Workers over 50 are a little less likely to have accidents at work than others, but these accidents are more serious when they occur, according to the Health Observatory published on Tuesday February 21 by French Mutuality. “The number of accidents at work decreases with age”explains the Observatory.
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Occupational accidents of the over 50s represent 25% of total occupational accidents, while these older workers represent 29% of employees. On the other hand, when these accidents occur, they are more serious: employees over the age of 50 are clearly over-represented in permanent disabilities or deaths, since in 41% of permanent disabilities and 58% of deaths related to an accident at work, the victim is over 50 years old.
Similarly, the duration of work stoppages after an accident tends to be higher for the oldest employees, with a ratio of 86.9 days per accident for those aged 50 to 59, compared to 79 days for those aged 40 to 49. years, and 44.2 for those aged 20 to 29. In general, sick leave increases markedly with age, also recalls Mutuality.
“Expand access to early retirement”
While the average duration of sick leave in France is 35 days for all employees, it increases to 75 days for employees over 60, she notes. The Mutual Health Observatory is this year largely devoted to occupational health, on which it makes a number of proposals.
“49% of working people consciously indicate that they have already encountered health problems at work, including 24% on several occasions”, underlines the Mutuality, which calls in particular to strengthen the efforts of prevention in the companies. It also proposes to increase the contribution for accidents at work/occupational diseases in companies with a high loss rate.
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Must also “limit professional wear and tear” in “expanding access to early retirement for permanent incapacity linked to professional wear and tear”she believes.
La Mutualité also proposes to restore the criteria for “painful postures”, “heavy loads”, “mechanical vibration”And “hazardous chemical agents”in taking into account the hardship of a profession.
