Deck 12: Safety and Health

Question 1

Which of the following statements about penalties for violations of safety rules is NOT True?

A) Penalties are generally more harsh than those for other types of offences.
B) Penalties are usually stated in the employee handbook.
C) In the case of a serious violation, a first offence may be cause for termination.
D) Supervisors must take immediate action when unsafe acts are detected.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

When should safety training begin?

A) with new employee orientation
B) immediately after an accident or injury
C) before returning to work after an accident or injury
D) at the discretion of the supervisor

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Most jurisdictions require the establishment of health and safety committees with both union and management representation. Which of the following is one of the expectations of this approach?

A) that it would educate the union about the problems their membership cause
B) that it would show the union how tough management can be
C) that it would help to develop a non-adversarial union-management climate
D) that it would force the union not to strike

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Management is encouraged to involve employees in safety programs. Which of the following is NOT a way that employees should be involved?

A) jointly setting safety standards
B) participating in safety training
C) developing safety legislation
D) establishing safety incentives and rewards

Question 5

Robin Hood recently started working in a modern office in the financial district in Toronto. Which of the following health and safety issues is he LEAST likely to face in the workplace?

A) sick building syndrome
B) distress
C) lung cancer
D) muscular aches and pains

Question 6

Why must supervisors observe employees' work safety behaviours?

A) to limit the company's liability in case of accident
B) to reduce insurance costs
C) to reinforce and ensure adherence to safe practices
D) to learn the proper procedures from line employees

Question 7

What is the key role for the supervisor with respect to safety?

A) to administer employee disciplinary procedures
B) to communicate to an employee the need to work safely
C) to observe employee behaviour on-the-job
D) to monitor actions of supervisors

Question 8

In Alberta, which of the following bodies regulate occupational health and safety?

A) the Alberta provincial government only
B) the federal and Alberta governments
C) the federal government only
D) the governments of Canada and all the provinces, including Alberta

Question 9

Samantha works as a secretary at Bingo Bank and spends a significant period of her work day in front of a computer. She is at risk of experiencing various problems associated with video display terminal use. Which of the following is Samantha NOT at risk of experiencing?

A) visual difficulty
B) muscle ache
C) job stress
D) disorientation

Question 10

Under health and safety legislation, which of the following are employers NOT required to perform?

A) take every reasonable precaution to guarantee worker safety
B) ensure that workers use or wear safety equipment, devices, or clothing
C) discipline employees who refuse to do work they believe is unsafe
D) inform their employees about health and safety requirements

Question 11

In 2002, there were 900 workplace-related deaths-an average of four Canadian workers dying every working day. Given that there were 366 days in 2002, should this figure be lower?

A) Yes; 900/366 is approximately 2.5 deaths per day.
B) Yes; many of these deaths are based on fraudulent claims.
C) No; you have to subtract weekends, statutory holidays, and so forth, to get working days.
D) No; it should be higher because many deaths are not reported.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT an initiative that can make health and safety training more effective?

A) involve workers in the program design
B) exclude the union in planning
C) use the Internet and information technology as appropriate
D) include related material in new employee orientation

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT True of workers' compensation?

A) Unlimited medical aid is provided.
B) The goal of workers' compensation is to return the employee to his or her job (or some modification thereof) as soon as possible.
C) The emphasis of workers' compensation is primarily on assessment, payments, and rehabilitation.
D) Injured workers can receive benefits in the form of a cash payout.

Question 14

Harry Davis has been found guilty of smoking around a volatile substance in his workplace. It is his first offence after 25 years. The employer, ABC Inc., has a progressive disciplinary system, where employees are first given a written warning, then suspended for repeated violations, and dismissed as a last resort. What action should ABC Inc take?

A) ABC Inc. must follow the progressive disciplinary system in punishing Harry.
B) ABC Inc. may choose to terminate Harry, even though it is his first offence.
C) ABC Inc. must involve the courts before making a decision.
D) ABC Inc. must involve the government before making a decision.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a worker's responsibility related to safety?

A) to advise on potential workplace hazards
B) to report hazardous conditions or defective equipment
C) to follow all employer safety and health rules and regulations
D) to exercise discretion in the use of protective equipment

Question 16

Which of the following best describes employees who smoke?

A) Non-smoking employees have lower levels of absenteeism than employees who smoke.
B) Employees who smoke and non-smokers have similar levels of absenteeism and productivity.
C) Health care costs are lower for employees who smoke.
D) Employees who smoke are typically more productive and have less absenteeism than non-smokers.

Question 17

Not so long ago, many workers were seriously affected through contact with asbestos in workplaces. What is this an example of?

A) occupational illnesses
B) occupational injuries
C) management negligence
D) industrial diseases

Question 18

Tom Jones was recently injured on the job at ABC Steel Factory. Whose responsibility is it to report the accident to the Workers' Compensation Board?

A) Tom Jones
B) Tom Jones's co-workers (because Tom Jones may be injured and cannot make the report immediately)
C) the government's safety officer
D) ABC Steel Factory

Question 19

What do joint health and safety committees consist of?

