Elevated occupational transportation fatalities among older workers in Oregon: An empirical investigation

► Seven years of data show increased risk of death among workers 65 years and older. ► Being male and aging increase occupational fatality risk for all events, and for transportation events. ► Age remains significant risk factor after controlling for male employment levels in transportation. ► Evidence for four explanations for excess risk are reviewed. ► We provide an evidence-based framework for improving safety in this population. Older workers have an elevated risk of being killed on the job, and transportation incidents involving vehicles or mobile machinery are especially deadly for this group. The present study was designed to address the research gap in understanding contributing factors to these incidents and recommend evidence-based guidelines for interventions. We gathered and analyzed data from several sources, including the Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program, the Oregon Workers’ Compensation system, the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and peer reviewed research literatures. Rates and rate ratios (RR) were used to evaluate excess risk among groups. The results of this study show that older workers in Oregon have an elevated risk of fatality both in all events (RR=3.0, 95% CI 2.2–4.0) and transportation events (RR=3.6, 95% CI 2.4–5.4). Additional analyses and extant literature supports our hypotheses that multiple risk factors contribute to the phenomenon, including (a) hazard exposure, (b) organization of work, (c) physical fragility, and (d) normative cognitive, sensory, and psychomotor changes that occur with age. The evidence-based framework proposed may provide valuable guidance for developing safety interventions that protect older workers.