COHN Workplace Injury and Illness 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a leading indicator of workplace safety performance?
- OSHA injury incidence rate
- Number of workers' compensation claims
- Percentage of employees completing safety training (Correct answer)
- Lost workday severity rate
Correct answer: Percentage of employees completing safety training
Leading indicators such as training completion rates measure proactive safety activities before injuries occur, unlike lagging indicators.
Question 2: An employee involved in a motor vehicle accident during a business trip sustains a broken wrist. Under OSHA recordkeeping, this injury is:
- Non-recordable because it occurred off-site
- Recordable because it occurred while performing work duties (Correct answer)
- Non-recordable because motor vehicles are excluded
- Recordable only if the employee was driving a company vehicle
Correct answer: Recordable because it occurred while performing work duties
Injuries sustained while performing work-related tasks during travel are considered work-related and must be recorded if they meet recordability criteria.
Question 3: The occupational health nurse is reviewing aggravating factors for a cumulative trauma disorder claim. Which workplace scenario BEST represents a cumulative trauma mechanism?
- A worker slips on a wet floor and fractures their hip
- A worker repeatedly uses a vibrating drill for eight hours daily over months (Correct answer)
- A worker is struck by a falling object in a warehouse
- A worker sustains an electrical burn from faulty wiring
Correct answer: A worker repeatedly uses a vibrating drill for eight hours daily over months
Cumulative trauma disorders develop gradually from repetitive motions, sustained vibration, or awkward postures over extended time periods.
Question 4: When an employer has 10 or fewer employees throughout the year, which OSHA recordkeeping requirement applies?
- Full OSHA 300 log and 301 form requirements apply
- Only OSHA 300A must be completed
- They are exempt from routine OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping (Correct answer)
- They must report all injuries to OSHA within 8 hours
Correct answer: They are exempt from routine OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping
Employers with 10 or fewer employees are generally exempt from OSHA's routine recordkeeping requirements, though they must still report severe injuries.
Question 5: Which concept describes the interaction between the host, agent, and environment in the causation of occupational disease?
- Hierarchy of controls
- Epidemiologic triad (Correct answer)
- Systems safety model
- Energy exchange theory
Correct answer: Epidemiologic triad
The epidemiologic triad models disease causation through the interplay of host susceptibility, agent characteristics, and environmental conditions.
Question 6: A nurse is calculating the cost-benefit of a new ergonomics program. Direct costs of workplace injuries include:
- Lost productivity and training replacement workers
- Medical treatment and workers' compensation indemnity payments (Correct answer)
- Decreased employee morale and administrative time
- OSHA fines and legal fees
Correct answer: Medical treatment and workers' compensation indemnity payments
Direct costs are those directly attributable to the injury, including medical expenses and indemnity (wage replacement) payments.
Question 7: Under the OSH Act, which provision protects workers who report safety violations to OSHA from employer retaliation?
- General Duty Clause
- Section 11(c) anti-retaliation provision (Correct answer)
- Section 5(a)(1) employer duty
- Whistleblower Protection Act only
Correct answer: Section 11(c) anti-retaliation provision
Section 11(c) of the OSH Act prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who exercise their rights under the act, including reporting hazards.
COHN Workplace Injury and Illness 5
Which of the following is a leading indicator of workplace safety performance?