Deck 12: Ensuring Health and Safety in the Workplace

Question 1

It is estimated that about __________ Canadian workers die every working day from an occupational injury or disease.

A)six
B)four
C)ten
D)fourteen
E)twenty-five

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Some factors that can contribute to complexity of managing safety in the workplace could include the facts below except that

A)employers may "clean up" a problem before inspectors arrive
B)employees may indulge in unsafe behaviour
C)some illnesses may take years to show up
D)companies may fail to monitor or disclose risks
E)employees and employers may practice safe workplace behaviours

Answer 2

E

Question 3

In reference to age,the age group that is most likely to have a time-loss workplace injury or accident is

A)15 to 29
B)25 to 39
C)55 and over
D)30 and over
E)40 to 54

Answer 3

A

Question 4

It is possible to combine all the various health hazards into four categories,including all the following except

A)physical agents
B)biological agents
C)chemical agents
D)ergonomically related injuries
E)analytical agents

Question 5

Over the past 25 years,a growing emphasis on health and safety has occurred because

A)HRM professionals have made it a top strategic priority
B)unions and the public are pushing for greater corporate responsibility
C)employers are pushing workers to take responsibility for accidents as more workplace training is provided
D)compensation is now provided to employees who are more safety conscious
E)unhealthy environments are rapidly decreasing

Question 6

One of the early approaches to workplace safety worked on the assumption that accidents were almost always the result of individual worker actions or the failure of workers to protect themselves.This was referred to as

A)assumption of risk
B)the careless worker model
C)the shared responsibility model
D)the inattentive worker model
E)the tough luck rule

Question 7

One feature of worker's compensation programs is that

A)they are proactive,but not proactive enough
B)by applying pressure on employers they have noticeably reduced the number of accidents
C)they are after-the-fact efforts
D)they have had a large impact on workplace related illnesses
E)they do not concern themselves with workplace safety

Question 8

The legal expression "assumption of risk" referred to

A)the times when worker's investments in various pension funds were unsecured and risky
B)the situation where workers attempted to join unions despite threats of violence
C)the fact that employees could be dismissed for criticizing their employer
D)the fact that workers accepted all risks associated with the job they took
E)the ability of some workers to manage risky situations better than others

Question 9

By and large,workplace accidents are caused by an often complex combination of factors that include

A)poor eye hand coordination and employee behaviour
B)employee behaviour only
C)unsafe working conditions only
D)poor eye hand coordination only
E)employee behaviour and unsafe working conditions

Question 10

Young workers age 15-29 have the highest rate of workplace injuries.Governments and companies are trying to curb this trend by

A)providing training about their health and safety rights and responsibilities
B)hiring older workers for higher risk positions
C)requiring all young workers to watch workplace safety videos in order to be insured by workers' compensation
D)raising the legal age for workers in dangerous industries to 18 years of age
E)specifically reducing the chemical elements that young workers are exposed to

Question 11

The total cost of workplace accidents,including compensation and indirect expenses,but not other social costs,currently in Canada runs to over __________ annually.

A)$4 billion
B)$19 billion
C)$1 billion
D)$15 billion
E)$50 billion

Question 12

The shared responsibility model of workplace safety assumes that

A)workers share the responsibility for safety among themselves
B)workers and line supervisors share responsibility for safety together
C)the employer is primarily responsible for safety
D)the employees and the employer must co-operate on ensuring safety
E)only employees are responsible for workplace safety

Question 13

Overall in Canada,men are _________ to have a time-loss injury in the workplace than women,measured per hundred workers.

A)more likely
B)less likely
C)twice as likely
D)three times as likely
E)four times less likely

Question 14

The worker accepting all the customary risks inherent in a given job was legally referred to as

A)assumption of risk
B)the careless worker model
C)the shared responsibility model
D)the injury model
E)the expendable worker assumption

Question 15

Key changes that have evolved into new thinking regarding workplace health and safety include the following except

A)that accident rates can be reduced through the co-operation of the employer and their employees
B)that unions are exerting more pressure on the safety of their workers
C)that governments both federally and provincially have passed more comprehensive health and safety legislation
D)that Workers' Compensation costs have made employees become more safety conscious
E)that regular consultation occurs between employers and workers through health and safety committees

