79% of Baby Boomers say they don’t plan on fully retiring at age 65. By 2020, 25 million Baby Boomers, about 40% of the U.S. labor force, will be exiting. About 720,000 people in the U.S have heart attacks each year. Most of these are 45 years of age and over4. 1 in 4 people between 45 and 60 years of age provide active day-to-day support to their parents. They are oſten confronted with inflexible work hours3. ■ Poor Economy (25%) ■ Can’t afford to retire (18%) ■ Healthcare Cost (12%) ■ Higher Cost of Living (9%) By 2020, 25% of the workforce will be 55 and older and 17% will be 65 and older2. 64% of workers say they have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace. 58% of adults believe age discrimination begins among workers in their 50s. ACT NOW! Transfer knowledge and experience to the next generation Recruit and re-skill aging workers and retirees for new roles and new fields Increase retention by closing skills gap Combine strategies (initiatives) to maximize results THERE IS AN URGENCY TO: Invest in ergonomics workcenters & appropriate training for aging workers Ergonomics and the Aging Workforce The aging workforce presents a challenge to industry—to design a safe and productive work environment to accomodate older workers. Following the 5 ergonomics principles will significantly reduce ergonomic risk factors that contribute to musculoskeletal injuries and disorders (MSDs).7 “Ergonomics is about fitting the work to the worker” was the AVERAGE time away from work due to an MSD in 2013 The financial cost of Work-Related MSDs MSD by Gender 59% 41% MSD FACTS Lost Time from MSD by Age Group6 MSD Cases by Body Parts & Average Recovery Time Shoulder 13% 21 days 42% 7days 5% 20 days 5% 18 days 6% 17 days 11% 15 days 5% 12 days Back Abdomen Arm Wrist Leg Multiple • 34% of lost workdays • $20 billion a year on direct costs • $1 out of every $3 spent on worker’s compensation physiological psychosocial physical 79% 18% 25% 12% 9% 25% 2020 2020 Reasons for potponing retirement Baby Boomers 17% Workforce Demographics are Changing. Are you Ready? 10,000 people are turning 65 every single day and this will continue through 2030!1 Shifting Demographics issues faced by older workers CHARACTERISTICS OF AN AGING WORKFORCE 5 ergonomics principles for an aging workforce 40% 720,000 increased disparity in health increased discrimination challenging workplace condition 64% 58% 45-60 • Decreased strength, flexibility, and balance • Decreased vision and hearing • Decreased reaction time and speed • Decreased manual dexterity and feedback • Increased body fat • Decreased oxygen intake • Rising systemic blood pressure • Faster onset of fatigue • Greater susceptibility to extreme temperatures5 Working with the body in a neutral position reduces stress and strain on your musculoskeletal system. The power zone is also referred to as the “hand shake zone”—this is an easy way to remember the optimal location to perform work. A common issue with older workers is lighting. Visual acuity deteriorates with age, so make sure work areas are properly lit. Providing “power grips” instead of pinch grips for jobs and tasks is another ergonomics “low hanging fruit” to help accommodate aging workers. Working in the same posture or sitting for prolonged periods of time is bad for you. Your body’s musculoskeletal (or movement) system is designed to move. Arrange workstations and tasks to allow for changing postures. • Different shiſt preferences • Different training and learning styles • Tend to experience disfranchisement with their work and coworkers RESOURCES: 1. http://pewresearch.org/daily-number/baby-boomers-retire/ 2. http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2012/01/art3full.pdf 3. Report of the Taskforce on the Aging of the American Workforce website. http://www.aging.senate.gov/letters/agingworkforcetaskforcereport.pdf IMPROVE WORKPLACE DESIGN WITH ERGONOMICS Solution? The characteristics of aging workers oſten put them at a higher risk of developing MSD and other injuries MOVING FORWARD The gradual approach will not make a large enough impact with current time constraints. 50-70 127 145 144 109 37-49 26-36 16-25 4. http://newsroom.heart.org/news/heart-disease-and-stroke-continue-to-threaten-u-s-health 5. http://www.asse.org/professionalsafety/docs/F1Perry_0410.pdf 6. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/osh2.pdf 7. http://ergo-plus.com/ergonomics-aging-workforce-design/ Provide good lighting Have a good grip Allow for Posture Changes Work in Neutral Postures Work from the “Power Zone” ©2014 Workrite Ergonomics. All Rights Reserved. For more information contact us at workriteergo.com or 800.959.9675