COHN Health and Safety Programs 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A company wants to reduce repetitive strain injuries on an assembly line. Which engineering control would be MOST appropriate?
- Posting injury statistics near workstations
- Rotating employees to different tasks every hour
- Installing adjustable workbenches to fit individual workers (Correct answer)
- Requiring employees to wear wrist braces
Correct answer: Installing adjustable workbenches to fit individual workers
Adjustable workbenches (engineering control) eliminate the ergonomic hazard at the source, making it the most effective control option listed.
Question 2: OSHA's recordkeeping rule (29 CFR 1904) requires employers with 10 or more employees to maintain which form for work-related injuries?
- OSHA 300 Log (Correct answer)
- OSHA 101
- OSHA 201
- SF-600 Form
Correct answer: OSHA 300 Log
The OSHA 300 Log is used to record work-related injuries and illnesses and must be maintained for 5 years.
Question 3: Which approach to wellness program design is MOST consistent with best evidence-based practice?
- Focusing exclusively on voluntary fitness challenges
- Using aggregate health risk assessment data to target program priorities (Correct answer)
- Offering incentives only to employees who lose weight
- Limiting programs to employees with chronic conditions
Correct answer: Using aggregate health risk assessment data to target program priorities
Using aggregate HRA data to identify population health risks and direct resources is the evidence-based approach to designing effective worksite wellness programs.
Question 4: An employer is required to provide a medical surveillance program for workers exposed to which of the following?
- Moderate noise below 85 dBA TWA
- Lead above the action level (30 µg/m³) (Correct answer)
- Ambient office dust
- Standard fluorescent lighting
Correct answer: Lead above the action level (30 µg/m³)
OSHA's lead standard requires medical surveillance, including blood lead monitoring, for workers exposed above the action level of 30 µg/m³.
Question 5: Which concept describes the ability of a health and safety program to be systematically replicated and maintained over time within an organization?
- Return on investment
- Sustainability (Correct answer)
- Incidence rate calculation
- Root cause analysis
Correct answer: Sustainability
Sustainability in health and safety programming refers to building systems, culture, and resources that allow programs to continue long-term without constant re-initiation.
Question 6: The occupational health nurse notices a cluster of musculoskeletal complaints in one department. The BEST initial action is to:
- Refer all affected employees to physical therapy
- Conduct a worksite walk-through and job hazard analysis in that department (Correct answer)
- Increase rest break frequency company-wide
- Send a wellness newsletter about stretching
Correct answer: Conduct a worksite walk-through and job hazard analysis in that department
A targeted worksite walk-through and JHA in the affected department identifies specific hazards causing the injury cluster before interventions are chosen.
Question 7: In health and safety program planning, 'management commitment' is critical because it:
- Satisfies OSHA inspection requirements automatically
- Provides resources, authority, and cultural support for safety initiatives (Correct answer)
- Eliminates the need for employee involvement
- Reduces the occupational health nurse's workload
Correct answer: Provides resources, authority, and cultural support for safety initiatives
Management commitment allocates budget, sets expectations, and signals organizational values—all of which are essential for a functioning safety program.
COHN Health and Safety Programs 3
A company wants to reduce repetitive strain injuries on an assembly line.
Which engineering control would be MOST appropriate?