Ergonomic Tool & Equipment Selection Flashcards
7 cards from real CEA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ergonomic Tool & Equipment Selection flashcards as text
A dental hygienist reports thumb fatigue from hand scaling. Which instrument modification addresses the root cause?
Answer: Using a large-diameter, textured, lightweight handle to reduce grip force
Large-diameter lightweight handles reduce the pinch and grip forces needed for control, directly addressing thumb and finger muscle fatigue in precision tasks.
Which standard is MOST relevant when specifying the maximum vibration exposure allowed for operators of hand-held power tools?
Answer: ISO 5349-1 for hand-arm vibration measurement
ISO 5349-1 specifies how to measure and report hand-arm vibration, providing the foundation for exposure limits and equipment selection decisions.
When choosing a mouse for a user with carpal tunnel syndrome, which design feature is MOST protective?
Answer: A vertical mouse that keeps the forearm in a pronation-neutral handshake position
A vertical mouse holds the forearm in a neutral handshake orientation, eliminating forearm pronation and reducing pressure on the carpal tunnel.
For overhead assembly tasks lasting more than 1 hour, which tool support system MOST reduces shoulder load?
Answer: Counterbalance arm or spring balancer suspending the tool
A counterbalance arm or spring balancer offloads the tool's weight from the shoulder, dramatically reducing static muscle loading during overhead work.
A quality inspector examines small parts under magnification for 6 hours daily. Which equipment addition MOST reduces neck strain?
Answer: A binocular stereo microscope with adjustable stand positioned at eye level
A stereo microscope with an adjustable stand positioned at eye level allows inspection without sustained neck flexion, the primary driver of neck strain in this task.
What is the primary ergonomic disadvantage of bent-handle tools compared to straight-handle tools in horizontal surface work?
Answer: They are designed for vertical, not horizontal, work orientations
Bent-handle tools achieve wrist straightening in vertical work orientations; on horizontal surfaces a straight handle is already neutral, making bent handles counter-productive.
For a nurse performing medication preparation at a medication cart, which cart feature MOST reduces low-back risk?
Answer: Adjustable-height work surface positioned at elbow height
An adjustable-height surface set at the nurse's elbow height eliminates trunk flexion during preparation tasks, which is the primary low-back risk factor.