Aging Workforce Faces More Risks on the Job

Canada's aging workforce compromises a large portion of its total workforce and the general aging of the population will have a wide range of economic and social implications for decades. Aging workers face a higher degree of risk in industries that require a lot of physical labor, have heavy equipment, and have a lot of exposure to harmful chemicals. Aging workers may have a great deal of experience, but worker safety is compromised due to a number of reasons. The government and employers need to develop solutions for this issue as a large portion of the workforce is middle-aged or older.

What can be done about it?

A larger portion of older Canadians are working longer than their counterparts in the 1990s. Continued participation in the labor force is due to a number of factors. In blue collar industries, employers need to have more regulations in place for senior workers. For example, they could have shorter working hours, longer breaks, pre-arranged transportation etc. Employers do need to take greater responsibilities in the workplace as older Canadians will continue to remain vital to the stability of the Canadian economy. Solutions are not going to come by easily and they will need continued assistance from the government.

Be compliant and hire a Certified Registered Safety Professional (CRSP)

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