CIEE Task Analysis & Job Demands 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CIEE candidate observes that a job requires pinch grip force of 6 lbs continuously for 45 minutes. Which risk classification best describes this exposure?
- High risk due to sustained fine pinch load exceeding 2 lbs guideline (Correct answer)
- Low risk because the force is below the maximum grip strength
- Moderate risk only if combined with cold environments
- No risk because pinch grip avoids the palm entirely
Correct answer: High risk due to sustained fine pinch load exceeding 2 lbs guideline
Sustained pinch forces above approximately 2 lbs for prolonged durations are considered high-risk for finger and wrist MSD, making 6 lbs a significant concern.
Question 2: When using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), a score of 11 or above indicates what required action level?
- Investigate and implement change very soon
- Change is necessary now — immediate action required (Correct answer)
- Minor changes may be needed
- Acceptable — no action required
Correct answer: Change is necessary now — immediate action required
REBA scores of 11–15 fall in the 'Very High' risk category, requiring immediate corrective action.
Question 3: Which task analysis output is MOST useful for prioritizing engineering controls across multiple workstations in a manufacturing facility?
- Risk-ranked summary comparing exposure indices across all tasks (Correct answer)
- Individual worker symptom survey results
- OSHA 300 log injury counts by department
- Time-in-motion video for the highest-volume station only
Correct answer: Risk-ranked summary comparing exposure indices across all tasks
A risk-ranked cross-task comparison allows ergonomists to identify and address the highest-exposure workstations first, maximizing the impact of engineering resources.
Question 4: In a job demands analysis, 'essential functions' as defined by the ADA are those that:
- Are fundamental to the job and cannot be removed without altering its nature (Correct answer)
- Require the highest physical strength of all job tasks
- Are performed more than 50% of the working shift
- Are listed first in the written job description
Correct answer: Are fundamental to the job and cannot be removed without altering its nature
The ADA defines essential functions as the core duties that are fundamental to a position; their removal would fundamentally change the job.
Question 5: An ergonomic evaluator uses the Strain Index (SI) to assess a wrist-intensive task and obtains a score of 9. This result indicates:
- The task is probably hazardous and modification is recommended (Correct answer)
- The task is safe with a comfortable safety margin
- Immediate work stoppage is required
- The score is inconclusive and a different tool must be used
Correct answer: The task is probably hazardous and modification is recommended
A Strain Index score ≥5 suggests probable hazard; a score of 9 further supports the need for task modification to reduce distal upper-extremity MSD risk.
Question 6: Which technique is BEST suited for capturing the sequence-dependency between sub-tasks in a complex assembly operation?
- Hierarchical task analysis (HTA) with operational sequence diagrams (Correct answer)
- Point-of-care body part discomfort survey
- Cumulative trauma disorder frequency rate calculation
- Static strength prediction modeling
Correct answer: Hierarchical task analysis (HTA) with operational sequence diagrams
HTA breaks tasks into hierarchical goal-subgoal structures and, when paired with operational sequence diagrams, explicitly captures the order and dependencies between sub-tasks.
Question 7: A warehouse picker travels 3.2 miles per shift and lifts packages averaging 22 lbs each 180 times per shift. When applying the NIOSH lifting equation, which variable most directly accounts for the 180-lift frequency?
- Frequency Multiplier (FM) (Correct answer)
- Distance Multiplier (DM)
- Asymmetry Multiplier (AM)
- Coupling Multiplier (CM)
Correct answer: Frequency Multiplier (FM)
The Frequency Multiplier in the NIOSH Lifting Equation adjusts the Recommended Weight Limit based on the number of lifts per minute and the duration of lifting.
CIEE Task Analysis & Job Demands 3
A CIEE candidate observes that a job requires pinch grip force of 6 lbs continuously for 45 minutes.
Which risk classification best describes this exposure?