The Aging Worker in the U.S. Construction Industry
Reducing the physical demands on all workers in construction is essential.
- By Laura Welch
- Mar 01, 2010
Construction workers, like the rest of the U.S. population, are getting older. The average age in construction was 40.4 years in 2008, 4.4 years older than in 1985 (see Figure 1). More than 40 percent of construction workers are "baby boomers," that is, they were born between 1946 and 1964. The proportion of construction workers in this age range varies from 23 percent among roofers to 54 percent among construction managers. And construction workers overall stop working at an earlier age than other workers. These demographics predict an exodus of experienced workers from the industry in the next decade. CPWR -- The Center for Construction Research and Training is evaluating ways to increase work participation as construction workers age.
Figure 1 at left depicts the age of workers in the United States over time. Because of the physical demands of the work, construction workers who are employed have to be healthier than the general population, but the same physical demands cause workers with injuries or illness to leave the industry. We know that 10 percent of construction workers do not return to work after an injury, and that construction workers with a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD), lung disease, or injury are more likely to retire on disability than workers with the same conditions in less physically demanding work.
And even without an injury or an MSD, construction workers have a high risk for serious diseases down the road. Construction workers in the United States have the highest rate of smoking among all occupations, at 37.7 percent, compared to a national average of 22 percent, carrying a risk for lung cancer and chronic lung disease. Forty-three percent of U.S. construction workers are overweight, compared to 35 percent of all workers, with a risk for diabetes and heart disease. Because construction work includes a lot of material handling, awkward posture, and other physical demands, many construction workers also develop work-related MSDs, such as chronic low back pain or shoulder problems. Research shows that a worker will retire early if his work is physically demanding or his workplace has limited opportunity for job accommodation; these factors are prevalent in construction. If one looks at the increasing age of workers in this industry, the likelihood of a construction worker developing an MSD or other chronic disease, combined with the industry characteristics mentioned, one can anticipate a shortage of experienced workers in the next decade.