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Written by Adam Miller

The American workforce continues to see an increase year after year in the number of employees who are near or past the typical retirement age. Contributing factors include improvements in healthcare, a growing need for experienced labor, and older Americans who must continue to work because of a lack of sufficient retirement savings. While older employees can be tremendous assets for companies, it's important for business owners to do their part to protect older workers, who are more likely to be injured on the jobsite. Today's Aegis blog post highlights three steps employers can take to protect their aging workforce and ensure their personal safety while on the job.

Identify Potential Hazards

For many older workers, injuries on the jobsite come from trips, falls, and other hazards that might not have been an issue in years past. But declining vision and hearing, coupled with slower reaction times and balance issues, may increase potential hazards on the job site. Business owners can mitigate these injuries and risks by regularly surveying older employees to identify worksite hazards and get them resolved as soon as possible.

Develop Wellness Initiatives

One of the best ways to keep an aging workforce healthier and safer is by encouraging health and wellness initiatives to motivate employees. Employees that are encouraged by their employers to exercise and eat healthier, or complete smoking-cessation programs enjoy healthier lives and are far less likely to miss work due to chronic conditions. Wellness programs can lead to employees improving their strength, balance, and flexibilty, which may prevent more common injuries like muscle strains and falls from occurring in the workplace.

Safety Training

Business owners can also protect older workers by developing safety-training programs that focus on minimizing worksite accidents resulting from heavy lifting, machine operations, slips and falls, and other job hazards. When all employees are properly trained on how to perform their jobs with the utmost safety, and also how to handle workplace accidents, then all employees, including older workers, are safer and less likely to suffer debilitating injuries.

Our aging workforce provides a wealth of experience and expertise to companies, but company leaders need to make sure they can safely accommodate these valuable workers to protect their safety without sacrificing productivity. Aegis can also help companies protect their employees with reliable, cost-effective Workers Compensation coverage to protect businesses in the event of worksite injuries or accidents. To learn more about Workers Compensation coverage and how it can benefit your company, as well as our other Commercial policies, contact the Aegis team at 713-850-7622, or fill out our online form today to request a free quote!

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