CEA Workplace Ergonomic 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When evaluating a seated workstation, what is the recommended elbow angle for keyboard use?
- 70–90 degrees
- 90–110 degrees (Correct answer)
- 110–135 degrees
- 45–70 degrees
Correct answer: 90–110 degrees
Elbows should be bent at 90–110 degrees to keep forearms roughly parallel to the floor and minimize shoulder strain.
Question 2: A worker reports wrist pain after prolonged mouse use. Which intervention addresses the root cause most directly?
- Prescribe wrist splints during work
- Reposition the mouse closer to the body midline (Correct answer)
- Reduce total work hours
- Add a wrist rest under the palm during active mousing
Correct answer: Reposition the mouse closer to the body midline
Repositioning the mouse closer to the body's midline reduces ulnar deviation and shoulder abduction, addressing the biomechanical root cause.
Question 3: Which lighting metric is most relevant for reducing glare on a computer monitor?
- Color rendering index (CRI)
- Luminance ratio between the screen and surroundings (Correct answer)
- Correlated color temperature (CCT)
- Illuminance (lux) at the floor level
Correct answer: Luminance ratio between the screen and surroundings
Controlling the luminance ratio between the screen and surrounding surfaces minimizes glare discomfort and visual fatigue.
Question 4: Under NIOSH lifting guidelines, what happens to the Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) when the horizontal distance from the load to the spine increases?
- RWL increases
- RWL remains unchanged
- RWL decreases (Correct answer)
- RWL is recalculated using a different equation
Correct answer: RWL decreases
Greater horizontal distance increases the moment arm on the spine, so the Horizontal Multiplier decreases and the RWL decreases accordingly.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes the purpose of a task rotation program in ergonomics?
- Increase worker productivity through variety
- Reduce cumulative exposure to specific ergonomic stressors (Correct answer)
- Train workers on multiple job functions
- Comply with OSHA recordkeeping standards
Correct answer: Reduce cumulative exposure to specific ergonomic stressors
Task rotation distributes ergonomic stressors across different muscle groups and joints to reduce cumulative loading and injury risk.
Question 6: A standing workstation is set too high for an assembly worker. What is the most likely musculoskeletal consequence?
- Lumbar hyperextension
- Shoulder elevation and trapezius muscle overload (Correct answer)
- Knee hyperextension
- Increased hip flexion
Correct answer: Shoulder elevation and trapezius muscle overload
When a workstation is too high, workers must elevate their shoulders to reach the surface, leading to sustained trapezius muscle loading.
Question 7: In the context of ergonomic risk assessment, what does the RULA tool primarily evaluate?
- Lower extremity postures during standing tasks
- Upper limb postures, muscle use, and force in seated or light work (Correct answer)
- Whole-body vibration exposure levels
- Manual material handling load weights
Correct answer: Upper limb postures, muscle use, and force in seated or light work
RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) scores upper limb postures, muscle use, and external forces to estimate musculoskeletal risk.
CEA Workplace Ergonomic 2
When evaluating a seated workstation, what is the recommended elbow angle for keyboard use?