CIRS CIRS Occupational Health & Industrial Hazards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In occupational health, 'secondary prevention' of work-related conditions refers to:
- Early detection and prompt treatment of work-related conditions to minimize disability before they become disabling (Correct answer)
- Primary prevention of initial workplace injuries through hazard elimination
- Tertiary rehabilitation to facilitate return to work after established disability
- Educating workers about workplace hazards before any exposure occurs
Correct answer: Early detection and prompt treatment of work-related conditions to minimize disability before they become disabling
Secondary prevention focuses on identifying work-related conditions early through health surveillance and screening, then intervening promptly to stop progression and prevent permanent disability.
Question 2: At what occupational noise exposure level does OSHA require employers to implement a hearing conservation program?
- 85 dB time-weighted average over an 8-hour work shift (OSHA action level) (Correct answer)
- 70 dB instantaneous peak exposure during any portion of the work shift
- 90 dB time-weighted average, which is the OSHA permissible exposure limit
- 95 dB for intermittent noise that does not exceed 2 hours per shift
Correct answer: 85 dB time-weighted average over an 8-hour work shift (OSHA action level)
OSHA requires hearing conservation programs — including monitoring, audiometric testing, hearing protection, and training — when TWA noise exposures reach the 85 dB action level.
Question 3: What is the primary goal of an occupational health surveillance program in an industrial setting?
- To monitor workforce health trends at a population level to detect and control work-related illnesses early (Correct answer)
- To provide routine primary medical care and treatment to individual employees
- To manage workers' compensation insurance premiums and claims costs for the employer
- To conduct mandatory pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing programs
Correct answer: To monitor workforce health trends at a population level to detect and control work-related illnesses early
Occupational health surveillance systematically collects and analyzes health data across the workforce to identify patterns of work-related illness and inform targeted prevention and control strategies.
Question 4: Which US federal agency is responsible for setting and enforcing legally binding workplace exposure limits for toxic substances?
- OSHA — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Correct answer)
- FDA — Food and Drug Administration
- CDC — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- EEOC — Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Correct answer: OSHA — Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSHA is the federal agency with authority to set, enforce, and update mandatory permissible exposure limits and other workplace safety and health standards under the OSH Act of 1970.
Question 5: What does OSHA's 'incidence rate' metric measure in occupational injury and illness recordkeeping?
- The number of new injury or illness cases per 100 full-time equivalent workers during a year (Correct answer)
- The total number of workers who suffered any injury or illness in the facility
- The average severity score of workplace injuries based on lost workdays
- The cumulative cost of workers' compensation claims per employee per year
Correct answer: The number of new injury or illness cases per 100 full-time equivalent workers during a year
OSHA's incidence rate formula normalizes injury and illness data to 100 full-time equivalent workers, enabling valid comparisons of safety performance across facilities of different sizes.
Question 6: What defines a 'near miss' event in occupational health and safety management?
- An unplanned event that had the potential to cause injury or illness but did not result in harm (Correct answer)
- A minor workplace injury that required only first aid treatment
- An OSHA-recordable injury with restricted work or job transfer days
- An equipment malfunction that caused property damage without any personnel involvement
Correct answer: An unplanned event that had the potential to cause injury or illness but did not result in harm
Near misses are unplanned events with injury potential that, by chance, did not result in harm — they are critical learning opportunities for identifying and correcting hazardous conditions before an injury occurs.
CIRS CIRS Occupational Health & Industrial Hazards 2
In occupational health, 'secondary prevention' of work-related conditions refers to: