Baby Boomers make up one-third of the U.S. workforce and many of them are not planning to retire at an early age — some because they like their work and others because they cannot afford to without drastically changing their lifestyles. For whatever reason, they are on the job and plan to stay there as long as possible. As a result, the average age of utility construction crews has increased and it is not uncommon to find workers over 50 years of age on crews. What that means for employers is that they need to adopt new strategies to accommodate the needs of older workers.

First of all, let it be said that there are benefits to having older workers on the job. With the ever increasing shortage of good workers, the aging worker is generally an asset to the company. Studies show that older workers make more of a commitment to their work and are more likely to show up for work on time each day. They are also willing to share their knowledge and experience with younger workers if they don’t feel their job is threatened by the younger worker.

Nonetheless, there are also challenges that have to be addressed to ensure that older workers remain safe and healthy. There are any number of physical and medical risks that a company might opt to consider as it develops strategies to deal with its aging workforce — everything from coronary disease to medication side effects — but I’ll confine myself here to the three most common risks.

Let’s start with eyesight. The facts show that workers who have poor or deteriorating eyesight are more likely to be involved in an accident. Nobody wants to admit they may need glasses, especially if they have had 20/20 vision most of their life, so they put off getting their eyes tested. In addition to educating workers about the hazards of not treating poor eyesight, employers can require all new employees to have their eyes tested as part of a pre-employment physical and require all other employees to have an annual vision test. Offering eye care and prescription glasses as part of the medical insurance plan could also be part of the solution.

Good risk management such as job hazard analyses, ergonomics and wellness programs can maximize safety for older workers, as well as their younger counterparts. Photo taken by NUCA Master Safety Instructor Greg Strudwick.

Next on the list is hearing. Time takes its toll on workers’ hearing even if they are not exposed to high noise levels. If they do work in noisy work areas, the likelihood of deterioration is even greater. And people are even more unwilling to admit that they may have reached a point in life where they need hearing aids. Common things that are said by people as their hearing starts to deteriorate are “I didn’t hear what you said” or “Would you say that again?” When you hear someone begin to say that more often than is normal, that’s your first clue it might be time for them to get their hearing checked. As with eyesight, medical plans that include coverage for hearing tests and hearing aids can also be made available to employees. This is to everybody’s advantage because if a person cannot hear instructions, warning signals, machinery, etc., someone could be injured or killed.

Musculoskeletal disorders that affect the back, neck, shoulders and upper limbs are the most common cause of work-related disability among older workers because the aging process reduces their muscular strength and the range of movement of their joints. The main risk factors include heavy loads, awkward posture, repetitive movement and too few periods of rest. Some older workers, however, will use their years of experience to minimize exposure to the heaviest loads by asking for help, avoiding twisting their bodies or using machinery to perform the work.

Other things that can be done to control physical labor relate to work assignments. Greg Strudwick of Greg Strudwick & Associates in Coppell, Texas, has pointed out that many of the aging Hispanic workers in Texas continue to work as pipe layers when, in reality, they should not be performing the heavy labor associated with that task. Sometimes they do it because it is what they know and like to do, but often it’s because other opportunities and training are not offered to them. They simply accept it so they can remain employed as a viable member of a crew. Managers should rethink the wisdom of this strategy.

There are, in fact, many tasks older workers can do to reduce their job-related risk. For example, they can take measurements and cut pipe, set up T-connections, make copper services, make up fittings, operate equipment and operate compactors, rollers and rigging. In short, there are a lot of tasks that are necessary and don’t require a lot of training to perform. In many cases, older workers are already more qualified to perform these tasks than younger inexperienced workers.

Some employers are also implementing various aspects of wellness programs. LD Alexander, Safety Director at RMCI, Inc. in Albuquerque, N.M. — the 2007 Overall William H. Feather Safety Award winner — reports that because his company recognizes the value of having older skilled craftsmen train younger workers, management has already started putting in place programs that address the aging worker, including a fitness program to help them avoid injury. That program is expected to filter down to younger workers, who will also benefit.

So, knowing that the knowledge and years of experience possessed by older workers are extremely valuable assets and that there may soon not be enough experienced craftsmen to fill the baby boomers’ jobs, what should an employer do?

Here is a commonsense approach advocated by the folks at California-based State Compensation Insurance Fund (www.scif.com): “Does the workplace need a complete overhaul to suit older workers? No, but it is always best to adjust the job tasks and tools to the individual, regardless of age. Good risk management such as job hazard analyses, ergonomics and wellness programs can maximize safety for older workers, as well as their younger counterparts.”

Resource: Aging Workforce News (www.agingworkforcenews.com) is a news site and blog that tracks developments, tools and resources for managing older workers and Baby Boomers in the workplace.

George Kennedy is NUCA Vice President of Safety.