AEP Quality Assurance and Improvement 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which statistical tool is used in ergonomics QA to determine whether a process is operating within acceptable control limits over time?
- Pareto chart
- Control chart (SPC) (Correct answer)
- Scatter diagram
- Affinity diagram
Correct answer: Control chart (SPC)
Statistical Process Control (SPC) uses control charts to monitor process performance and detect variation that signals an out-of-control condition.
Question 2: In a Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle applied to an ergonomics program, which phase involves analyzing data collected from an ergonomic intervention?
- Plan
- Do
- Check (Correct answer)
- Act
Correct answer: Check
The Check phase of PDCA involves evaluating the results of the intervention against the goals established in the Plan phase.
Question 3: A process capability index (Cpk) of less than 1.0 in an ergonomics measurement process indicates:
- The process is capable and centered
- The process cannot consistently meet specification limits (Correct answer)
- The process has zero defects
- The process variation is negligible
Correct answer: The process cannot consistently meet specification limits
A Cpk below 1.0 means the process produces output outside specification limits, indicating the measurement process is not capable.
Question 4: Which quality improvement approach focuses on reducing defects to 3.4 per million opportunities and is sometimes applied to ergonomics programs?
- ISO 9001
- Six Sigma (Correct answer)
- Lean Manufacturing
- Total Quality Management
Correct answer: Six Sigma
Six Sigma targets 3.4 defects per million opportunities using DMAIC methodology to drive process improvement.
Question 5: When conducting a root cause analysis for a repetitive strain injury cluster, which tool helps teams visualize cause-and-effect relationships?
- Histogram
- Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram (Correct answer)
- Run chart
- Box plot
Correct answer: Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram
The Ishikawa (fishbone) diagram organizes potential causes into categories to identify root causes of a problem or injury trend.
Question 6: In ergonomics quality improvement, a 'leading indicator' differs from a 'lagging indicator' in that it:
- Measures injuries after they occur
- Predicts future injury risk before incidents happen (Correct answer)
- Counts workers' compensation claims
- Tracks days away from work
Correct answer: Predicts future injury risk before incidents happen
Leading indicators (e.g., ergonomic assessment completion rates) measure proactive activities that predict and prevent future injuries.
Question 7: A 5-Why analysis conducted on an ergonomics problem is intended to:
- Quantify the financial cost of the injury
- Drill down to the systemic root cause by repeatedly asking why (Correct answer)
- Prioritize hazards using a risk matrix
- Calculate the return on investment of a control
Correct answer: Drill down to the systemic root cause by repeatedly asking why
The 5-Why technique iteratively asks 'why' to move past symptoms to the underlying root cause of a problem.
AEP Quality Assurance and Improvement 2
Which statistical tool is used in ergonomics QA to determine whether a process is operating within acceptable control limits over time?