Workplace Ergonomics & Health Flashcards
7 cards from real SAF practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Workplace Ergonomics & Health flashcards as text
What is the primary benefit of job rotation as an ergonomic intervention for assembly workers?
Answer: It reduces the cumulative exposure to any single set of ergonomic risk factors
Job rotation reduces the total dose of repetitive strain by spreading exposure across different muscle groups, but it does not eliminate underlying hazards.
According to the hierarchy of ergonomic controls, which intervention ranks highest in effectiveness?
Answer: Engineering controls such as tool redesign and workstation modification
Engineering controls are ranked highest because they physically eliminate or reduce the hazard at the source, rather than managing worker behavior or exposure.
A transcriptionist experiences pain in both forearms after switching to a new keyboard layout. Which ergonomic factor should be evaluated FIRST?
Answer: Wrist posture, keystroke force, and hand/wrist position during typing
Keyboard-related forearm pain is most directly linked to wrist posture, keystroke force, and repetitive motion — these should be the primary assessment focus.
What does the term 'static loading' mean in occupational ergonomics?
Answer: Sustained muscle contraction required to maintain a fixed posture without movement
Static loading refers to muscles being held in continuous contraction to maintain a posture, which reduces blood flow and accelerates fatigue.
Which factor is most important when selecting a mouse or pointing device to reduce wrist ulnar deviation?
Answer: Mouse size and orientation relative to the user's hand anatomy
A correctly sized mouse used in a neutral wrist orientation reduces ulnar deviation; vertical mice especially help eliminate forearm pronation and wrist bending.
When evaluating thermal comfort for ergonomic health, which ASHRAE standard is most commonly referenced for office and light industrial environments?
Answer: ASHRAE 55 — Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy
ASHRAE Standard 55 specifies temperature, humidity, and airspeed conditions for thermal comfort and is the primary reference for workplace thermal ergonomics.
A warehouse worker is trained to 'keep loads close to the body' during manual handling. What biomechanical principle does this address?
Answer: It reduces the moment arm (torque) acting on the lumbar spine, lowering compressive and shear forces
Load moment = weight × horizontal distance from spine; keeping loads close minimizes this distance and dramatically reduces spinal loading.