A) management representatives
B) employee (union) representatives
C) both employee (union) and management representatives
D) health and safety officers

Question 20

Employee protections in the workplace with respect to health and safety have improved significantly over the past few decades. Which of the following is NOT one of the reasons for this improvement?

A) increase public concerns
B) pressures from the unions
C) pressures from the developing world to match their competitiveness
D) pressures from government

Question 21

Cathy has been experiencing severe stress on the job, including depression, frustration, and a loss of productivity. What is she most likely experiencing?

A) burnout
B) an alarm reaction
C) eustress
D) severe eustress

Question 22

Which of the following jobs is LEAST likely to result in a cumulative trauma disorder?

A) college teacher
B) meat cutter
C) dental hygienist
D) violinist

Question 23

Which category of service employees is at the highest risk of workplace violence?

A) insurance agents who visit clients' homes
B) postal workers who deliver the mail
C) nurses
D) firefighters

Question 24

An employee is showing signs of depression, including decreased energy, irritability, and hostility, in the workplace. What should the HR manager do?

A) suggest professional help
B) diagnose the problem and urgently try to remedy it
C) do nothing, as the problem will most likely go away
D) suspend the employee so as to prevent workplace violence

Question 25

Jack Spratt, the HR manager at Risky Bank Inc., has been working on a plan to prevent workplace violence. He has so far redesigned the workplace to include electronic surveillance and implemented new administrative practices, such as background checks. Which of the following would NOT be a good additional measure?

A) keeping cash register funds to a minimum
B) keeping track of immigrants in the workplace
C) having a violence prevention policy in place
D) forming crisis management teams

Question 26

Which of the following is LEAST likely to be promoted through company programs and services?

A) reduced absenteeism
B) increased efficiency
C) exemption from safety inspection
D) better morale

Question 27

If an employee is experiencing personal problems, who is the individual most likely to refer the worker to the company's employee assistance program?

A) his or her supervisor
B) his or her spouse or significant other
C) a member of the clergy
D) the employee himself or herself

Question 28

Assume that you are a new manager at a manufacturing plant. On your first day, you are on the factory floor and notice one employee verbally abusing another; a fight was imminent. Which of the following would NOT be a wise strategy for you to follow?

A) try to separate the individuals and ask them to see you individually in private
B) remain calm
C) publicly ask the aggressor to back down, as this would help with developing your authority in the workplace
D) listen and be nonjudgmental

Question 29

Jenny Jones has been working at the same job-typing almost all day-for the past five years. She has now damaged her wrist as a result of the work. What is her problem most likely a form of?

A) ambidextrosis
B) muscular dysfunctions
C) cumulative trauma disorders
D) systematic trauma

Question 30

When individuals experience harmful stress for a long enough period, they often experience physiological changes such as increased heart rate, increased respiration, and increased blood pressure. What is the name of this type of stress?

A) cumulative trauma disorders
B) the alarm reaction
C) eustress
D) dysfunctional adaptation

Question 31

Improved individual employee health will have the LEAST impact on which of the following outcomes?

A) reduced absenteeism
B) improved compensation and reward systems
C) increased efficiency
D) better morale

Question 32

What is the best method to capitalize on the benefits of video display terminals while safeguarding employee health?

A) placing the computer monitor to the side of the desk
B) placing the computer screen 10 to 25 cm (4 to 9 inches) below eye level
C) placing the computer screen 30 cm (12 inches) above eye level
D) adjusting the brightness and contrast controls on the screen to be as high as possible

Question 33

What program aims to help employees with nutrition, weight control, and avoidance of substances harmful to health?

A) a fitness program
B) an employee assistance program
C) a health service programs.
D) workplace fitness and health

Question 34

Managerial, technical, or public contact jobs may all experience a kind of stress that usually energizes them. What is this positive stress called?

A) distress
B) functional stress
C) eustress
D) fight-or-flight stress

Question 35

Omar works as a supervisor with responsibility for discipline in the workplace; Cindy works as an attendant for a parking garage; Devi works as an IT programmer at a bank; and Lee works as a nurse in a hospital. Who is the least likely to be at risk for workplace violence?

A) Lee
B) Cindy
C) Omar
D) Devi

Question 36

Which of the following is NOT a high-risk work circumstance associated with workplace violence?

A) interacting with the public
B) dealing with the exchange of money
C) working with information technology
D) working alone

Question 37

Which of the following is NOT a common cause of workplace stress?

A) having too much to do in too short a time
B) lack of recognition for a job well done
C) having to expend too much mental or physical energy over too long a period
D) empowerment

Question 38

An employee has been diagnosed with depression and possible mental illness. Her manager has organized professional counselling for her as part of the organizational response to her problems. This counselling is most likely a form of which of the following?

A) a new reward system
B) an employee assistance program
C) a mental preparedness program
D) a crisis prevention program

Question 39

Which of the following best describes drug testing in the workplace?

