According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost a quarter of all 65- to 74-year-olds are active in the workforce, representing the highest percentage of workers in this age group since 1970. As older adults return to work after retirement, whether due to financial need or the desire to continue working, health and safety professionals must address this population’s needs.

Gregory Petty, professor of health and safety programs at the University of Tennessee, discussed the aging workforce’s special safety concerns at the National Safety Council’s (NSC) 2007 Congress and Expo in Chicago. He explained the phenomenon of so many older employees returning to the workforce after retirement can be attributed to better health, insufficient retirement funds or the desire to gain new experiences.

“Though many older people will need to work, at least part time, many others will want to,” Petty said. “[Some] older workers want the potential for new adventures or experiences.”

Petty said that while many business and industry leaders are overlooking the increasingly older workforce, he predicted the expectations of this population’s work ability will change “with the realization that ‘old’ does not have to mean tired, sick, cautious or quiet.”

“There are reasons why you should care about the value of these older workers,” Petty said.

He explained the older working population generally is highly educated, experienced and reliable. These employees typically have held established careers, have the wisdom of maturity and often have lower injury rates. Petty acknowledged that the benefits of hiring older employees, however, are accompanied by risks.

“You have a fall when you’re 20, you have a bruise,” he said. “You have a fall when you’re 50, 60 or 70, you have a broken hip.”

Common on-the-job injuries experienced by the older working population often are caused by falls, which can be attributed to poor balance, slowed reaction time, visual deficits, lack of concentration or complacency. Sprain or strain injuries also are common, and may be brought on by loss of strength, endurance or flexibility. Additionally, older workers may be more sensitive to overexertion, heat, cold, lighting, noise and ergonomic issues.

Employers and health and safety professionals may need to make accommodations for their older workers to keep them safe. Petty suggested wellness programs, job analyses and ergonomic evaluations to protect the aging workforce. He added that restructured job duties and work hours might also be beneficial to this population. Providing behavior-based feedback and giving more positive than negative consequences are also beneficial for the older workforce.

“For employers intent on recapturing talents of older workers, more interesting, varied jobs will make a difference,” Petty said.

He stressed that older workers should be aware of their current functioning ability. Forgetting glasses or hearing aides, for example, could prove dangerous for an older worker. “You have to know your limitations,” he warned.

In general, health care management emphasizes the prevention of impairment and disability through early detection, prompt treatment, and timely recovery. Medical management responsibilities fall on employers, employees, and health care professionals (HCPs). A medical management program can help to either eliminate or substantially reduce the risk of development of ergonomics-related problems and symptoms through early identification and treatment.

Musculoskeletal disorders are caused or aggravated by repetitive motions, forceful exertions, vibration, mechanical compression (hard and sharp edges), and sustained or awkward postures that occur over extended periods of time. MSDs can affect nearly all tissues, the nerves, tendons, tendon sheaths, and muscles, with the upper extremities being the most frequently affected. These injuries range from disorders of the back, the neck, the arms and legs, or the shoulders and involve strains, sprains, or tissue inflammation, and dislocation.

Workers suffering from MSDs may experience less strength for gripping, less range of motion, loss of muscle function, and inability to do everyday tasks. These painful and sometimes crippling injuries develop gradually over periods of weeks, months, and years as the result of the repeated actions required to perform their jobs.

Awareness is the key to preventing serious MSD injuries. It is important for employers and employees alike to know the signs and symptoms of MSDs. These signs and symptoms are often ignored, because they seem slight at first and go away when the employee is not at work. However, as time goes on, the symptoms increase and last longer until finally it’s impossible to perform simple tasks such as holding a drinking glass or keyboarding. Early intervention is essential to recovery.

That’s why it’s important to train employees about MSD signs and symptoms and encourage them to report symptoms as soon as they become aware of them. They also need to understand what may happen if they continue to perform their regular job and don’t report the symptoms. Early reporting is essential to lessen the severity of the injury. The longer warning signs are ignored, the more damage is done, the longer recovery takes, and in some cases, the damage can’t be repaired.

Signs and Symptoms

The presence of MSD signs and/or symptoms is usually the first indication that an employee may be developing an MSD. The signs are objective physical findings that an MSD may be developing. The symptoms, on the other hand, are physical indications that an employee may be developing an MSD.

Symptoms can vary in severity, depending on the amount of exposure to MSD hazards and often appear gradually, for example, as muscle fatigue or pain at work that disappears during rest. Usually symptoms become more severe as exposure continues. If the employee continues to be exposed, symptoms may increase to the point that they interfere with performing the job. Finally, pain may become so severe that the employee is unable to perform physical work activities).

Signs that may indicate an MSD include deformity, decreased grip strength, decreased range of motion, and loss of function. Common symptoms of MSDs include:

• Painful joints,
• Pain, tingling, or numbness in the hands or feet,
• Shooting or stabbing pains in the arms or legs,
• Swelling or inflammation,
• Burning sensation,
• Pain in wrists, shoulders, forearms, or knees,
• Fingers or toes turning white,
• Back or neck pain, and
• Stiffness