CIEE Task Analysis & Job Demands 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CIEE conducting a cognitive task analysis (CTA) wants to uncover the mental processes an experienced operator uses during equipment troubleshooting. The BEST CTA method for this goal is:
- Think-aloud protocol during a simulated fault scenario (Correct answer)
- Structured interview asking about physical steps only
- Time-and-motion observation of routine operation
- Body discomfort map collected after the shift
Correct answer: Think-aloud protocol during a simulated fault scenario
Think-aloud protocols require workers to verbalize their reasoning in real time, making implicit cognitive processes explicit and observable during complex problem-solving tasks.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'duty cycle' as used in ergonomic task analysis?
- The proportion of time a muscle is actively loaded versus the total task cycle time (Correct answer)
- The number of complete task cycles performed in one shift
- The maximum load exerted during a single task cycle
- The recovery time required after each exertion event
Correct answer: The proportion of time a muscle is actively loaded versus the total task cycle time
Duty cycle expresses the ratio of exertion time to total cycle time; a higher duty cycle means less recovery within the cycle, increasing cumulative loading.
Question 3: A physical demands analysis documents that a task requires 'frequent' handling. According to US DOL definitions, 'frequent' means the activity occurs:
- 34–66% of the work shift (Correct answer)
- 1–33% of the work shift
- 67–100% of the work shift
- Less than 10% of the work shift
Correct answer: 34–66% of the work shift
DOL defines 'frequent' as occurring 34–66% of the workday, with 'occasional' at 1–33% and 'constant' at 67–100%.
Question 4: An ergonomist identifies that a stamping press operator must reach into the die area as part of normal operation. Under task analysis for hazard control hierarchy, which intervention should be considered FIRST?
- Eliminate the reach-in requirement through press redesign or automation (Correct answer)
- Provide cut-resistant gloves to protect the worker's hands
- Train the worker to use proper reach technique
- Increase rest breaks to reduce cumulative exposure
Correct answer: Eliminate the reach-in requirement through press redesign or automation
The hierarchy of controls places elimination of the hazard at the top; redesigning the press or automating part loading removes the need for the hazardous reach entirely.
Question 5: In the context of a biomechanical task analysis, 'moment arm' refers to:
- The perpendicular distance from the joint center to the line of force application (Correct answer)
- The length of time a force is applied to the body segment
- The maximum range of motion available at a specific joint
- The ratio of external load to body weight during a lift
Correct answer: The perpendicular distance from the joint center to the line of force application
A moment arm is the perpendicular distance between the axis of rotation (joint center) and the line along which a force acts, determining the torque imposed on the joint.
Question 6: A task analysis for a drywall installer shows the worker applies 80 lbs of upward force overhead for 8-second holds, 40 times per hour. Which body region warrants the HIGHEST priority intervention?
- Shoulder (rotator cuff and supraspinatus tendon) (Correct answer)
- Lumbar spine at L4-L5 disc level
- Wrist extensor tendons at the lateral epicondyle
- Knee meniscus due to weight-bearing posture
Correct answer: Shoulder (rotator cuff and supraspinatus tendon)
Sustained overhead force application concentrates compressive and shear loads on the rotator cuff structures, particularly the supraspinatus, making the shoulder the highest-priority concern in this overhead task.
Question 7: When validating a physical demands analysis against EEOC guidelines, the evaluator must ensure that documented demands are:
- Based on objective, observable job requirements rather than general or assumed conditions (Correct answer)
- Derived solely from worker self-report surveys
- Limited to tasks that represent less than 10% of the shift
- Expressed only in qualitative descriptors without measurement data
Correct answer: Based on objective, observable job requirements rather than general or assumed conditions
EEOC and ADA compliance requires that physical demands be grounded in actual, documented job conditions so they can withstand legal scrutiny and fairly represent what the job truly requires.
CIEE Task Analysis & Job Demands 5
A CIEE conducting a cognitive task analysis (CTA) wants to uncover the mental processes an experienced operator uses during equipment troubleshooting.
The BEST CTA method for this goal is: