Optimizing and Designing the Workplace for Aging (Chronologically Gifted) Workers (Part 2)

Ergonomic Workplace Design Recommendations for Aging Workers

The purpose of ergonomics is to optimize human well-being and overall work system performance.  In dealing with older workers the goal of ergonomics is to preserve/enhance the workers’ performance, productivity and health.  The most effective way of doing this is through engineering controls, i.e. designing the job, equipment, tools and environment to eliminate or reduce risk factors that cause poor performance, injuries and illnesses.

As with workers of any age, there is variability seen amongst them.  Not all 50 year old workers have the same strength, dexterity and flexibility; the same can be said for all age groups.  In other words there is no “One size fits all” design standard.  So the question becomes what’s the design standard that meets the aging population?  In a nutshell, it is “Design the workplace/job to fit anyone”.  This will allow workers of all ages to be healthier and more productive.  An adaptable workplace, i.e. one in which the worker can make changes on their own so the work/workstation fits their capabilities, benefits employers and employees alike.  Here are some general design guidelines to get you started:

1. “Hand shake” zone:  As much as possible design everything to be within the “hand shake” zone.  This holds true for all work environments from material handling to office.  We have the most strength and power when things are close to the mid-section of our body.  The hand shake zone is an easy way to remember the optimal location to place, position and perform the task, tool or item. 
2. Lighting:  The lighting needs of older workers versus younger workers can be quite different.  In general older workers need better quality of light and greater amount of light.
   
   1. Quality—conventional lighting including the workplace standard cool white fluorescent emits a limited spectrum of light that tends to throw off harsh yellow hue that distorts colors and stresses our eyes.  On the other hand, full spectrum light bulbs produce light that is seen by the human eye in a bluish-white tint.  It mimics the qualities of natural sunlight which companies say produces less eye fatigue, headaches and thereby has potential to increase productivity.  Look for light bulbs that have a color rendering value >95.
   2. Amount—on average 40-50 year olds need 2-3x more light as a 20 year old.  Because of this employers may find that younger office workers have no lights on above their workstation or have purposely disconnected one or more fluorescent bulbs in order to lower the amount of light.  The best solution is to provide light switches that either allow dimming or change the amount of light (i.e. different number of fluorescent bulbs lit up within the light fixture).  The amount of light needed also depends on the task the worker is performing.  For example, inspection tasks require more light than large assembly tasks, and paper document tasks require more light than computer only tasks.  This allows the workers to adjust the light as needed.
3. Safety Glasses:  Given the fact 80% of workers 60 years old or older wear glasses employers who have jobs that require workers to wear safety glasses need to be mindful that workers get safety glasses with their prescription.  The typical safety glasses contained in the box hanging on the wall are not appropriate.  Workers who try to get by without prescription safety glasses at a minimum are more prone to errors and lower quality and a worst increase their risk for injury since their vision is compromised. 
4. Sound—as people age they tend to be more annoyed by sound.  Too much noise can be as distracting as too little noise.  This applies to younger workers as well but to a lesser extent.  There are three ways to deal with sound.  One is to absorb it, i.e. installing panels or carpeting to dampen the noise.  Second is to block the sound, i.e. designing a unique arrangement or position of offices/furniture/equipment so that it hinders the noise.  The third is to control the noise, i.e. masking the noise through use of technology brings the noise up to a constant level.  This is frequently done in office buildings.
5. Allow movement/posture changes—staying in one position for any length of time whether sitting or standing causes detrimental effects on the body.  It is best to allow workers options on changing their position.  We know that sitting increases the force on the lower back by 50%.  Providing an option for sitting workers to be able to stand for 1-2 hours of their workday can go a long way to prevent “sitting disease”.  Another example is for the opposite, if a worker is standing on an assembly line, providing a tall stool on which they can take a partial load off their feet periodically throughout the work day helps prevent the negative effects of prolonged standing.

There are some simple things than can be done.  One is to change door knobs to levers.  This gets rid of the pinch grip and changes it to a power grip.  Another is to provide carts that have handles so they can be pushed rather than pulled.  Does your building have quite a large number of way-finding signs?  If so, increasing the letter height and color contrast of signage so it’s easier and quicker to read would be beneficial.  .

Conclusion

The chronologically gifted workers are a significant asset for any employer.  Companies would be wise to attract and retain them as they have been shown to have greater commitment and loyalty, fewer sick days, lower injuries and have a lifetime of knowledge.  Accommodating these workers will be key to the changing workforce.  Employers need to be aware of the issues faced by older workers and must use sound ergonomic principles to accommodate them and their younger counterparts in the workplace.