COHN Health and Safety Programs 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A hearing conservation program is required when workers are exposed to a time-weighted average noise level of:
- 75 dBA or above
- 80 dBA or above
- 85 dBA or above (Correct answer)
- 90 dBA or above
Correct answer: 85 dBA or above
OSHA's hearing conservation amendment (29 CFR 1910.95) requires a program when the 8-hour TWA reaches 85 dBA (the action level).
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of a leading indicator in a health and safety program?
- Total recordable incident rate
- Number of lost workdays
- Percentage of completed safety inspections (Correct answer)
- Workers' compensation costs
Correct answer: Percentage of completed safety inspections
Completed safety inspections are a leading indicator because they measure proactive safety activities before injuries occur.
Question 3: An occupational health nurse is implementing a hazard control plan. Which step should occur BEFORE recommending PPE?
- Verify PPE availability in the supply room
- Apply engineering and administrative controls where feasible (Correct answer)
- Train employees on donning and doffing PPE
- Submit a budget request for new PPE
Correct answer: Apply engineering and administrative controls where feasible
Per the hierarchy of controls, engineering and administrative controls must be applied before relying on PPE as the last line of defense.
Question 4: Which federal agency is responsible for conducting research and making recommendations to prevent work-related illness and injury but does NOT have enforcement authority?
- OSHA
- NIOSH (Correct answer)
- EPA
- DOL
Correct answer: NIOSH
NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) conducts research and publishes recommendations but does not issue citations or enforce standards.
Question 5: Return-to-work programs are PRIMARILY beneficial because they:
- Reduce the employer's liability for all workplace injuries
- Help injured workers recover function while managing disability duration and costs (Correct answer)
- Eliminate the need for workers' compensation insurance
- Ensure all injured workers return within 3 days
Correct answer: Help injured workers recover function while managing disability duration and costs
Early return-to-work programs support functional recovery, reduce disability duration, maintain worker engagement, and lower total claim costs.
Question 6: An occupational health nurse performing a health and safety audit should PRIMARILY review which documents?
- Employee performance appraisals and payroll records
- Injury logs, inspection records, training documentation, and written programs (Correct answer)
- HIPAA notices and privacy policies
- Marketing materials and customer complaints
Correct answer: Injury logs, inspection records, training documentation, and written programs
Audits verify program compliance and effectiveness through injury logs, safety inspection records, written safety programs, and training records.
Question 7: Which strategy BEST supports a culture of safety in the workplace?
- Disciplining all employees involved in any incident
- Encouraging near-miss reporting without fear of punishment (Correct answer)
- Limiting safety information to supervisors only
- Conducting annual safety training as the sole intervention
Correct answer: Encouraging near-miss reporting without fear of punishment
A blame-free near-miss reporting system encourages transparency, surfaces hazards before injuries occur, and builds psychological safety around reporting.
COHN Health and Safety Programs 4
A hearing conservation program is required when workers are exposed to a time-weighted average noise level of: