Workplace Health and Safety Flashcards

Question 1

What is the basic purpose of workplace health and safety programs?

Accepted Answer

The basic purpose of workplace health and safety programs is to prevent work-related injury, illness, and death by identifying hazards and controlling risks before people are harmed. These programs also protect productivity, reduce costs from lost time and damaged equipment, and support legal compliance.

Question 2

Who is responsible for keeping a workplace safe?

Accepted Answer

Responsibility for safety is shared. Employers must provide a workplace free from recognized serious hazards, supply required training and protective equipment, and enforce safe procedures. Workers must follow safety rules, use equipment correctly, report hazards and injuries, and take part in training. Supervisors, safety staff, and contractors also have defined duties.

Question 3

What is a hazard, and how does it differ from a risk?

Accepted Answer

A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm, such as a moving machine part, a toxic chemical, or a wet floor. Risk is the likelihood that harm will actually occur, combined with how severe that harm could be. A hazard can create little risk if it is well controlled or rarely encountered.

Question 4

What does the term near miss mean in safety reporting?

Accepted Answer

A near miss is an unplanned event that could have caused injury, illness, or damage but did not, such as a dropped tool that lands beside a worker. Near misses are valuable because they reveal weaknesses in controls before someone is hurt. Organizations that encourage non-punitive reporting gather information that helps prevent future injuries.

Question 5

What is the purpose of a safety data sheet?

Accepted Answer

A safety data sheet provides detailed information about a hazardous chemical, including its identity, physical and health hazards, safe handling and storage methods, protective measures, and emergency response steps. Workers should consult it before using a chemical for the first time and whenever procedures change. Employers must keep them accessible.

Question 6

What does safety culture mean, and why does it matter at work?

Accepted Answer

Safety culture is the shared set of beliefs, attitudes, and everyday behaviors that determine how seriously people take safety when production pressure is high. A strong culture shows up when workers speak up about concerns, leaders visibly follow rules, and safety is discussed as a core value rather than an afterthought.

Question 7

What makes safety training effective for workers in practice?

Accepted Answer

Effective safety training teaches workers the specific hazards of their jobs, the controls in place, and the correct procedures for their tasks, using language and methods they understand. Training should be given before work begins, repeated when conditions change, and checked for understanding through practice or questions. Training works best alongside supervision.

Question 8

What is the difference between leading and lagging indicators?

Accepted Answer

The difference is that lagging indicators measure outcomes that already happened, while leading indicators measure activities that prevent harm. Lagging examples include injury rates, lost workdays, and incident counts; leading examples include completed inspections, hazard reports submitted, and training completed on time. Balanced programs track both types.

Question 9

What are the main categories of workplace hazards?

Accepted Answer

Workplace hazards are commonly grouped into physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, and psychosocial categories, though some systems use different labels. Physical hazards include noise, heat, falls, and moving machinery. Chemical hazards include gases, dusts, and liquids. Biological hazards include bacteria, viruses, and mold. Ergonomic and psychosocial hazards involve work design, workload, and stress.

Question 10

Why do safety teams conduct regular workplace inspections?

Accepted Answer

Regular inspections help teams find hazards, damaged equipment, unsafe behaviors, and gaps in controls before they lead to injury. Inspectors walk the work area, compare conditions against written standards and procedures, and record findings with clear priorities. Inspections only create value when identified problems are corrected and the corrections are verified.

Question 11

What are the basic steps in identifying workplace hazards?

Accepted Answer

A common approach starts with the work as it is actually done, including tasks, equipment, and materials. Next, gather information from workers, incident records, manufacturer guidance, and safety data. Then list each hazard and who could be harmed, and note how the harm could occur. Finally, review the list regularly and whenever work changes.

Question 12

How does a risk matrix help rank workplace risks?

Accepted Answer

A risk matrix is a grid that rates each hazard by likelihood on one axis and severity on the other, producing a level such as low, medium, or high. Teams use it to decide which risks need attention first. Matrices are simple but depend on judgment, so teams should define their scales clearly.

Question 13

What is residual risk, and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

Residual risk is the level of risk that remains after controls have been applied. No control removes every possibility of harm, so teams must judge whether the leftover risk is tolerable. If it is not, additional controls are needed. Residual risk should be reviewed whenever controls change, equipment is modified, or incidents reveal weaknesses.

Question 14

Why should workers be involved in identifying hazards?

Accepted Answer

Workers know how tasks are actually performed, including shortcuts, workarounds, and conditions that managers may never see. Involving them often uncovers hazards that paperwork or outside reviews miss. Many organizations use safety committees or pre-task discussions to gather this input. Workers who see their reports acted upon are more likely to keep reporting.

