Regulatory frameworks for aging workforce safety: A comparative policy analysis across ten countries
Alida LangloisBackground
The global workforce is aging, with workers aged 55 and over projected to constitute approximately one quarter of the labor force in most OECD countries by 2030. Governments have responded with legislative and policy frameworks to support aging worker participation, but whether these frameworks provide employers with adequate guidance to manage age-related occupational risks remains unclear.
Objective
To compare regulatory approaches to aging workforce safety across ten countries and identify common gaps.
Methods
In this comparative policy analysis, ten countries were examined: Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, China, Argentina, South Africa, the Czech Republic, France, and Singapore. Legislation, government guidance, national action plans, and occupational health and safety provisions for aging workers were analyzed.
Results
All ten countries have enacted measures addressing aging workforce participation. A consistent pattern emerges: regulatory frameworks place primary responsibility on employers to identify and manage age-related risks without providing specific guidance on what those risks are or how to assess them. Frameworks are predominantly reactive.
Conclusions
The global regulatory landscape is characterized by employer obligation without adequate support. Targeted risk assessment tools and pre-emptive regulatory guidance are needed to reduce occupational injury and illness among older workers.