The Work Environment

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace2 Key Points The Work Environment The spaces where we work affect us throughout our lives We have control over the degree to which workplaces and job processes promote safe & productive work We can promote healthy aging by designing age friendly workplaces

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace3 How This Presentation Will Work We’ll introduce you to some principles to help you design and modify your workplace Three workplace issues will serve as examples Physical Demands Lighting Cognitive Demands We’ll consider how each issue is an aging issue We will discuss what level of control you have in each instance and what you can do

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace4 Guiding Principles Workplace Design and Tool Selection 1.Smart design is the most effective way to ensure safety, health and job performance 2.Match the physical and cognitive demands of work with the physical and cognitive abilities of the workforce (Fit the work to the worker)

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace5 Fitting the Work to the Worker Universal Design Fitting Work to the Worker – Simple, fair and flexible in use – Easy to see and understand – Tolerance for error Source: Modified from the Principles of Universal Design

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace6 Physical Demands of Work Ergonomics

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace7 Physical Demands of Work In Relation to Safety & Job Performance… Lifting, pushing, pulling, bending and reaching are sometimes seen as “just part of the job” We can design work to reduce the constant toll on our joints and muscles Pushing the body to its physical limits can lead to injury Injuries lead to absenteeism, presenteeism and decreased productivity

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace8 Physical Demands of Work An Aging Issue Our bodies change as we age Skeletal muscles and connective tissue undergo natural physiological changes – Muscle fibers decrease in size and number – Water content decreases in tendons & ligaments, making tissue more brittle – Joint cartilage wears down, increasing likelihood of certain injuries (e.g. rotator cuff)

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace9 Physical Demands of Work An Aging Issue All things being equal, balance decreases with age – Changes in our vision and “peripheral sensation” Reaction time increases with age

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace10 Physical Demands of Work Work Days Missed Due to Workplace Injury, 2004 Age Group Median Days Away from Work Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace11 Physical Demands of Work Workplace Fatalities and Age Source: NIOSH Worker Health Chartbook, 2004, p 264

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace12 Physical Demands - An Aging Issue Occupational Injuries Treated in Hospital ER’s, 1999 Source: Work-Related Injury Statistics Query System (

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace13 Physical Demands of Work An Aging Issue Strength peaks at about years of age – year olds may overestimate their abilities Endurance declines with age – Can be maintained or improved with exercise – Endurance is affected by factors other than age… Our physical abilities change as we age Physical abilities vary from person to person How do you prepare for a workforce with diverse abilities?…

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace14 Physical Demands of Work How to Prepare for a Aging Workforce Reduce the physical demands of work To prevent injuries and increase efficiency in workers of all ages… – Priority: Reduce reaching by positioning the task as close to the worker as possible – Develop a “zero lift” policy (may take a while) – Organize work with good work/rest cycles – Practice good housekeeping – Avoid uneven surfaces

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace15 Physical Demands of Work How to Prepare for a Aging Workforce Technology is everybody’s friend… – Mechanical lifts – Mobile lifts – Mobile work platforms – Height-adjustable tables – Rotating cabin forklifts

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace16 Physical Demands of Work How to Prepare for a Aging Workforce Technology is everybody’s friend… – Mechanical lifts – Mobile lifts – Mobile work platforms – Height-adjustable tables – Rotating cabin forklifts

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace17 Physical Demands of Work How to Prepare for a Aging Workforce Technology is everybody’s friend… – Mechanical lifts – Mobile lifts – Mobile work platforms – Height-adjustable tables – Rotating cabin forklifts

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace18 Physical Demands of Work How to Prepare for a Aging Workforce Technology is everybody’s friend… – Mechanical lifts – Mobile lifts – Mobile work platforms – Height-adjustable tables – Rotating cabin forklifts

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace19 Physical Demands of Work How to Prepare for a Aging Workforce Technology is everybody’s friend… – Mechanical lifts – Mobile lifts – Mobile work platforms – Height-adjustable tables – Rotating cabin forklifts

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace20 Physical Demands of Work How to Prepare for a Aging Workforce Ways to reduce risks of slips/trips/falls – Slip resistant material on floors – Hand rails – Color contrast on uneven surfaces – Shallow stairwells as opposed to ladders

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace21 Physical Demands of Work A Few More Ideas…

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace22 Lighting & Vision Job Performance Vision is critical for… – Reading work-related documents – Interpreting signage – Seeing and reacting to safety hazards – Balance – Others?

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace23 Lighting & Vision An Aging Issue Age-related vision impairment starts at about 40 years of age Physiological changes: – The lens yellows and becomes more brittle – The muscles that focus the lens become weaker and less responsive

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace24 Lighting & Vision An Aging Issue Functional changes: – Near-sightedness or far-sightedness – Restricted depth perception – Restricted field of vision – Slowed adaptation to changes in light – Increased sensitivity to bright lights and glare – Decreased sensitivity to contrast

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace25 Lighting & Vision An Aging Issue Are older workers the only ones who might have trouble seeing? – One study estimated 25% of children aged 6-18 wear glasses or contact lenses Source: Kemper A, et al. Optom Vis Sci January ; 81(1): 7–10

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace26 Lighting & Vision Design for Everyone… Provide lighting levels appropriate to the task Provide more individual control over lighting levels Eliminate glare Increase contrast Dark letters on a dark background POOR Light letters on a dark background GOOD Dark letters on a light background GOOD

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace27 Lighting & Vision Designing an Age Friendly Workplace Signs should be designed to be as clear and easy to read as possible – Clearview Hwy Font Avoid visual “clutter” – Computer screens – Consult with drivers before adding new gauges and monitors to dashboards

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace28 Cognitive Demands of Work

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace29 Aging Badly and Aging Well… A Discussion

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace30 Aging and Cognition Working Memory a.k.a. short-term memory Recalling information quickly Our ability to quickly understand and process new information declines with age

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace31 Aging and Cognition Long-Term Memory Our long-term memory tends to be unaffected by age Meanings of words are retained “Procedural memory” is maintained Job competence increases over time

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace32 Cognition An Aging Issue When we’re young, our minds are adaptable and can process information quickly… but we don’t know much When we’re older, we need more time to think and learn… but we can see the big picture There does not appear to be a relationship between job performance and age Our age affects how we work

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace33 Cognition What To Do Education & Training – Give it time to sink in – Use familiar language – With computer training, use text, audio narration & pictures – Provide job support aides (“cheat sheets”) Equipment design – Similar equipment should work in similar ways

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace34 Cognition What To Avoid Too much information Distractions Introducing new processes too quickly

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace35 Key Points Review The Work Environment The spaces where we work affect us throughout our lives We have control over how work spaces and job processes are designed Physical Demands Lighting Cognitive Demands We can promote healthy aging by designing age friendly workplaces

Designing the Age Friendly Workplace36 Time for a Break…