Free Professional in Human Resources - California (PHRca) CA Health and Safety Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An agricultural employer in Fresno, CA is implementing their outdoor heat illness prevention plan. According to the Cal/OSHA standard, at what temperature threshold must the employer make shade available to employees?
- 75°F
- 80°F (Correct answer)
- 90°F
- 95°F
Correct answer: 80°F
California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 3395 requires employers with outdoor places of employment to provide access to shade when the temperature exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The shade must be sufficient to accommodate all employees on their rest or recovery periods.
Question 2: A warehouse employee is hospitalized overnight for a forklift-related leg fracture. Under Cal/OSHA regulations, what is the maximum amount of time the employer has to report this serious injury to the nearest Cal/OSHA district office?
- 4 hours
- 8 hours (Correct answer)
- 24 hours
- 5 days
Correct answer: 8 hours
Cal/OSHA requires employers to report any serious injury, illness, or death immediately, which is defined as no longer than 8 hours after the employer knows or should have known about the incident. A serious injury includes any inpatient hospitalization for a period longer than medical observation.
Question 3: As of July 1, 2024, California employers are required to implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) under SB 553. Which of the following is a mandatory component of this plan?
- Conducting background checks on all new hires.
- Installing metal detectors at all public entrances.
- Maintaining a violent incident log for every workplace violence incident. (Correct answer)
- Providing active shooter response training conducted by local law enforcement.
Correct answer: Maintaining a violent incident log for every workplace violence incident.
California Labor Code section 6401.9, established by SB 553, explicitly requires employers to record information for every workplace violence incident in a violent incident log. While other measures might be part of a comprehensive safety program, the violent incident log is a specific, mandated requirement of the WVPP.
Question 4: Which of the following is a core, required element that must be included in a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) according to Cal/OSHA?
- A system for investigating occupational injuries and illnesses. (Correct answer)
- A monthly safety incentive program for injury-free months.
- A list of approved occupational medical clinics.
- An annual company-wide safety retreat.
Correct answer: A system for investigating occupational injuries and illnesses.
Cal/OSHA Title 8, Section 3203 mandates that every effective IIPP must include several key elements. Among these is a procedure for investigating occupational injuries and illnesses to identify their causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Question 5: An employer is subject to California's ergonomics standard (Title 8, Section 5110) after two employees performing the same word processing tasks are diagnosed with work-related carpal tunnel syndrome. What is the employer required to do?
- Immediately transfer the affected employees to different jobs.
- Provide all VDT workstation employees with quarterly bonuses for taking microbreaks.
- Conduct a worksite evaluation of the job, control exposures, and provide training. (Correct answer)
- Require all VDT workstation employees to pass an annual typing proficiency test.
Correct answer: Conduct a worksite evaluation of the job, control exposures, and provide training.
The Cal/OSHA ergonomics standard is triggered when at least two employees performing identical work activities are diagnosed with a repetitive motion injury (RMI). Once triggered, the standard requires the employer to implement a program that includes a worksite evaluation, control of the exposures that caused the RMIs, and employee training.
Question 6: A California-based manufacturing company with 25 employees uses a chemical known to the state to cause reproductive harm. Under Proposition 65, what is the employer's primary obligation regarding this chemical?
- Submit an annual report to Cal/OSHA detailing the chemical's usage.
- Replace the chemical with a non-listed alternative within one year.
- Provide a 'clear and reasonable' warning to employees before exposure. (Correct answer)
- Pay an additional toxic substance tax to the state.
Correct answer: Provide a 'clear and reasonable' warning to employees before exposure.
Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, requires businesses with 10 or more employees to provide a clear and reasonable warning before knowingly and intentionally exposing anyone, including employees, to a chemical on the state's list of substances known to cause cancer or reproductive harm.
Free Professional in Human Resources - California (PHRca) CA Health and Safety Questions and Answers
An agricultural employer in Fresno, CA is implementing their outdoor heat illness prevention plan.
According to the Cal/OSHA standard, at what temperature threshold must the employer make shade available to employees?