OFA OFA Musculoskeletal Injuries & Fracture Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When assessing a suspected fracture at a worksite, which sign is MOST indicative of a broken bone?
- Mild redness at the site
- Deformity or unnatural angulation of the limb (Correct answer)
- Slight bruising without swelling
- Numbness two inches above the injury
Correct answer: Deformity or unnatural angulation of the limb
Visible deformity or unnatural angulation is a classic sign of a fracture requiring immobilization and further evaluation.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of splinting a suspected fracture before transport?
- To reduce infection risk
- To restore circulation to the limb
- To immobilize the injury and reduce pain and further damage (Correct answer)
- To apply compression and stop bleeding
Correct answer: To immobilize the injury and reduce pain and further damage
Splinting immobilizes the fractured area to prevent further tissue, nerve, and vessel damage and to reduce pain during transport.
Question 3: An OFA responder finds a worker with an open (compound) fracture of the forearm. What should be done FIRST?
- Attempt to push the bone back under the skin
- Control bleeding with a clean dressing without applying pressure directly on the bone (Correct answer)
- Apply a tight tourniquet immediately
- Splint the arm in a straightened position
Correct answer: Control bleeding with a clean dressing without applying pressure directly on the bone
For open fractures, control bleeding by covering the wound with a clean dressing while avoiding direct pressure on the protruding bone.
Question 4: Which splinting principle ensures the splint is applied correctly?
- Splint only the joint above the fracture
- Immobilize the joint above AND below the suspected fracture site (Correct answer)
- Pad the splint only at the fracture site
- Splint should be tight enough to restrict all circulation
Correct answer: Immobilize the joint above AND below the suspected fracture site
A properly applied splint must immobilize the joints both above and below the fracture to prevent movement at the fracture site.
Question 5: A worker complains of severe wrist pain after a fall on an outstretched hand. There is no deformity. What should the OFA responder do?
- Tell the worker to flex the wrist to test for injury
- Treat it as a suspected fracture and immobilize (Correct answer)
- Advise the worker to apply heat immediately
- Release the worker to return to work if they can move fingers
Correct answer: Treat it as a suspected fracture and immobilize
In the absence of an X-ray, a painful, tender wrist after trauma should be treated as a suspected fracture and immobilized.
Question 6: Which type of injury involves ligament tearing at a joint and should be managed with the RICE method?
- Fracture
- Dislocation
- Sprain (Correct answer)
- Strain
Correct answer: Sprain
A sprain involves tearing or overstretching of ligaments and is managed with Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE).
OFA OFA Musculoskeletal Injuries & Fracture Management 1
When assessing a suspected fracture at a worksite, which sign is MOST indicative of a broken bone?