ABSTRACT
The UK is experiencing an ageing population due to a decrease in birth rates and an increase in life expectancy (Jacobzone, 2000). This has coincided with the abolishment of an official retirement age and an increase in state pension age to 68 by the year 2046 (EUOSHA, 2014). In construction, ageing can be tough. For example, harsh weather, poor natural light and ventilation and high levels of noise have the ability to exacerbate natural declines in ageing such as vision and hearing difficulties. Heavy manual tasks and repetitive bending and twisting have been shown to be important predictors in early retirement from the construction industry, as well as increasing the likelihood of musculoskeletal symptoms (Hengel et al., 2012).
