CIEE CIEE Psychosocial & Organizational Ergonomics

Question 1

Which psychosocial work factor is most consistently linked to increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in occupational research?

Accepted Answer

High job demands combined with low decision-making authority (job strain)

Answer

Commute time and transportation mode

Answer

Worker age and gender

Answer

Facility lighting levels below 500 lux

Question 2

How does 'work pace control' function as a psychosocial ergonomic factor in manufacturing environments?

Accepted Answer

Machine-paced work removes a worker's ability to vary pace, rest micro-muscles, or adjust technique, increasing cumulative load

Answer

Workers who set their own pace always produce less output

Answer

Work pace control refers only to break scheduling by supervisors

Answer

Paced work reduces MSDs by ensuring consistent motion patterns

Question 3

In the context of organizational ergonomics, what does 'job enlargement' refer to?

Accepted Answer

Adding more tasks of similar complexity to a job to reduce repetition and exposure to a single set of movements

Answer

Increasing the number of hours in a shift

Answer

Promoting a worker to a supervisory role

Answer

Expanding the physical footprint of a workstation

Question 4

What is the relationship between 'social support at work' and musculoskeletal disorder outcomes?

Accepted Answer

Higher supervisor and coworker social support is associated with lower MSD rates and faster recovery from injuries

Answer

Social support has no documented relationship to physical injury risk

Answer

Social support only affects psychological disorders, not physical MSDs

Answer

Social support reduces MSD reporting but does not affect actual injury incidence

Question 5

Which organizational strategy is most effective at reducing ergonomic risk at the system level rather than the individual level?

Accepted Answer

Establishing a joint labor-management ergonomics committee with authority to drive workstation changes

Answer

Providing ergonomic awareness pamphlets to individual employees

Answer

Implementing job rotation without ergonomic analysis of rotation partners

Answer

Requiring workers to self-report discomfort using anonymous suggestion boxes

Question 6

How does 'shift work and irregular schedules' contribute to ergonomic risk in industrial settings?

Accepted Answer

Disrupted circadian rhythms reduce alertness, slow reaction time, and impair the neuromuscular coordination that helps workers avoid awkward postures and overexertion

Answer

Night shift workers are assigned heavier tasks by regulation

Answer

Shift workers have stronger muscles due to irregular sleep-rest cycles

Answer

Irregular schedules only affect psychological health, not physical MSD risk