COHN Workplace Hazard Identification 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) standard (29 CFR 1910.119) applies to facilities that use highly hazardous chemicals above threshold quantities. Which element does the PSM standard specifically require to identify workplace hazards?
- Employee assistance program
- Process hazard analysis (Correct answer)
- Drug-free workplace policy
- Injury and illness prevention program
Correct answer: Process hazard analysis
OSHA PSM requires process hazard analysis (PHA) as one of its 14 elements to systematically identify, evaluate, and control hazards associated with highly hazardous chemical processes.
Question 2: Which early indicator would MOST alert the occupational health nurse to a potential musculoskeletal hazard in a warehouse operation?
- Increased absenteeism on Mondays only
- Workers self-reporting discomfort during end-of-shift symptom surveys (Correct answer)
- A single acute back injury reported in the OSHA 300 log
- Elevated workers' compensation insurance premiums
Correct answer: Workers self-reporting discomfort during end-of-shift symptom surveys
End-of-shift symptom surveys capture early musculoskeletal discomfort before injuries occur, providing the earliest and most actionable signal of ergonomic hazards.
Question 3: An industrial hygienist's sampling shows that workers' 8-hour TWA benzene exposure is 0.4 ppm. OSHA's action level for benzene is 0.5 ppm. What should the occupational health nurse recommend?
- No action is needed since the level is below the action level
- Implement engineering controls and medical surveillance immediately
- Monitor exposure levels and conduct medical surveillance (Correct answer)
- Relocate all workers to a different department
Correct answer: Monitor exposure levels and conduct medical surveillance
Although currently below the action level, the close proximity warrants continued exposure monitoring and consideration of medical surveillance, as levels can fluctuate above 0.5 ppm.
Question 4: Which component of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is MOST useful for identifying acute health hazards associated with a chemical?
- Section 1 – Identification
- Section 2 – Hazard(s) identification (Correct answer)
- Section 8 – Exposure controls/PPE
- Section 14 – Transport information
Correct answer: Section 2 – Hazard(s) identification
SDS Section 2 provides the GHS hazard classification, signal words, hazard statements, and pictograms that directly describe acute and chronic health hazards.
Question 5: A construction site occupational health nurse observes workers cutting concrete without wet methods or respiratory protection. Which hazard does this PRIMARILY represent?
- Lead exposure hazard
- Crystalline silica inhalation hazard (Correct answer)
- Asphalt fume exposure
- Isocyanate sensitization hazard
Correct answer: Crystalline silica inhalation hazard
Dry cutting of concrete generates respirable crystalline silica dust, which can cause silicosis, lung cancer, and COPD, representing the primary hazard in this scenario.
Question 6: When an occupational health nurse conducts a worksite walk-through, which observation is MOST indicative of an uncontrolled chemical hazard?
- Workers wearing hard hats in a chemical storage area
- Unlabeled containers stored near an emergency eyewash station (Correct answer)
- SDS binder located at the supervisor's workstation
- Secondary containers labeled with chemical name and hazards
Correct answer: Unlabeled containers stored near an emergency eyewash station
Unlabeled containers violate OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard and prevent workers from identifying chemical hazards, constituting a direct uncontrolled hazard.
Question 7: Which radiation hazard is MOST commonly encountered by healthcare occupational health nurses in hospital settings?
- Ultraviolet radiation from surgical lights
- Ionizing radiation from diagnostic imaging equipment (Correct answer)
- Infrared radiation from autoclaves
- Microwave radiation from food warming equipment
Correct answer: Ionizing radiation from diagnostic imaging equipment
Ionizing radiation from X-ray, fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine equipment is the most prevalent radiation hazard in healthcare settings requiring occupational health monitoring.
