Workplace Design & Modifications Flashcards
7 cards from real CPE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Workplace Design & Modifications flashcards as text
An ergonomist is assessing a packing workstation where workers sort items into bins positioned in a semicircle around them. Which ergonomic principle guides this arrangement?
Answer: Primary and secondary work zone placement based on frequency of use
Frequently used items belong in the primary work zone (forearm-length reach) and less-used items in the secondary zone, minimizing biomechanical stress.
Which of the following best describes the purpose of a forearm support surface at a computer workstation?
Answer: To reduce static load on the shoulder and neck muscles during keyboard use
Forearm supports reduce the continuous static contraction of shoulder and neck muscles required to hold the arm up during keyboard and mouse tasks.
A physical therapist recommends a pistol-grip tool for a worker performing horizontal driving tasks. What ergonomic advantage does a pistol grip provide in this orientation?
Answer: Maintains a neutral wrist posture when the work surface is horizontal
A pistol grip keeps the wrist straight (neutral) when the tool axis is horizontal, unlike an inline grip which would require ulnar deviation.
When designing a two-person manual materials handling task, what is the primary ergonomic concern when workers differ significantly in height?
Answer: Unequal load sharing causes one worker to lift at a non-neutral spine posture
Height differences cause the taller worker to lift with a laterally flexed spine or the shorter worker to carry a disproportionate share of the load.
Which noise level (8-hour time-weighted average) triggers OSHA's requirement for a hearing conservation program?
Answer: 85 dBA
OSHA's Hearing Conservation Amendment (29 CFR 1910.95) mandates a hearing conservation program when 8-hr TWA noise exposure reaches 85 dBA action level.
A workstation modification includes raising the monitor height using a monitor arm. Which population measurement is MOST relevant for setting this height?
Answer: Seated eye height of the intended user(s)
Seated eye height determines the appropriate monitor vertical position so that the top of the screen aligns with the resting line of sight.
In a healthcare setting, a nurse reports neck pain from looking down at a medication cart screen while standing. Which modification is MOST appropriate?
Answer: Tilt the screen upward or use a height-adjustable monitor arm to raise it to near-eye level
Raising and tilting the screen to near eye level eliminates sustained neck flexion, directly addressing the postural cause of the nurse's neck pain.