Question 15

What is a job hazard analysis and when is it used?

Accepted Answer

A job hazard analysis breaks a task into individual steps, identifies the hazards at each step, and records the controls needed to perform the work safely. It is useful for nonroutine jobs, new tasks, and work that has caused injuries before. The analysis becomes a reference workers and supervisors review before the job begins.

Question 16

When and why should a workplace reassess its existing hazards?

Accepted Answer

Hazards change whenever equipment is added, processes are altered, materials are substituted, staffing shifts, or the building layout is modified. Reassessment is also needed after an incident or near miss and when new information about a hazard becomes available. A written assessment that was accurate when it was written may be incomplete today.

Question 17

What is the hierarchy of controls in workplace safety?

Accepted Answer

The hierarchy of controls ranks methods for reducing hazards from most effective to least effective. The ranking runs through elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. Higher methods remove or isolate the hazard itself, while lower methods depend more on human behavior. Teams should apply the top levels first.

Question 18

What is the difference between elimination and substitution as controls?

Accepted Answer

Elimination removes a hazard completely, such as redesigning a task so a dangerous step is no longer needed. Substitution replaces a hazardous material, process, or piece of equipment with a less hazardous alternative, such as using a water-based solvent instead of a flammable one. Substitution usually leaves some residual hazard.

Question 19

What are engineering controls, and why are they effective?

Accepted Answer

Engineering controls are physical changes to equipment, workstations, or the environment that isolate people from hazards. Examples include machine guards, ventilation systems, sound enclosures, and interlocks that stop equipment when a door opens. They are effective because they work without relying on every worker remembering a rule, though they still require maintenance.

Question 20

What are administrative controls and what examples are common?

Accepted Answer

Administrative controls are changes to how work is organized, scheduled, or supervised to reduce exposure to hazards. Common examples include job rotation, limiting time spent in a hazardous area, written procedures, permit-to-work systems, warning signs, and training. Because they depend on people following them, administrative controls work best when combined with stronger controls.

Question 21

Why is personal protective equipment the last line of defense?

Accepted Answer

Personal protective equipment is worn by workers to reduce exposure when other controls cannot fully remove a hazard. It is considered the last line of defense because it protects only the person wearing it, depends on correct selection, fit, and use, and fails if damaged or worn improperly.

Question 22

What is lockout/tagout, and when should it be used?

Accepted Answer

Lockout/tagout is a procedure that isolates energy sources and secures them so equipment cannot start unexpectedly during servicing or maintenance. Workers apply locks and tags to each energy isolation point, then verify that the equipment is at zero energy before work begins. It applies whenever equipment could start while someone is servicing it.

Question 23

What is a confined space, and why is entry dangerous?

Accepted Answer

A confined space is an area large enough for a person to enter, with limited entry or exit and not designed for continuous occupancy. Hazards include oxygen deficiency, toxic gases, engulfment, and flammable atmospheres, which can build up without warning. Entry requires testing the air, ventilation, a trained attendant, and a written entry permit.

Question 24

How does local exhaust ventilation reduce exposure to airborne contaminants?

Accepted Answer

Local exhaust ventilation captures contaminants such as dust, fumes, or vapors at or near their source and removes them from the work area before workers breathe them. Hoods, ducts, and filters must be designed, installed, and maintained properly to work. Dilution ventilation mixes contaminated air with clean air and suits only low hazard levels.

Question 25

What are ergonomic hazards and what do they cause?

Accepted Answer

Ergonomic hazards are workplace factors that place physical strain on the body, such as repetitive motions, awkward postures, heavy lifting, forceful exertions, and prolonged static positions. Over time these factors can contribute to musculoskeletal disorders affecting the back, shoulders, wrists, and neck. Good ergonomic design fits the task and equipment to the worker.

Question 26

What does working in a neutral posture mean?

Accepted Answer

A neutral posture keeps the body's joints near their natural midpoint of movement, so muscles, tendons, and nerves experience less strain. For example, the wrists stay straight rather than bent sharply, the shoulders stay relaxed, and the back keeps its natural curves. Workers can improve posture by adjusting seat height or monitor position.

Question 27

What general principles support safer manual lifting at work?

Accepted Answer

Safer manual lifting keeps the load close to the body, uses leg muscles rather than the back, and avoids twisting while carrying. Workers should plan the route, assess the weight, and use mechanical aids such as carts or hoists for heavy or awkward loads. Team lifts or lower storage heights can reduce strain further.

Question 28

How is hazardous noise controlled in the workplace?

