Work Health and Safety Management

Running Head: WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGMENT
Work health and safety management
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WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGMENT 1
Literature review
According to Driscoll, Carey, and Peters, 2015, it has been found that old workforce is able to
enjoy their work in some section which is not linked with the physical work. But the same
workforce faces great difficult when they are linked with the physical work. In addition to this, it
has been found that non-physical jobs do not display risk related to older employees. These
workforces often face risk when their job is physical in nature and produces more chances of
damage related to their health. It has been found that most common injury which has been often
found in these employees are slip or fall, muscle strain and handle and head injuries. In addition
to this, it has been found that old employees are not usually connected with the compensation
plan regarding injuries in the workplace. Often, old employee takes more time to recover from
these injuries and in some cases, these injuries become worst. According to CDC, it has been
found that old employee takes almost twice time to recovery as compared to the younger
employee which are in the age of 20-24. According to Jinnett, Schwatka and Tenney, 2017, old
employees are always under the risk situation related to their health. These sections of people
often face issue related to obesity and diabetes which increase the risk when this section of
workforce comes in contact with injury because obesity increases the chances of fall or slip. In
addition to this, they are increasing the chances of muscle strain when they are working at
workplace. Diabetes extends the time which old employee need to get recovery from the injury
while being treated. In this age, individual usually faces two diseases at the same time which is
impacting their strength as well as mental ability to focus on the standard procedures in the
manufacturing industry and therefore chances of injury increases automatically.
According to Roche, Pidd, and Fischer, 2016, many times these questions arise in mind whether
younger workforce is more fatal as compared to older workforce. As per the study, it has been
very clear that the younger workforce showed lower fatality as compared to older workers. They
mainly focused on one of the most important aspect behind this concept which is the younger
workforce usually have higher impact resistant as compared to the older workforce. In simple
terms, if some impact can kill an older workforce, same amount of impact will create just injury
to the younger workforce. In fact, younger workforce has the capability to face any kind of
health disease and injury as compared to old employee because their immune system, as well as
muscle building capability, is very high. It simply indicated that old employees are more concern
about risk factor as compared to younger employees and in Australia aging in population is
spreading very faster. It has been found that around 26% of workforce in Australia belongs to
this 45 age group. In addition to this, it has been found that industry which is connected with
manufacturing, construction seems to be more risky for old age workforce as compared to
service industry where they enjoy various benefits.
Magnitude of risk
As per the study it has been found that musculoskeletal disorder has been seen in age group of 45
years and one of the most common factors which generate this disorder in the individual is stress

WORK HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGMENT 2
related to job change as well as requirement of job as compared to younger workforces which are
offering great competition to this old age group workers in the organization. In addition to this,
back injuries were seen very common in 45-60 year age group. Workforce who belongs to
construction and manufacturing seems to be suffered more from this issue. It simply indicates
that human strength gets reduced with age (Van Eerd et al., 2016). As the age of the human starts
crossing 35, its strength, muscle power, and bones start becoming weak. Especially in case of
loading and unloading, these section of workforces often face injuries which becomes severe
with the time or need extra time to recover as compared to younger workers. In some case, it has
been seen that younger workforce suffer more from injuries as compared to old workforces.
Another risk magnitude related to old workforce is hearing loss after the age of 45 years. Though
hearing loss is also seen in adults of age group 20-30 years but it is more found in age group of
45-60 years which has been exposed with continuous machine noise, press sounds and other
heavy machining processes (Svinndal et al., 2018). It is very common in these places because
manufacturing industry is mainly linked with unprotected noises which are above 85 DBA and
continuously creates risk environment for the old employee workforces which are working in
this environment from years.
In some cases, it has been seen that fabricators have the highest damage volume related to
hearing loss in old workforces. In addition to this, limited knowledge of new technology in the
present manufacturing world increases the chances of risk in this old workforce. An old
workforce sees the new workforce as a threat and tries to oppose them on every movement, even
if it can benefit them (Punch, 2016). There this attitude leads them towards injury because they
overlook the main key elements of the workplace and try to cover it through their experience.
But they have forgotten that present business environment has changed and therefore it is also
important to introduce change in their attitude.
According to West, Low and Stankovic, 2016, it has been seen that many factory workers are
facing difficulties related to hearing mainly in the age group of 45-60 years. Percentage of
hearing loss in the younger workforce was found to be very less. This problem is actually the
outcome of continuous exposure of unprotected noise from years on every day. They work in a
risk environment even after knowing that their strength has reduced because they are in need of
money and cannot afford retirement. Workforces which are connected with repairs, equipment
transportation process and metal extraction are more exposed to risk. These sections are regularly
working under risk environment which includes noise, heat and unwanted threats.
Risk assessment
Type of harm
The risk related to this workforce are muscle strain or muscle torn, back and hearing loss due to
unprotected noise. Among them most common risk is injury related to musculoskeletal.