A) Managers are exempt from drug testing.
B) Employees may use or abuse legal prescription drugs that affect their behaviour.
C) Managers have a right to test employees for any substance at any time.
D) Human rights legislation encourages drug testing.

Question 40

Which of the following is NOT a cause of job-related stress?

A) learning new coping skills
B) having too much to do in a short time
C) having low control over the way the job is done
D) receiving no rewards for a job well done

Question 41

Once informed by the employer of safety hazards or health regulations, it is the employee's responsibility to comply with occupational health and safety legislation.

Question 42

Health and safety committees in the workplace are comprised only of management representatives.

Question 43

The emphasis in workers' compensation has been shifting to creating safer workplaces.

Question 44

Under workers' compensation, injured workers are entitled to a cash payout in the case of permanent disability.

Question 45

Health and safety procedures should be an important part of new employee orientation.

Question 46

An occupational illness is any abnormal condition or disorder caused by exposure to environmental factors associated with employment.

Question 47

Employees do not have any specific duties related to their safety.

Question 48

Which of the following best describes job-related stress?

A) Stress that is harmful to some employees may be healthy for others and improve their performance.
B) Burnout is the first stage of eustress.
C) Providing music of any kind will help relieve stress.
D) Setting ever higher performance goals relieves employee stress by giving them self-esteem about their ability to achieve goals.

Question 49

It is the supervisor's duty to ensure that workers use or wear safety equipment, devices, or clothing.

Question 50

Occupational health and safety are regulated solely by the federal government.

Question 51

If an injured employee has been off work for six months, that person has only a 20 percent chance of returning.

Question 52

Employers have many responsibilities in providing safe workplaces for employees.

Question 53

The definitions of accidents and injuries have expanded to include stress.

Question 54

Which of the following subjects are LEAST likely to be included in an employer-sponsored stress-management program?

A) relaxation techniques
B) tips on consuming alcohol usefully
C) coping skills
D) ways of dealing with difficult people

Question 55

There is legislation pertaining to occupational health and safety in every province and territory in Canada.

Question 56

In 2002, there were 900 Canadian workplace-related deaths.

Question 57

Kent Factory Inc. is a sausage plant that has been receiving bad reports in the press related its health and safety problems. The reports are causing a loss in profits. Assume that you are the new HR manager. Which of the following would be one of your first initiatives to deal with the problems?

A) fire the HR staff because they have been ineffective in dealing with the problems
B) alert the CEO that you are not a trained psychologist or a safety officer, so another department should handle the issue
C) invite the press for a tour of the facilities
D) diagnose the cause of the problems and formulate a plan to deal with them

Question 58

What is the best way to proactively manage workplace violence?

A) hire armed guards to oversee workplace activities
B) develop a zero-tolerance policy for violence
C) report violence to the police as soon as it happens
D) implementing a strenuous disciplinary policy

Question 59

Penalties for violations of health and safety regulations include substantial fines, as well as jail terms.

Question 60

The goal of workers' compensation is to return the employee to work as soon as possible.

Question 61

Video display terminals (VDTs) have become a major safety concern within the office environment.

Question 62

Safety incentive programs are only effective when they are based on monetary rewards.

Question 63

The success of a safety program depends largely on the HR department.

Question 64

The rising use of video display terminals at work has led to the proliferation of visual difficulties, radiation hazards, muscular aches and pains, and increased job stress for employees using personal computers or network work stations on the job.

Question 65

An individual who suffers clinical depression after a serious accident is eligible for workers' compensation while receiving treatment for the accident.

Question 66

The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) was developed to provide a common information system for labelling dangerous work activities.

Question 67

A consequence of sealing windows, reducing outside air, and "buttoning up" buildings is the "sick building syndrome."

Question 68

It is generally recognized that there is little that management can do to prevent cumulative trauma disorders (repetitive motion injuries).

Question 69

To minimize the negative effects of computer use, the monitor should be placed at an angle view, above the user's line of sight.

Question 70

Very few Canadian employers have a formal safety program.

Question 71

An employee's supervisor is the primary source of safety-related information.

Question 72

Nurses are victims of violence at a rate that is 16 times higher than other service workers.

Question 73

Sick building syndrome can result in employee complaints such as dizziness, disorientation, and fatigue.

Question 74

Although there are over 70,000 chemicals used in the workplace, nearly all of these chemicals are safe and do not pose any concerns to workers.

Question 75

The Internet and other forms of information technology can play a key role in health and safety programs.

Question 76

The members of the safety committee should investigate only accidents resulting in serious injuries.

Question 77

In addition to rewards for safe behaviour, it is equally important that organizations enforce safety rules through penalties such as discipline.

Question 78

Employees who work alone are at a lower risk of encountering workplace assaults.

Question 79

A supervisor's primary obligation to employee safety is to communicate safety standards and train employees in safe practices.

Question 80

A serious violation of a safety rule may be grounds for employee termination, even for a first offence.