monitor

Occupational Medicine 2013;63:244–245  doi:10.1093/occmed/kqt001

Monitor Keeping baby boomer construction workers working

Peter Noone e-mail: [email protected]

References 1. Toossi M. Labor Force Projections to 2018: Older Workers Staying More Active. Washington, DC: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009. 2. Cahill KE, Giandrea MD, Quinn JF. Are Traditional Retirements a Thing of the Past? New Evidence on Retirement Patterns and Bridge Jobs. BLS working paper 384.Washington, DC: US Department of Labor, Office of Productivity and Technology, 2005. 3. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current population survey—2000–2010. http://www.bls.gov/cps/demographics. htm#age (23 January 2013, date last accessed). 4. Stocks SJ, Turner S, McNamee R, Carder M, Hussey L, Agius RM. Occupation and work-related ill-health in UK construction workers. Occup Med (Lond) 2011;61:407–415. 5. Health and Safety Commission. Health and Safety statistics 2005/06. http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/ hssh0506.pdf (23 January 2013, date last accessed). 6. Choi SD. Safety and ergonomic considerations for an aging workforce in the US construction industry. Work 2009;33:307–15. 7. Waehrer GM, Dong XS, Miller T, Haile E, Men Y. Costs of occupational injuries in construction in the United States. Accid Anal Prev 2007;39:1258–66.

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The proportion of US workers over the age of 55 years is expected to increase as the participation rate of workers 16–24  years of age declines within the next decade. The proportion of US workers older than 55 years relative to all workers increased from 31.3% in 1998 to 39.4% in 2008 and is estimated to reach 43.5% by 2018 [1]. Possible reasons include the increase in retirement age, decreases in social security benefits, diminishing value of private pension portfolios and increasing health and longevity [2]. In the USA, the ‘baby boomer’ birth cohort between 1946 and 1964, combined with the recent economic recession, have increased the proportion of older workers in the workplace. Across all industries in the USA, median age increased from 39.4 years in 2000 to 42 years in 2010. This increase in the average age may be partly explained by the decreasing rates of younger workers entering the workforce, as well as changes in the financial resources of older workers. The increase in average age has also been mirrored in the construction industry workforce where median worker age was 37.9  years in 2000 and 40.4  years in 2010 [3]. As these workers continue to delay retirement, understanding the health and safety needs of this older workforce is increasingly important in the construction industry, where physical job demands are high. Chronic disease and functional impairment also cause serious limitations for construction workers as they age, and they are known to be at increased risk of work injury. UK construction industry workers have significantly increased risk of work injury [4]. In 2005/06 construction had the second highest rate of self reported illness attributed to work at 3800 cases per 100 000 employed persons [5]. The need to address injuries among older construction workers is manifold. First, construction is a physically demanding job [6]. Secondly, construction workers’ injuries and illnesses are among the most costly across all industries [7]. Thirdly, compared with white-collar workers, they experience greater chronic health problems over time [8]. Finally, compared with younger construction workers, those 50  years or older have been considered at increased risk of injury, based on the premise that reduced physical capabilities in areas such as strength, balance and processing speed increase risk of injury [9]. However, analyses of workers’ compensation claims data indicate that older workers typically have a lower frequency of workplace injuries but higher injury related costs than younger workers [10].

A recent US epidemiological review [11] of the impact of age on injury among workers in the construction industry in the USA found that available studies reported that, among construction workers, older age at injury was related to higher injury costs but not to injury occurrences. The higher injury costs associated with older workers are likely to be due in part to the severity of the injuries sustained by older workers. Research is needed to ascertain predictive factors for injury among older construction workers to assist employers develop health and safety programmes that address the needs of ageing workers. The US Center for Construction Research and Training reported a 70% increase in numbers of paid construction workers from 1977–2002. The number of construction industry jobs is expected to grow by 19% from 2008–18, compared with a projected 11% for all industries combined [12]. This growth of the construction industry is expected to be affected by a shortage of skilled workers. Thus, keeping skilled workers employed in construction for as long as possible is a priority in the USA [13] and UK.

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8. Dong XS, Wang X, Daw C, Ringen K. Chronic diseases and functional limitations among older construction workers in the United States: a 10-year follow-up study. J Occup Environ Med 2011;53:372–380. 594 OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE 9. Maertens JA, Putter SE, Chen PY et al. Physical capabilities and occupational health of older workers. In: Hedge 16. Rhyne J. Music http://www.childrensJW, Borman WC,Education eds. The Online. Oxford Handbook of Work and musicworkshop.com/instruments/flute/betterflutists.html Aging. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2012. January 2012, date last accessed) 10. (25 Shuford H, Restrepo T. Thinking About an AgingWorkforce— 17. Foxman I, Burgel BJ. Musician health and safety: Preventing Potential Impact on Workers Compensation. Boca Raton, FL: playing-related musculoskeletal disorders. AAOHN J NCCI Holdings Inc, 2005. 2006;54:309–316.

11. Schwatka NV, Butler LM, Rosecrance JR. An aging workforce and injury in the construction industry. Epidemiol Rev 2012;34:156–167. 12. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Career guide to industries, 2010–2011 edition: construction. Washington, DC: BLS, 2011. http://bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs003.htm (20 August 2012, 18. Koppejan S, Snijders CJ, Kooiman T, Van Bemmel B. Hand date last accessed). and armLS, problems in flautists andHunting a design KL. for prevention. 13. Welch Haile E, Boden LI, Impact of Ergonomics 2006;49:316–322. musculoskeletal and medical conditions on disability retirement—a longitudinal study among construction roofers. Am J Ind Med 2010;53:552–560.

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