The Older Worker: Everyone’s Future

By K Munk

When employing older workers, Australian employers are concerned about the decline in physical ability, loss of manual dexterity and a reduction in productivity.

Other negative attitudes to older workers include the perception that older workers have higher accident rates, poor health and increased illness.

The literature indicates that there are certain age-related changes that may affect an individual's capacity to complete job requirements. Equally, there are certain work conditions that may accelerate or accentuate the ageing process. This article examines accident and injury statistics, and outlines the physical and the somewhat controversial issue of cognitive changes (which have a bearing on work capacity). The physical and organisational conditions of work that may adversely affect older workers will then be explored, followed by a discussion of the ergonomic actions that may be used from the work design stage in order to maintain the mental and physical health of workers throughout their working life.

(Journal of Occupational Health and Safety Australia and New Zealand, vol. 19, no. 5, October 2003)

Enhanced Safety, Health and Environmental Outcomes Through Improved Design

R Trethewy and M Atkinson

Enhanced safety, health and environmental (SHE) outcomes through better design involve eliminating or minimising risks in the preliminary planning stages of a product. Better design provides a foundation for improved outcomes in the development, use and maintenance of a product, such as plant and equipment, or a building).

The many stakeholders who contribute to the design process must critically review its SHE implications in order to improve the design outcomes. The client, or end user, must be actively involved in the review to ensure that operational requirements and maintenance issues - which are intrinsically known to the client - are considered by other design stakeholders. For example, SHE implications inherent in the design of a building project may be present during its construction, use, maintenance and demolition, that is, during its complete life cycle.

(Journal of Occupational Health and Safety Australia and New Zealand, vol. 19, no. 5, October 2003)