EMPCO Occupational Health Services 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which hierarchy of controls is considered MOST effective for eliminating workplace hazards?
- Administrative controls
- Personal protective equipment
- Engineering controls
- Elimination (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Elimination
Elimination physically removes the hazard from the workplace and is the most effective control at the top of the hierarchy.
Question 2: Return-to-work programs following occupational injury PRIMARILY benefit employers by:
- Reducing the need for safety training
- Lowering workers' compensation costs and maintaining productivity (Correct answer)
- Eliminating the need for ergonomic assessments
- Avoiding legal liability for all workplace injuries
Correct answer: Lowering workers' compensation costs and maintaining productivity
Return-to-work programs reduce lost time, lower compensation costs, and help injured employees maintain their functional abilities.
Question 3: A worker is exposed to a chemical at twice the OSHA PEL for four hours. The occupational health provider should FIRST:
- Immediately dismiss the worker from employment
- Remove the worker from exposure and conduct medical evaluation (Correct answer)
- Increase the worker's PPE and allow continued work
- File a complaint with the EPA
Correct answer: Remove the worker from exposure and conduct medical evaluation
Overexposure above PELs requires prompt removal from the hazard and a medical evaluation to assess potential health effects.
Question 4: Carpal tunnel syndrome is an example of which occupational health condition?
- Infectious occupational disease
- Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) (Correct answer)
- Acute chemical poisoning
- Radiation sickness
Correct answer: Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD)
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a musculoskeletal disorder often caused by repetitive hand and wrist motions in the workplace.
Question 5: The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom) requires employers to:
- Provide free medical insurance to all employees
- Train workers on chemical hazards and maintain SDS for hazardous substances (Correct answer)
- Eliminate all chemicals from the workplace
- Test all employees annually for chemical exposure
Correct answer: Train workers on chemical hazards and maintain SDS for hazardous substances
HazCom requires hazard classification, labeling, SDS maintenance, and employee training on chemical hazards in the workplace.
Question 6: Pre-placement medical examinations are PRIMARILY intended to:
- Screen out all applicants with any health condition
- Establish a health baseline and assess ability to perform essential job functions (Correct answer)
- Satisfy insurance company requirements only
- Determine if an applicant has any prior workers' compensation claims
Correct answer: Establish a health baseline and assess ability to perform essential job functions
Pre-placement exams establish a health baseline and ensure the individual can safely perform the essential functions of the job.
Question 7: Occupational asthma is BEST distinguished from non-occupational asthma by:
- The severity of symptoms during an attack
- Improvement of symptoms during weekends or vacations away from work (Correct answer)
- The age of onset in affected workers
- Higher eosinophil counts in blood tests
Correct answer: Improvement of symptoms during weekends or vacations away from work
Improvement away from the workplace and worsening upon return is a classic indicator that distinguishes occupational asthma from other forms.
EMPCO Occupational Health Services 3
Which hierarchy of controls is considered MOST effective for eliminating workplace hazards?