Slips, trips and falls in different work groups with reference to age

Both older male and female workers had higher rates of reported STF accidents than younger workers, but it was established that within any one occupation the workplace hazards were common to all.

Abstract

Data from two Swedish databases were matched to provide information on occupational slip, trip and fall (STF) accidents. There was an increased rate of recorded STF accidents in the group aged 45 years or more. Older women reported STF accidents twice as often as their younger colleagues. In order to better understand adequate preventive measures, factors contributing to occupational STF accidents were studied. Textual descriptions of contributing factors in more than 1600 STF accident reports from occupational groups with high incidence rates of STF accidents were analysed and categorised by gender and age. In general, no age differences were found regarding contributing factors for the STF accidents. Hence, it was concluded that the same preventive measures should be implemented for both younger and older people in the same occupation. As older workers proved to have longer sick leaves in connection to STF accidents, institution of the preventive measures is even more urgent to perform where the work force is comprised of workers aged 45 years or more.