Question 1

Thermo is a plastic supply and custom fabrication company. Thermo serves clients in the medical, solar, and semiconductor industries by making acrylic and polycarbonate sheets, tubes, and rods. The company employs approximately 500 workers at its facility in Ohio. Safety is a top priority at Thermo, and supervisors are required to conduct daily inspections of all equipment. Recently, three workers were seriously injured by a large press used to mold plastic parts. The workers spent time in the hospital for hand injuries, and they are currently recuperating at home. As a result, top management is evaluating all aspects of safety at the facility to determine what changes need to be made. Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument that Thermo needs to implement a positive reinforcement program?
A) The injured workers removed a safety guard while operating the press in order to speed the process.
B) One of the injured workers was on probation with Thermo for starting a fight with a co-worker.
C) Each of the injured workers was given a job simulation test prior to selection and placement.
D) The press used by the injured workers was an older model that had recently been repaired.

Accepted Answer

A) A positive reinforcement program provides positive feedback to workers who focus on safety. The workers in this case ignored safety by removing a safety guard in order to work more quickly, and a positive reinforcement program would likely discourage such hazardous actions.

Question 2

Toyota uses cadmium pigments in the paint for its cars. At the Toyota plant, air samples are frequently taken as a precautionary measure to ensure that employees are not exposed to levels outside the OSHA safety standards. Which of the following best describes this situation?
A) unsafe acts
B) industrial hygiene
C) infectious disease
D) ergonomic hazard

Accepted Answer

B) Managing exposure hazards like airborne cadmium pigments comes under the area of industrial hygiene and involves recognition, evaluation, and control. If Toyota did not take air samples, the conditions might become unsafe but not due to employee actions. Ergonomic hazards are created by uncomfortable equipment.

Question 3

Thermo is a plastic supply and custom fabrication company. Thermo serves clients in the medical, solar, and semiconductor industries by making acrylic and polycarbonate sheets, tubes, and rods. The company employs approximately 500 workers at its facility in Ohio. Safety is a top priority at Thermo, and supervisors are required to conduct daily inspections of all equipment. Recently, three workers were seriously injured by a large press used to mold plastic parts. The workers spent time in the hospital for hand injuries, and they are currently recuperating at home. As a result, top management is evaluating all aspects of safety at the facility to determine what changes need to be made. Which of the following questions is LEAST relevant to Thermo's decision to minimize unsafe acts at the facility?
A) Have Thermo managers trained employees in the use of the company's mechanical security system?
B) How are employee safety suggestions and complaints currently handled by Thermo managers?
C) How are Thermo employees rewarded or praised for adhering to safety rules and procedures?
D) What is the current level of employee involvement in designing Thermos' safety program?

Accepted Answer

A) Mechanical security systems are not directly relevant to minimizing unsafe acts by employees on the job. Moreover, mechanical security systems, such as access control systems and video surveillance equipment, relate to managing crime at a facility rather than accidents. Unsafe acts are minimized by involving employees in safety decisions and programs and by rewarding safe behavior.

Question 4

Thermo is a plastic supply and custom fabrication company. Thermo serves clients in the medical, solar, and semiconductor industries by making acrylic and polycarbonate sheets, tubes, and rods. The company employs approximately 500 workers at its facility in Ohio. Safety is a top priority at Thermo, and supervisors are required to conduct daily inspections of all equipment. Recently, three workers were seriously injured by a large press used to mold plastic parts. The workers spent time in the hospital for hand injuries, and they are currently recuperating at home. As a result, top management is evaluating all aspects of safety at the facility to determine what changes need to be made. Which of the following, if true, supports the argument that Thermo needs to modify its screening, placement, and training procedures?
A) Interviews with the on-duty supervisor indicate that signs were clearly posted near the accident site explaining the importance of using protective guards.
B) Supervisors use a combination of recognition and monetary incentives to encourage employees to follow safety procedures.
C) Noises emitted from the press and the high temperatures in the Thermo facility are considered distracting and potentially dangerous.
D) Interviews with the injured workers indicate that the most experienced worker removed the safety guard and the other two workers did not know how to respond.

Accepted Answer

D) It is especially important to instruct new employees in safe practices and procedures, warn them of potential hazards, and work on developing their predisposition toward safety. The most experienced worker disregarded safety in this case and the other workers lacked the knowledge or confidence to counter the decision, which suggests that they would all benefit from training.

