Advice for employers

Action to prevent harm to older workers should be based upon an assessment of the tasks performed, the working environment, the tools and equipment used and the abilities of the workers. In the risk assessment process you should:

Look for the hazards

Think about the work that is done and the materials, equipment, and chemicals that are used. What can cause harm? Look for things that may cause accidents and/or ill health to workers.

Tell people what you are doing. Talk to the worker representatives. Involve them in the risk assessment process and tell them what you are doing to reduce risk.

Older workers may be less at risk of some injuries; for example, they may be less inclined to take risks driving. But they may be more at risk in others; for example, in the education sector older workers may be less able to cope with the behaviour and noise of young children, which could make them more prone to stress.

Evaluate the risks

Work out how likely it is that the hazard will result in harm or injury, and how severe that injury is likely to be. If someone could be hurt, consider whether:

• the hazard can be removed completely
• the risk can be controlled
• protective measures can be taken to protect the whole workforce
• personal protective equipment is needed to protect the worker from a risk that cannot be adequately controlled
• adequate emergency procedures are in place

Take action

After completing the risk assessment, prioritise the preventive measures needed and then take action, involving the workers and their representatives in the process. Any action should be agreed with the workforce (either directly or through worker safety representatives). The agreed solutions should be carefully implemented, monitored, and evaluated.

There are four key actions you can take to protect older workers:

• make sure all workers understand about the ageing process, what is required and what can be done
• make sure all workers get appropriate training
• make a commitment to preventing accidents and ill-health
• assess potential dangers to older workers and take action to prevent them.

A well-designed workplace with workstations and job tasks that are matched to the needs of the individual employee benefits all workers. Actions may be:

• ‘holistic’, addressing the ‘well-being’ of the worker by, for example, workplace health promotion
• workplace-based – adjusting the workspace to reduce risks
• task-based – adjusting the task to the worker (through job analysis and ergonomic evaluation)
• organisation-based – adjusting working times, job functions or management approaches.

Review the findings

• Keep a record of everything that has been done.
• Make sure that the preventive measures put in place do not create new dangers.
• Ways of working change and so do hazards and risks. When a significant change takes place, check to make sure that no new potential hazards have arisen. Repeat the risk assessment when necessary.

Training

As you age, the pace and way that you learn changes. This means that training requirements may be different for older workers, and training may take longer. This is no reason for training to be withheld from older workers.