Accepted Answer

Hazardous noise is controlled first through engineering measures such as enclosures, vibration dampening, and quieter equipment, then through administrative methods like rotating workers away from loud areas. Hearing protection is used when other controls cannot reduce exposure enough. Employers typically measure noise levels and provide hearing tests to monitor workers over time.

Question 29

What are the main routes by which chemicals enter the body?

Accepted Answer

The main routes of chemical exposure are inhalation, skin absorption, ingestion, and injection. Inhalation of gases, vapors, mists, and dusts is often the most significant route in workplaces. Skin contact can cause local irritation or allow substances to enter the bloodstream. Ingestion usually results from contaminated hands, food, or drink in work areas.

Question 30

How can workers reduce exposure to bloodborne pathogens?

Accepted Answer

Workers reduce exposure to bloodborne pathogens by treating all blood and certain body fluids as potentially infectious, using gloves and other barrier protection, and disposing of sharps in puncture-resistant containers. Handwashing after contact and proper cleaning of contaminated surfaces are also essential. Where available, vaccination provides additional protection for at-risk workers.

Question 31

How can employers reduce the risk of heat stress?

Accepted Answer

Heat stress occurs when the body cannot shed enough heat, and it can progress to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Employers reduce risk by providing shade, cooling, and rest breaks, scheduling heavy work during cooler periods, and ensuring access to water. Workers should be trained to recognize early symptoms and report them promptly.

Question 32

Why do employers monitor worker health over time?

Accepted Answer

Health surveillance tracks workers' health to detect early signs of work-related illness that exposure monitoring alone might miss. It may include medical examinations, symptom questionnaires, and tests suited to specific hazards. Results guide control decisions and must remain confidential, with access limited to people who need it.

Question 33

What should a workplace emergency action plan include?

Accepted Answer

An emergency action plan describes how workers will respond to fires, medical emergencies, chemical releases, severe weather, and other foreseeable events. It should identify evacuation routes and assembly points, designate responsibilities, explain how alarms and communication work, and list how to account for everyone. Plans should be reviewed, shared with workers, and practiced.

Question 34

Why must workplaces plan for first aid before injuries occur?

Accepted Answer

Workplaces must plan first aid so that trained responders and supplies are available when an injury or sudden illness happens, since prompt care can limit harm before emergency medical services arrive. Planning includes assessing the likely needs, stocking appropriate supplies, posting emergency numbers, and ensuring trained people are present on each shift.

Question 35

What three elements must be present for a fire to start?

Accepted Answer

A fire requires heat, fuel, and oxygen, often called the fire triangle, and removing any one of them prevents or stops combustion. Workplaces apply this by controlling ignition sources and storing flammable materials properly. Portable extinguishers are rated for specific fire classes, so workers must match the extinguisher to the fuel.

Question 36

Why must emergency exit routes be kept clear at all times?

Accepted Answer

Exit routes must stay clear because smoke, heat, and crowding can make escape dangerous within minutes, and any obstacle can slow or block evacuation. Blocked doors, stored materials, locked exits, and poor lighting are common hazards that inspections should check. Exit signs and doors should be maintained so they work when needed.

Question 37

What should happen immediately after a workplace injury?

Accepted Answer

After a workplace injury, the first priority is to protect everyone from further harm, then to provide first aid or call emergency services as needed. Next, the area should be secured, the injured person cared for, and the incident reported to a supervisor according to company procedure. Facts should be documented while they are fresh.

Question 38

What is root cause analysis in incident investigation?

Accepted Answer

Root cause analysis is a structured method for finding the underlying reasons an incident happened, rather than stopping at the immediate action of the person involved. Investigators examine the sequence of events, physical conditions, management systems, and human factors. Asking why repeatedly can reveal systemic causes, such as inadequate training or unclear procedures.

Question 39

Why should incident investigations avoid assigning blame?

Accepted Answer

Investigations that focus on blame discourage people from reporting incidents, which hides hazards and makes future injuries more likely. A blame-free approach asks what conditions and decisions allowed the event to happen, and it treats human error as a symptom of system design rather than a final explanation. Willful misconduct may still require discipline.

Question 40

How should corrective actions from an incident be managed?

Accepted Answer

Corrective actions should be specific, assigned to a responsible person, given a due date, and checked to confirm they were completed and worked. Actions are ranked so that stronger controls, such as elimination or engineering changes, take priority over reminders or warning signs. Tracking prevents good findings from sitting unused in a report.

Workplace Health and Safety Flashcards

1Foundations of workplace safety

2Hazard identification and risk assessment

3Hazard controls and protective measures

4Health hazards and ergonomics

5Emergencies, incidents, and investigation

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