Give Aging Employees Safer Workplaces, Not the Boot

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The challenge is how to prevent workplace accidents among aging workers.

Japan's revised Industrial Safety and Health Act, which requires businesses to take measures to address this issue, comes into effect in April 2026. Consequently, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) is now considering issuing new guidelines for businesses.

In cases where injuries or other medical issues sustained at work can be life-threatening, the risks are greater for older people. The revised law requires businesses to make efforts to implement countermeasures. However, mere guidelines are not enough. There must be concrete efforts to ensure the measures are duly implemented.

MHLW needs easy-to-understand guidelines to promote the creation of workplace environments where people can work with true peace of mind.

Who's At Risk

Employees 60 years or older constitute less than 20% of the workforce. However, they account for 30% of those who take four or more days off work due to injuries or other health issues sustained on the job. One cause is likely the decline in physical ability that accompanies aging. In response, we need to establish safe working environments, rather than discouraging older employees from working.

*Temporary workers working at a hydrogen station. The company that dispatches them focuses on safety measures (Photo provided by the company)*

With Japan's population declining, promoting employment for aging workers is the key to economic revitalization. Moreover, keeping people working longer will help the social security system stay more sustainable. Therefore, companies need to consider how to upgrade the workplace environment as one facet of their productivity improvement efforts.

Examination of the incidence of work-related accidents in five-year increments illustrates the risks. The average rate of accidents for older workers begins to exceed the average for both men and women from the age of 50 to 54. Occupational injuries involving slip and fall are more common among older men. For women, the more common injuries are fractures due to falls.

The following are typical reported cases. A woman in her 60s slips, falls, and breaks a bone on the wet floor while spraying water during cleaning a workshop. Meanwhile, a man in his 60s climbs a stepladder to change a fluorescent light bulb, falls, and sprains his ankle.

As people age, declining physical attributes such as muscle strength, balance, vision, and hearing are natural. Of course, the situation varies by individual. However, there is a greater tendency for fractures to occur and for treatment to take longer among older workers.

Easy Mitigating Measures

Meanwhile, many workplace alterations can be carried out immediately to improve the work environment for aging employees. For example, installing handrails and anti-slip surfaces, eliminating steps, ensuring adequate lighting and introducing non-slip flooring. Moreover, these can also prove effective in preventing accidents involving young workers who are not yet used to work environments. Employers also need to listen to the opinions of their employees and promptly review their work processes.

At the same time, workers themselves need to be aware of the risks associated with aging. MHLW has created a checklist to measure the likelihood of falling and all employees should make use of it.

Excluding older workers based on the results of physical tests and measurements is not helpful to the company or the national economy. Businesses should instead ensure that, as workers age, they can still play an active role by performing tasks with less risk.

Preventing industrial accidents requires a workplace-wide effort.