CIEE Workplace Analysis & Risk Identification 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An ergonomics team wants to prioritize which workstations to address first. Which data source is MOST useful for this triage?
- Employee satisfaction survey
- OSHA 300 injury and illness log (Correct answer)
- Facility floor plan
- Annual production targets
Correct answer: OSHA 300 injury and illness log
The OSHA 300 log documents work-related injuries and illnesses by job and body part, directly guiding prioritization of high-risk workstations.
Question 2: A CIEE evaluator observes a dental hygienist maintaining a static neck flexion of greater than 30° for extended periods. What risk assessment tool is BEST suited to quantify this risk?
- REBA (Correct answer)
- Snook tables
- NIOSH Lifting Equation
- KIM-MHO
Correct answer: REBA
REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) evaluates whole-body postures including neck flexion and is well-suited for static healthcare tasks.
Question 3: Which of the following is considered a 'leading indicator' when identifying ergonomic risk in a workplace analysis?
- Lost-time injury rate
- Workers' compensation costs
- Number of near-miss reports (Correct answer)
- Restricted duty days
Correct answer: Number of near-miss reports
Near-miss reports are leading indicators because they signal hazardous conditions before an injury occurs, enabling proactive intervention.
Question 4: During a worksite survey, an evaluator notices workers resting their forearms on sharp desk edges while typing. Which ergonomic risk factor does this represent?
- Contact stress (Correct answer)
- Awkward posture
- Excessive force
- Temperature extremes
Correct answer: Contact stress
Pressure from a hard or sharp edge onto soft tissue is contact stress, which can compress nerves and blood vessels in the forearm.
Question 5: A manufacturing plant conducts ergonomic evaluations only after an injury is reported. This approach is BEST described as:
- Proactive ergonomics
- Reactive ergonomics (Correct answer)
- Participatory ergonomics
- Predictive ergonomics
Correct answer: Reactive ergonomics
Reactive ergonomics involves addressing ergonomic hazards after an injury or complaint has already occurred rather than anticipating problems.
Question 6: Which element is included in the NIOSH Lifting Equation but NOT in a basic checklist-based risk assessment?
- Coupling quality of the hand-to-object interface (Correct answer)
- Worker age
- Ambient temperature
- Glove type
Correct answer: Coupling quality of the hand-to-object interface
The NIOSH Lifting Equation includes a coupling multiplier that adjusts the recommended weight limit based on how well a worker can grip the load.
Question 7: An evaluator videos a worker performing a task at 30 frames per second and counts 15 repetitions in 10 seconds. What is the repetition rate in cycles per minute?
- 90 cycles/min (Correct answer)
- 15 cycles/min
- 45 cycles/min
- 30 cycles/min
Correct answer: 90 cycles/min
15 repetitions in 10 seconds equals 1.5 per second, which multiplied by 60 gives 90 cycles per minute.
CIEE Workplace Analysis & Risk Identification 3
An ergonomics team wants to prioritize which workstations to address first.
Which data source is MOST useful for this triage?