COHN Workplace Injury and Illness 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal agency administers the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA), which covers civilian federal employees for work-related injuries?
- OSHA
- NIOSH
- Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) (Correct answer)
- Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division
Correct answer: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP)
The OWCP within the U.S. Department of Labor administers FECA benefits for injured federal civilian employees.
Question 2: A worker reports an eye splash with a hazardous chemical. After flushing the eyes for 15 minutes, the nurse refers the employee to an ophthalmologist who prescribes prescription eye drops. This case is OSHA recordable because:
- Eye irrigation is considered beyond first aid
- Prescription medication is considered medical treatment beyond first aid (Correct answer)
- Any chemical exposure is automatically recordable
- The case involves a hospitalization
Correct answer: Prescription medication is considered medical treatment beyond first aid
Use of prescription medication constitutes medical treatment beyond first aid, making the case OSHA recordable.
Question 3: The severity rate in occupational injury statistics is calculated using which numerator?
- Number of recordable injuries
- Number of lost workdays (Correct answer)
- Number of restricted workdays only
- Number of near-miss events
Correct answer: Number of lost workdays
The severity rate uses lost workdays (days away from work) as the numerator to reflect the impact of injuries on workforce availability.
Question 4: When conducting an ergonomic assessment following a cluster of musculoskeletal injuries, which tool is most appropriate for evaluating upper extremity risk?
- Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
- Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) (Correct answer)
- Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
- Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)
Correct answer: Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA)
RULA is a validated observational tool specifically designed to assess upper extremity posture, force, and repetition risk factors.
Question 5: Under OSHA's multi-employer worksite policy, which employer type has the PRIMARY duty to correct hazards at a construction site?
- Exposing employer
- Controlling employer
- Creating employer (Correct answer)
- Correcting employer
Correct answer: Creating employer
The creating employer—the one who caused the hazardous condition—has the primary duty to correct it under OSHA's multi-employer citation policy.
Question 6: A nurse is reviewing a pattern of low-back injuries among warehouse workers. Which work factor is the STRONGEST predictor of occupational low-back disorder?
- Employee age over 50
- Whole-body vibration exposure (Correct answer)
- High job demands with low control (job strain)
- BMI greater than 30
Correct answer: Whole-body vibration exposure
Whole-body vibration, particularly from vehicle operation, is a well-established occupational risk factor for low-back disorders in warehouse settings.
Question 7: Which action by an occupational health nurse BEST demonstrates primary prevention of workplace injury?
- Providing early treatment for a reported strain
- Conducting a post-offer physical examination
- Developing a safety training program on hazard recognition (Correct answer)
- Managing return-to-work after an injury
Correct answer: Developing a safety training program on hazard recognition
Primary prevention stops injury before it occurs; hazard recognition training prevents exposures that lead to injury.
COHN Workplace Injury and Illness 4
Which federal agency administers the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA), which covers civilian federal employees for work-related injuries?