General Workplace Safety and Health 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the 'hierarchy of controls' prioritize as the most effective method to reduce workplace hazards?
- Personal protective equipment
- Administrative controls
- Engineering controls
- Elimination of the hazard (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Elimination of the hazard
Elimination — removing the hazard entirely — is the most effective control because it permanently ends the risk.
Question 2: Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard, what must a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) include?
- Employee training records
- First-aid measures and handling procedures (Correct answer)
- Worker compensation rates
- Equipment purchase costs
Correct answer: First-aid measures and handling procedures
SDS documents are required to include 16 sections covering hazards, handling, first-aid, and emergency response for chemicals.
Question 3: An employer notices employees are developing repetitive strain injuries. Which control would BEST address this ergonomic hazard?
- Providing wrist braces as PPE
- Redesigning workstations to reduce repetitive motion (Correct answer)
- Posting warning signs near workstations
- Scheduling more frequent breaks only
Correct answer: Redesigning workstations to reduce repetitive motion
Redesigning the workstation is an engineering control that addresses the root cause of the ergonomic hazard.
Question 4: What is the OSHA permissible noise exposure limit for an 8-hour workday?
- 80 dB(A)
- 85 dB(A)
- 90 dB(A) (Correct answer)
- 95 dB(A)
Correct answer: 90 dB(A)
OSHA's PEL for noise is 90 dB(A) as an 8-hour time-weighted average under 29 CFR 1910.95.
Question 5: Which type of workplace violence involves violence directed at employees by customers or clients?
- Type I (Criminal intent)
- Type II (Customer/client) (Correct answer)
- Type III (Worker-on-worker)
- Type IV (Personal relationship)
Correct answer: Type II (Customer/client)
Type II workplace violence involves clients, patients, customers, or members of the public who become violent toward employees.
Question 6: What is a 'near miss' in workplace safety terminology?
- A minor injury requiring first aid only
- An incident that could have caused injury but did not (Correct answer)
- Equipment that nearly failed inspection
- A safety violation with no witnesses
Correct answer: An incident that could have caused injury but did not
A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury but had the potential to do so, and should always be reported.
Question 7: Under the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act, employers are required to provide a workplace free from:
- All possible risks and discomforts
- Recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm (Correct answer)
- Any condition employees find stressful
- Hazards only covered by specific OSHA standards
Correct answer: Recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm
Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act requires employers to address recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious harm, even without a specific standard.
General Workplace Safety and Health 2
What does the 'hierarchy of controls' prioritize as the most effective method to reduce workplace hazards?