Latest figures from the Health & Safety Executive highlight the importance of protecting workers’ safety, particularly those aged 60 or older.

Latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have revealed that 147 people were killed at work in the year 2018-2019 (April-March), one quarter of whom were aged 60 or over.

Despite this age group making up only 10% of the UK workforce, they were more than twice as likely to die in a workplace accident last year.

Older workers can be an invaluable source of knowledge, experience and expertise. We are an ageing workforce in the UK and whilst there are “often more health and safety risks associated with older workers they, like all other working people, have the right to expect their safety, health and wellbeing will not be put at risk by work” (HSE, 2019).

HSE also report the most dangerous sectors are agriculture, construction and manufacturing, with the most common cause of deaths for all ages across all sectors being falls from height, followed by moving vehicles and being struck by a moving, including flying or falling, object.

These stats provide further evidence that employers must protect their workers and ensure they have the correct measures in place.

Richard Jones, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at IOSH, urges employers to better protect older workers: “Good occupational safety and health management helps ensure that all workers, young and old, can fulfil their potential at work and come home safe.”

Learn more about you can invest in the health and wellbeing of your employees: /services/occupational-health/