"The number of accidents at work decreases with age." This is the finding of the Health Observatory published Tuesday by the French Mutuality. But this study also reveals that while workers over 50 are slightly less likely to have accidents at work than others, these accidents are more serious when they occur. Accidents at work for the over 50s account for 25% of total accidents at work, while these older workers represent 29% of employees.
On the other hand, when these accidents occur, they are more serious: employees over 50 years of age 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.
Longer sick leave
Similarly, the duration of absence from work after an accident tends to be higher for older employees, with a ratio of 86.9 days per accident for those aged 50 to 59, compared with 79 days for those aged 40 to 49, and 44.2 for those aged 20 to 29.
In general, sick leave increases significantly with age, also recalls the Mutuality. 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.
Proposals on occupational health
This year, the Health Observatory of the Mutualité is largely devoted to occupational health, on which it makes a number of proposals. In its Observatory, the Mutualité proposes to increase the contribution of accidents at work / occupational diseases in companies with a high loss rate. It also suggests "limiting occupational wear and tear" by "expanding access to early retirement for permanent disability related to occupational wear and tear".
The Mutualité is also in favor of the return of the criteria of "painful postures", "heavy loads", "mechanical vibrations", and "dangerous chemical agents", recently removed in the assessment of the arduousness of a profession.
- Health
- Work
- Senior
- Accidents at work
- Pension reform 2023