By 2030, workers aged 55-64 are expected to make up 30 % or more of the
workforce in many European countries. The retirement age is increasing in many
Member States and many workers are likely to face longer working lives. Efforts
must therefore be made to ensure safe and healthy conditions throughout working
The Europe 2020 strategy identifies demographic change as one of the major
challenges that Europe faces. To address this, the European Union (EU)
Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2014-2020 outlines measures to
promote good practice and improve occupational safety and health (OSH)
conditions for all workers.
The ageing workforce presents various challenges for all those involved in
- Longer working lives may result in longer exposure to risks.
- There will be more workers with chronic health problems and specific needs.
- Older workers might be more vulnerable to certain safety and health hazards.
- The high rate of work-related health problems in certain sectors and jobs that involve a heavy physical and/or mental workload, manual work or atypical working hours must be taken into account.
- Disability prevention, rehabilitation and return to work are of increased importance.
- At the society level, age discrimination needs to be dealt with.
The European social partners, BusinessEurope, UEAPME, CEEP and the ETUC (and
the liaison committee EUROCADRES/ CEC), agreed to negotiate an autonomous
framework agreement on active ageing and an inter-generational approach.
The agreement is to ensure a healthy, safe and productive working environment
to enable workers of all ages to remain at work until the legal retirement age.
It is to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and experience between
generations at the workplace and takes the changing national demographic and
labour market realiti es into account.
AplusA-online.de - Source: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work