With savings gone and 401k plans decimated older workers are forced to put off retirement or even worse come out of retirement to make ends meet.  Some advantages of older workers are their dependability and knowledge.  But the downside, if injured, they take longer to heal.  According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), older workers are more severely injured and die with greater frequency from work-related injuries than younger workers.

Construction workers already suffer the highest number of fatalities in any U.S. industry.  But the death rate among construction workers 55 years and older was nearly 80% higher than that of construction workers under 35 in 2007. And like the rest of the workforce, the average age of a construction worker is rising; it was 40.4 in 2008, which is 4.4 years older than in 1985. The average retirement age among construction workers is 61.

As people age, the senses gradually deteriorate.  This gradual change in abilities may not be noticed by the individual.

With hearing deterioration, it becomes difficult to hear clearly in noisy environments and also determine where sounds originate.  This can be a problem on a loud construction sites where heavy equipment is operating.  Train older workers to be especially alert.  Heavy equipment operators, must also stop if they lose sight of anyone on the site.  They also need to know that the backup signals while a good tool does not replace the skills of an alert operator.

Older workers need better lighting.  Make sure safety signs are placed in locations where they are easily.  Bifocal safety glasses are available to compensate for vision loss.

Reaction times of older workers are slower than their younger counterparts.  This increases their chance of injury since they are unable to react quickly in hazardous situations, especially around equipment.  Make sure employees receive proper training and are familiar with the equipment they are operating.

In the future, the demand for workers will grow with fewer workers entering the workforce and an aging workforce.  We need to take action now and address the special needs of older workers.