Mr. Reeves was undoubtedly lucky to have a job at all at age 62 because, at least in the US and even with anti-discriminatory legislation, workplace age discrimination is epidemic. In the US, due to recent devaluation of privatized pension plans that rely on the stock market and falling house prices, many older workers must work longer than they had planned before retirement. Now, more than ever, they are at risk of long lay offs and permanent job loss with only dim prospects of competing against younger workers for jobs and those likely at lower pay.

Even if older workers are lucky enough to get a job, they are likely at greater risk of workplace harm than their younger co-workers. In the US, where the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 mandates protection of the health and safety of all workers, presumably equally. they are at greater risk of fatalities and take longer to return to work after serious injury. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports these results as trending upward in recent years.

As the baby-boom generation bulges along – much as a big meal plows its way through a python – we may expect an increase in the number of older workers at risk of workplace injury in ‘green’ as well as all other industries based on increasing numbers alone. The baby-boom generation is global yet the world’s governments and international businesses are noticeably unprepared for the predictable effect of this cohort on worker health and safety.

Just transition related to ‘green’ jobs must consider current workforce demographics to be effective.

(More on this idea may be found in reports and materials from a 2009 conference on ‘Healthy Aging for Workers’ at http://www.soeh.org. )