CEA Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention 3

Question 1

Which factor is NOT included as a multiplier in the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (RNLE)?

Accepted Answer

Worker Age Multiplier (WAM)

Answer

The RNLE includes multipliers for horizontal distance, vertical height, distance traveled, asymmetry, frequency, and coupling quality — but NOT worker age.

Question 2

A data entry clerk develops pain and stiffness in the neck and upper trapezius after several months on a new workstation. The MOST likely ergonomic root cause is:

Accepted Answer

Monitor positioned too low requiring sustained neck flexion

Answer

A monitor positioned too low forces sustained neck flexion, increasing static loading on cervical muscles and the upper trapezius, leading to neck and shoulder MSDs.

Question 3

What is the primary biomechanical reason that grip force increases MSD risk at the wrist and forearm?

Accepted Answer

High grip force increases tendon tension and compressive forces on wrist structures

Answer

Forceful gripping increases tension in finger flexor tendons that pass through the carpal tunnel and elevates compressive forces on wrist joints, raising MSD risk.

Question 4

Which of the following describes 'cumulative trauma disorder (CTD)' most accurately?

Accepted Answer

A condition caused by the accumulation of micro-traumas from repeated occupational exposures over time

Answer

CTDs develop gradually from repeated sub-threshold exposures that cause micro-damage faster than tissue can repair, eventually manifesting as clinically significant disorders.

Question 5

A production line requires workers to assemble small components with a pinch grip 800 times per hour. Which engineering control would BEST reduce MSD risk?

Accepted Answer

Redesigning the components or fixtures to allow a power grip instead of a pinch grip

Answer

Pinch grip generates up to 5 times more tendon and joint force than a power grip for equivalent effort; redesigning to allow a power grip is the most effective engineering solution.

(CEA) Certified Ergonomics Associate Practice Test

(CEA) Certified Ergonomics Associate Practice Test

CEA Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention 3