Posted By Freda Line I have seen little discussion on OH and realted health and safety issues which have considered the impact of forthcoming age discrimination legislation. Can anyone signpost me please to some expertise on these issues? When meeting with a group of OH specialists last year, I was concerned that there seemed such a limited understanding of the potential scope of age laws and in particular on how employers will have to amend policy to possibly protect all employees. In addition I would be keen to hear of any thinking that has been done on the development of 'health, safety & welfare' justifications for discrimination - for instance via protective or care related duty or policy.

Posted By Andrew Böber Quite an interesting news report on this subject today: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4514399.stm Andrew

Posted By Kieran J Duignan Freda The International Ergonomics Association contributed to a conference in 2003 on the implciations of the aging workforce. It included contributions from cultures (especially Japan) where ergonomic risk assessments and adaptations for different age-groups are embedded in workplace cultures. One reason for the lack of attention to the H & S implications of age discrimination is that the 'leading' interest groups - ACAS and the CIPD - lack much understanding of ergonomic adaptations necessary and economically possible. I attended a seminar organised jointly by them last September and ergonomic adaptations got exactly six words by the CIPD Discimination Specialist (who had earlier not even replied to my email to her, although I'm a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD). So, wilful refusal to face realiitis on the part of those claiming leadership appears to be a major source of the problem to highlight.