Question 5

How do managers reduce unsafe acts through selection?
A) identify traits linked to job accidents and screen candidates for such traits
B) rotate employees through different positions within the organization
C) offer monetary incentives to employee teams with low accident rates
D) respond to employee suggestions to improve possible problem areas

Accepted Answer

A) Proper employee screening and placement reduces unsafe acts. Here, the employer's aim is to identify the traits that might predict accidents on the job in question, and then screen candidates for this trait.

Question 6

Which of the following will most likely increase as a result of employees experiencing significant job stress?
A) performance
B) punctuality
C) work quality
D) health care costs

Accepted Answer

D) For the employer, consequences of employee stress include diminished quantity and quality of performance, and increased absenteeism and turnover. A study of 46,000 employees concluded that high-stress workers' health care costs were 46% higher than those of their less-stressed co-workers.

Question 7

Thermo is a plastic supply and custom fabrication company. Thermo serves clients in the medical, solar, and semiconductor industries by making acrylic and polycarbonate sheets, tubes, and rods. The company employs approximately 500 workers at its facility in Ohio. Safety is a top priority at Thermo, and supervisors are required to conduct daily inspections of all equipment. Recently, three workers were seriously injured by a large press used to mold plastic parts. The workers spent time in the hospital for hand injuries, and they are currently recuperating at home. As a result, top management is evaluating all aspects of safety at the facility to determine what changes need to be made. Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument that Thermo supervisors need additional training in OSHA standards?
A) None of the injured Thermo workers were wearing personal protective equipment because the high temperatures in the facility made the PPE very uncomfortable.
B) The three workers were working overtime during an evening shift at Thermo, and only one of them had extensive experience using the press.
C) Thermo conducts air sampling on a weekly basis as part of its industrial hygiene program, and the firm has never been cited for poor air quality.
D) The safety gate had been removed from the press to bypass a safety interlock, and the gate was not replaced prior to the three workers using the machine during their morning shift at Thermo.

Accepted Answer

D) A supervisor's primary duty is to inspect a facility for safety, which includes inspecting equipment. The paragraph indicates that supervisors check equipment each day, but apparently the three workers' supervisor was not knowledgeable enough to realize there was a hazard present with the press. Therefore, supervisors would benefit from additional training in OSHA standards.

Question 8

Gwen works as a stockbroker, and she is experiencing the symptoms of job stress. All of the following would most likely help Gwen reduce her stress levels EXCEPT ________.
A) making a list of problems and possible solutions
B) putting off dealing with distasteful problems
C) requesting realistic project deadlines
D) limiting interruptions

Accepted Answer

B) Putting off distasteful problems can increase stress, so they should be dealt with swiftly. Making "worry lists," negotiating deadlines, limiting interruptions, and eating well can reduce stress.

Question 9

When managers identify a trait associated with workplace accidents and then use this trait as part of the selection process for new hires, they are using ________ to reduce unsafe acts.
A) job rotation
B) screening
C) training
D) incentives

Accepted Answer

B) Proper employee screening and placement reduces unsafe acts. Here, the employer's aim is to identify the traits that might predict accidents on the job in question, and then screen candidates for this trait.

Question 10

All of the following are symptoms of employees in the advanced stages of alcoholism EXCEPT ________.
A) drinking on the job
B) walking with an unsteady gait
C) delegating job responsibilities
D) performing the job incompetently

Accepted Answer

C) Delegating job responsibilities is not characteristic of advanced alcoholism. However, drinking on the job, walking unsteadily, and performing with incompetence are clear signs.

Question 11

Which of the following is one of the earliest indicators of an employee's possible alcoholism?
A) violent outbursts
B) mood swings
C) personal neglect
D) missed deadlines

Accepted Answer

D) Missed deadlines are an early sign of possible alcoholism. Violent outbursts, mood swings, and personal neglect may occur in more advanced stages of alcoholism.

Question 12

Kevin is a supervisor at a manufacturing facility that has experienced a high rate of on-the-job accidents. Which of the following methods should Kevin use first to reduce the number of workplace accidents?
A) enforcing job rotation
B) screening job applicants
C) removing physical hazards
D) requiring employees to use PPE

Accepted Answer

C) Reducing unsafe conditions by removing physical hazards is always the first line of defense against accidents. Then use administrative controls (such as job rotation to reduce long-term exposure to the hazard). Only then, turn to PPE. Reducing unsafe acts-by emphasizing safety and through screening, training, or incentive programs, for example-is the second basic way to reduce accidents.

Question 13

Which of the following terms refers to people who feel driven to always be on time and meet deadlines?
A) lifelong learner
B) team player
C) workaholic
D) supervisor

Accepted Answer

C) Type A personalities and workaholics feel driven to always be on time and meet deadlines. These people normally place themselves under greater stress than do others.

