CIEE Ergonomic Intervention & Solutions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A warehouse worker reports wrist pain from repetitive scanning. Which engineering control should be prioritized first?
- Provide wrist braces
- Reposition the scanner to reduce wrist deviation (Correct answer)
- Reassign the worker to a different task
- Schedule more frequent breaks
Correct answer: Reposition the scanner to reduce wrist deviation
Engineering controls that eliminate or reduce the hazard at the source are the preferred hierarchy-of-controls solution over PPE or administrative measures.
Question 2: Which type of intervention directly modifies the physical work environment to reduce ergonomic risk?
- Job rotation
- Employee training
- Workstation redesign (Correct answer)
- Mandatory rest breaks
Correct answer: Workstation redesign
Workstation redesign is an engineering control that physically modifies the environment, unlike administrative controls such as rotation or training.
Question 3: An assembly line requires workers to reach overhead for 60% of their cycle. What is the most effective ergonomic solution?
- Train workers on proper reaching technique
- Rotate workers every 30 minutes
- Lower the work surface or use a lift assist device (Correct answer)
- Issue shoulder support braces
Correct answer: Lower the work surface or use a lift assist device
Repositioning the work within the power zone (between hip and shoulder height) via engineering controls eliminates the overhead-reach hazard.
Question 4: When evaluating a proposed ergonomic intervention, which metric most directly measures its effectiveness?
- Employee satisfaction survey scores
- Reduction in musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) incident rate (Correct answer)
- Cost of implementation
- Number of workers trained
Correct answer: Reduction in musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) incident rate
A reduction in MSD incident rate directly demonstrates that the intervention has lowered injury risk, which is the primary goal.
Question 5: A sit-stand workstation intervention is most effective when:
- Workers alternate positions roughly every 30–60 minutes (Correct answer)
- Workers stand for the entire shift
- Workers sit for the entire shift with footrests
- Workers choose position only at shift start
Correct answer: Workers alternate positions roughly every 30–60 minutes
Research supports position changes every 30–60 minutes to prevent static loading from both prolonged sitting and standing.
Question 6: Tool vibration reduction is best achieved through which engineering intervention?
- Anti-vibration gloves
- Limiting daily tool use to 2 hours
- Installing vibration-damping mounts or selecting low-vibration tools (Correct answer)
- Training workers to grip tools more loosely
Correct answer: Installing vibration-damping mounts or selecting low-vibration tools
Vibration-damping mounts and low-vibration tool selection are source-control engineering solutions that reduce the vibration hazard before it reaches the worker.
Question 7: In the context of ergonomic interventions, a 'quick fix' that reduces force requirements immediately is best described as a:
- Substitution control
- Administrative control
- Engineering control (Correct answer)
- PPE solution
Correct answer: Engineering control
Any modification to tools, equipment, or workstations that directly reduces the physical demand is classified as an engineering control.
CIEE Ergonomic Intervention & Solutions 2
A warehouse worker reports wrist pain from repetitive scanning.
Which engineering control should be prioritized first?