Safety Concerns with Elder Employees in the Construction Industry

The construction industry depends on the contributions of older workers. According to data from Construction Drive, approximately 20% of all construction workers nationwide are 55 years of age or older. There are some unique safety considerations for older workers. Our Franklin County workers’ compensation lawyers can help you if you were injured on the job in Pennsylvania.

Know the Age-Related Physical Vulnerabilities in Construction Work

First and foremost, it is important to emphasize that older construction workers face higher risk of serious injury because physical resilience decreases with age. Muscle mass, joint stability, balance, and reaction time decline gradually. These changes increase the likelihood of falls, strains, and impact injuries during routine tasks. Pennsylvania construction sites involve ladders, scaffolds, heavy materials, and power tools that demand rapid physical response. When an older worker experiences a fall or overexertion event, recovery time is typically longer. Fractures, shoulder injuries, and lumbar spine injuries occur more frequently in older workers.

Older Workers Often Take Longer to Recover From an Accident

The evidence is clear: Pennsylvania workers’ compensation data show that older workers often experience more severe injuries. A fall that might cause a sprain in a younger worker can cause a fracture or rotator cuff tear in an older worker. Healing time increases with age, which extends periods of disability and pushes claims toward higher indemnity costs. Older workers also have increased vulnerability to complications such as infection, joint deterioration, and delayed healing.

Older Construction Workers Can Also Face Some Serious Ergonomic Hazards

Ergonomic risk factors have an outsized impact on older workers. Repetitive motions, heavy lifting, overhead work, kneeling, and awkward postures can trigger chronic musculoskeletal disorders. Tasks involving vibration, such as jackhammer use, increase nerve and joint strain. An older construction worker may be more likely to develop a repetitive stress injury.

Training, Supervision, and Reasonable Accommodation

Older workers may require updated training on equipment, fall protection, and site-specific hazards. Employers should implement retraining when tools or procedures change. Pennsylvania construction employers also have obligations under federal safety regulations to provide a safe environment for all workers. In some cases, older employees may require temporary work modifications. Lighter-duty assignments, additional breaks, reduced ladder use, or modified lifting requirements are all examples of things that can reduce the risk.

Note: Federal and state laws protect older construction workers against age-based discrimination. Older workers should not be denied job opportunities simply because of their age.

Call Our Franklin County Construction Accident Lawyer Today

At DiLoreto, Cosentino & Bolinger P.C., our Chambersburg workers’ compensation lawyers handle the full range of construction industry workers compensation injury claims. If you were hurt in an accident in the construction industry, we are more than ready to help. Please do not hesitate to contact us today for a free case review. Our firm handles construction accident injury cases throughout all of Franklin County, including in communities such as Chambersburg, Waynesboro, and Greencastle.