Which group of employees pose less risk of on-the-job accidents: older ones or younger ones who follow the same safety measures?

The older employees are the lower-risk group, finds a study by the American Academy of Neurology.
The study looked at airplane pilots ages 40 to 69 – a profession where even the slightest miscues can cause disaster.

Researchers ran participants through a series of tests, ranging from verbal communications, use of instruments and elapsed time in finding and fixing technical problems. While the older pilots had slower reflexes in the physical-response tests, they scored higher overall.

Reason: there’s something called “crystallized intelligence.” The longer someone performs a specific task, the more it becomes second nature.

Researchers suggest the study can be applied to any profession where on-the-job safety depends on showing a combination of mechanical and mental skills.