Ergonomics and Physical Hazards Flashcards
7 cards from real COHN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ergonomics and Physical Hazards flashcards as text
A construction worker is exposed to whole-body vibration from operating a jackhammer daily. The primary long-term health risk is:
Answer: Low back degeneration and disc disorders
Prolonged whole-body vibration is strongly associated with accelerated lumbar disc degeneration, low back pain, and spinal disorders.
The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) tool generates a grand score. A score of 7 indicates:
Answer: Immediate investigation and implementation of change
A RULA grand score of 7 (the maximum) indicates the highest action level, requiring immediate investigation and ergonomic change.
When assessing thermal stress in a hot outdoor environment, which index accounts for humidity, radiant heat, and air movement?
Answer: Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT)
WBGT integrates dry bulb, wet bulb, and globe temperature readings to reflect the combined thermal stress of humidity, radiation, and air movement on a worker.
A COHN is designing a workstation for data entry. The recommended elbow angle for keyboard use to minimize upper extremity strain is approximately:
Answer: 70–90 degrees
A 90-degree (roughly neutral) elbow angle with the forearm parallel to the floor minimizes static load on shoulder and forearm muscles during keyboard tasks.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of a job hazard analysis (JHA) in an ergonomics program?
Answer: To systematically identify ergonomic risk factors for each job task
A JHA breaks each job into tasks and analyzes the ergonomic risk factors (force, repetition, posture, vibration, contact stress) associated with each task.
Laser radiation in the workplace is classified by Class. A Class 3B laser poses primary risk to which tissue?
Answer: Both eyes and skin from direct beam only
Class 3B lasers are hazardous to the eye and skin from direct beam and specular reflections, but diffuse reflections are generally not hazardous.
A nurse reports tingling and numbness in the thumb, index, and middle fingers that worsens at night. The COHN suspects carpal tunnel syndrome. The most appropriate next action is:
Answer: Refer for medical evaluation and nerve conduction study
Referral for formal medical evaluation, including nerve conduction studies, is the appropriate step to confirm the diagnosis before initiating treatment or job modification.