or call 0800 032 6235( 0800 019 2211 for those in Scotland).
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