Question 14

________ is defined as the total depletion of physical and mental resources caused by excessive striving to reach an unrealistic work-related goal.
A) Depression
B) Job stress
C) Anxiety
D) Burnout

Accepted Answer

D) Burnout is a phenomenon closely associated with job stress. Experts define burnout as the total depletion of physical and mental resources caused by excessive striving to reach an unrealistic work-related goal.

Question 15

According to experts, burnout can most effectively be reduced by ________.
A) telecommuting
B) rotating jobs
C) changing careers
D) reassessing goals

Accepted Answer

D) Reassessing goals, scheduling periods of introspection, and breaking patterns are ways that people can reduce burnout. Telecommuting, rotating jobs, and changing careers would not necessarily be as effective as reassessing career goals.

Question 16

David is experiencing significant levels of job stress in his position as vice president of marketing. Which of the following is LEAST likely to be a consequence of David's stress?
A) anxiety
B) cancer
C) headaches
D) heart disease

Accepted Answer

B) Job stress has serious consequences for both employer and employee. The human consequences include anxiety, depression, anger, cardiovascular disease, and headaches. Connections have not been made between stress and the incidence of cancer.

Question 17

As an HR manager, you need to be aware of the symptoms of burnout among employees. Which of the following is most likely NOT a sign of employee burnout?
A) exhaustion
B) absenteeism
C) entrapment
D) resentment

Accepted Answer

B) Burnout builds gradually, manifesting itself in symptoms such as irritability, discouragement, exhaustion, cynicism, entrapment, and resentment. Absenteeism is not necessarily a sign of burnout, although taking time off from work would be beneficial.

Question 18

As an employer, which of the following would be your best choice for reducing workplace accidents?
A) preemployment drug testing
B) random employee drug testing
C) a combination of random, ongoing drug testing with psychological evaluations
D) a combination of preemployment drug testing and random ongoing drug testing

Accepted Answer

D) A combination of preemployment and random, ongoing testing was associated with a significant reduction in workplace accidents. Studies have shown a less significant reduction in workplace accidents when only one or the other is used.

Question 19

Unsafe acts can be reduced through all of the following methods EXCEPT by ________.
A) listening to employee suggestions
B) identifying employee interests and preferences
C) involving workers in planning safety programs
D) providing workers with comfortable protective equipment

Accepted Answer

B) Listening to employee suggestions and involving them in the safety program can minimize accidents. Providing PPE that is comfortable and reliable encourages workers to use it. Although screening employees is important, identifying their interests and preferences is less likely to reduce unsafe acts.

Question 20

Research estimates that the cost of health care is nearly ________ higher for highly stressed workers than for workers with low levels of stress.
A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 100%

Accepted Answer

C) A study of 46,000 employees concluded that high-stress workers' health care costs were 46% higher than those of their less-stressed co-workers.

Quiz 14: Improving Occupational Safety, Health, and Risk Management

Toyota uses cadmium pigments in the paint for its cars. At the Toyota plant, air samples are frequently taken as a precautionary measure to ensure that employees are not exposed to levels outside the OSHA safety standards. Which of the following best describes this situation?

How do managers reduce unsafe acts through selection?

Which of the following will most likely increase as a result of employees experiencing significant job stress?

Gwen works as a stockbroker, and she is experiencing the symptoms of job stress. All of the following would most likely help Gwen reduce her stress levels EXCEPT ________.

When managers identify a trait associated with workplace accidents and then use this trait as part of the selection process for new hires, they are using ________ to reduce unsafe acts.

All of the following are symptoms of employees in the advanced stages of alcoholism EXCEPT ________.

Which of the following is one of the earliest indicators of an employee's possible alcoholism?

Kevin is a supervisor at a manufacturing facility that has experienced a high rate of on-the-job accidents. Which of the following methods should Kevin use first to reduce the number of workplace accidents?

Which of the following terms refers to people who feel driven to always be on time and meet deadlines?

________ is defined as the total depletion of physical and mental resources caused by excessive striving to reach an unrealistic work-related goal.

According to experts, burnout can most effectively be reduced by ________.

David is experiencing significant levels of job stress in his position as vice president of marketing. Which of the following is LEAST likely to be a consequence of David's stress?

As an HR manager, you need to be aware of the symptoms of burnout among employees. Which of the following is most likely NOT a sign of employee burnout?

As an employer, which of the following would be your best choice for reducing workplace accidents?

Unsafe acts can be reduced through all of the following methods EXCEPT by ________.

Research estimates that the cost of health care is nearly ________ higher for highly stressed workers than for workers with low levels of stress.