INCREASED WORKING LIFE AND QUALITY OF WORKING CONDITIONS: A CONCERN FOR EMERGENCY JOBS.

Working conditions in most emergency jobs are characterized by a high level of physical efforts, frequent night schedules, and intense time pressure. If social policies in industrialized countries lead to delay the ages of retirement, these constraints might raise a specific concern. This paper recalls some scientific results about the effects of such constraints on elderly workers, synthesizes statistical results on exposure to these constraints in this age group in Europe, and indicates some avenues, suggested by ergonomic studies and corporate practices, in order to face this concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]