The ageing of the U.K. workforce

Because the age of the European workforce is rapidly advancing, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work recently launched a campaign called Healthy Workplaces for All Ages, and it might be of interest to Essex workers and their employers. Across Europe, 30 percent or more of the workforce is expected to be over the age of 55 by 2030. In the UK, 30 percent of the workforce is now comprised of people over 50, and a sizable percentage is 60 or older.

The stated goals of the campaign are several. The first aim is to promote risk prevention and healthy ageing. The campaign is also focused on providing tools and information about occupational safety and health practices geared towards older workers. Finally, it wants to work towards better exchanges of information regarding occupational safety practices for the ageing workforce.

The British Safety Council fully supports the campaign. According to a spokesperson, employers will need to work to retain older workers as there is an insufficient number of younger workers to take their places. At the same time, companies will need to take preventative measures to reduce the risk of injury for this ageing subset of employees.

Regardless of their ages, people who are injured at work often are forced to obtain medical care and treatment, and many are unable to return to their jobs for prolonged periods while they are recovering. Those who have been in such a workplace accident may want to meet with a solicitor who has experience in work injury claims and who can explain what is entailed when attempting to seek appropriate compensation.

Source: Construction Global, “British Safety Council supports Healthy Workplaces for All Ages campaign,” Nell Walker, April 21, 2016.