Elsevier

Safety Science

Volume 21, Issue 2, December 1995, Pages 145-161
Safety Science

Aging and occupational accidents a review of the literature of the last three decades

https://doi.org/10.1016/0925-7535(95)00059-3Get rights and content

Abstract

This paper deals with age-related accident risks (largely in industrial settings), and offers a synthesis of the scientific literature of the last three decades. It is concerned with large-scale and intra-occupational studies that have investigated age-related accident frequency severity or characteristics. It is maintained that the findings so far shed little light on the expected direction and magnitude of the relation between aging and occupational accidents. A framework is outlined for the purpose of identifying jobs in which aging has either a preventive or an aggravating effect on accident occurrence. This framework is proposed tentatively as a means for understanding the confusing findings of the literature review. It is concluded that the safety problems of older workers may well be restricted to activities that are specifically “age-impaired”. Age-related accident problems can also be specific in terms of injury type. Finally, it is emphasized that further research would benefit greatly from longitudinal designs, proper exposure measurements, intra-occupational investigations, consideration of the positive effect of relevant experience on occupational safety, and greater precision with regard to the type of accident in focus.

References (37)

  • A.E. Dillingham

    Age and workplace injuries

    Aging and Work

    (1981)
  • A.E. Dillingham

    Sex differences in labour market injury risk

    Ind. Relations

    (1981)
  • A. Gary

    Ergonomics of the older worker: An overview

    Experimental Aging Res.

    (1991)
  • S. Giniger et al.

    Age, experience and performance on speed and skill jobs in an applied setting

    J. Appl. Psychol.

    (1983)
  • S. Griew

    A study of accidents in relation to occupation and age

    Ergonomics

    (1958)
  • A.R. Hale et al.

    A Review of the Industrial Accident Literature

    (1972)
  • M. Hale et al.

    A Review of Literature relating to the accident experience of younger workers and the relation between accidents and age

  • J. Ilmarien

    Myths and facts about the development of the capacities of ageing individuals

  • Cited by (138)

    • Comparison of parameters for likelihood and severities of injuries in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM)

      2019, Safety Science
      Citation Excerpt :

      This is because younger workers compared to older workers tend to be less experience in hazard identification and management and have recklessness behaviour. However, when it comes to severity of injuries, younger workers have increased body strength and mental ability to recover quicker, thus, suffer less severe injuries (Laflamme and Menckel, 1995). The research also revealed that the high-level drug users had higher risk (AOR 2.22, p < 0.05) for the likelihood of injuries than others, but it is not significant (p > 0.05) for likelihood of severe injuries.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text