Equipment that requires driving skills, like backhoes, forklifts, cranes, lifts, dozers, and graders, often creates a problem for older workers. However, this equipment can be driven at work if older drivers have proven qualifications and experience.
For example, forklift drivers of any age must provide substantiating certification to prove their qualifications. This is also true for other types of heavy equipment, and OSHA provides forklift certification after workers complete a training course and OSHA requirements for workplace safety.
Employee Qualification Tests
Older drivers in many companies must take employee qualification tests to prove their heavy equipment driving skills. This helps older drivers and the place of business determine if the older driver can safely operate equipment onsite or off. The qualification tests include hands-on and written tests.
What Do We Know About Older Drivers in the Workplace?
Older drivers are affected by many issues that may impair their driving skills at work. These include:
- Medications
- Sight or hearing loss
- Slower reaction and slower reflexes
- Stiff muscles and joints
- Shorter attention span
- Fatigue
Employers planning to hire older drivers at work should require a physical exam by a company medical doctor to ensure the older driver's health will not compromise workplace safety.
Monitoring Older Drivers at Work
It is necessary to monitor older drivers at work regularly to note any health or attention span changes. This should be reinforced by reviews of company safety policies and attention to fellow employees' comments on driving skills.
Employers should record workplace driving accidents to monitor the frequency with which they occur and identify drivers involved.
Business Insurance Policies
Another issue employers should monitor frequently is their business liability insurance. Older drivers who have compromised attention spans or are affected by the side effects of medications can be an insurance liability. Discuss this with the liability insurance agent to determine the impact on liability insurance cost.
How Can You Prevent Crashes among Older Drivers at Work?
Depending on the location of the driving required by employers, preventing crashes among older drivers at work may ensure older drivers follow policies and their driving skills are assessed during various phases of their jobs. Encouraging older workers to attend safe driving programs is another way to prevent workplace crashes.
Make sure vehicles assigned to older drivers operate in satisfactory and safe conditions. Provide ergonomic seats and make particular mirrors correctly adjusted in vehicles.
Keep vehicles clean and windows and windshields free of dirt. Tires should be properly inflated to avoid blowouts or flats. Check seat belts to ensure they operate according to the manufacturer's specifications.
Help older drivers avoid distractions with guidelines that disallow the use of cell phones and other devices. One team member should be assigned to present driver safety programs to reinforce safety among older drivers.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/motorvehicle/topics/olderdrivers/default.html
http://www.360training.com/blog/forever-young-is-getting-old/