Question 16

A pandemic plan/policy is necessary for all sizes of companies in order to:

A)define the injuries/illnesses that result from work environment hazards
B)control workers' compensation costs
C)provide reasonable steps to protect employees and outline sick leave and time off
D)provide sick leave days and reimbursement of hospital costs
E)set up vaccination procedures and provide reasonable steps to protect employees

Question 17

Based on recent time-loss injury statistics,all of the following are true,except that

A)men are three times as likely as women to have an injury
B)logging and forestry are among the most dangerous industries
C)electrocution and machine injuries are the most common injury
D)younger workers are the most likely to be injured
E)workplace injuries result in a variety of indirect costs for employers

Question 18

Generally,accidents in the workplace can be reduced by all the following except

A)when management is committed to safety
B)when employees are informed about accident prevention
C)when employees have some input into the (particularly safety)decision-making process
D)when there is regular consultation between employees and employer on safety issues
E)when employers become solely concerned with productivity

Question 19

It is important to have plans and policies in place to deal with pandemics for all of the following reasons except that

A)employers have an obligation to protect their staff
B)according to Health Canada,it will not be necessary for small sized companies
C)sick leave and time off policies need to be defined
D)employees could be absent due to the necessity of providing care to family members
E)a major influenza pandemic would result in huge absentee rates

Question 20

Simply described,ergonomics involves the

A)study of money,banking,and the theory of trade between nations
B)study of different ethnicities and diversity
C)study of the relationship between people and their jobs
D)study of workforce and employment rates over time
E)study of international demographic trends

Question 21

A Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee is usually required in workplaces with

A)manufacturing plants
B)high accident rates
C)20 or more employees
D)multiple locations
E)shift work

Question 22

The three fundamental employee rights dealing with occupational safety are:

A)right to go on health and safety training courses;right to limit dangerous work;and the right to participate in correcting hazards
B)right to know about workplace hazards;the right to participate in correcting hazards;and the right to refuse dangerous work
C)right to investigate accidents;right to refuse dangerous work;and the right to review hazardous products
D)right to go on health and safety training courses;right to investigate accidents;and the right to limit dangerous work
E)right to know about workplace hazards;the right to review hazardous products;and the right to limit dangerous work

Question 23

A safety inspector while carrying out their duties may:

A)develop and promote health and safety workplace programs
B)provide annual WHMIS training
C)visit workplaces only on a regular monthly basis
D)not remove or test workplace materials or equipment
E)at any reasonable time enter any workplace and conduct an examination

Question 24

A joint occupational health and safety committee is

A)a key element in both federal and provincial labour legislation
B)recommended by most Worker's Compensation Boards as an alternative to formal labour hearings
C)suggested by provincial labour legislation as one means of handling labour disputes
D)is not usually required in any workplace with 200 or less employees
E)is responsible for handling compensation payouts

Question 25

In a safety conscious and properly managed organization,health and safety is the responsibility of all except

A)line supervisors
B)employees
C)senior management
D)middle management
E)the shareholders

Question 26

The administration of workplace safety programs falls mainly under

A)federal jurisdiction
B)municipal jurisdiction
C)provincial jurisdiction
D)the jurisdiction of Canadian Labour Congress
E)the jurisdiction of the United Nations

Question 27

A comprehensive safety orientation program addresses numerous issues except

A)hours of work
B)accident procedures
C)chemical hazards
D)waste disposal
E)protective equipment

Question 28

The Hazardous Product Act requires that all the below occur,except for:

A)consumers are protected by regulating the sale of dangerous products
B)suppliers label all hazardous products and provide an MSDS for each
C)employers provide training to enable employees to recognize WHMIS symbols
D)employees report all workplace hazards to the HR Manager
E)training should be given so employees take precautions to protect themselves

Question 29

A typical list of the responsibilities for a joint occupational health and safety committee could include all the following except

A)dealing with employee complaints
B)participating in the investigation of workplace injuries
C)monitoring records of injuries and illnesses
D)developing,establishing,and promoting safety programs and procedures
E)worker's compensation payments

Question 30

A recent poll of Canadians has indicated that __________ would like to see senior management held criminally responsible for avoidable (especially fatal)accidents that occur in the workplace.

A)10-15%
B)20-30%
C)40-50%
D)60-70%
E)over 80%

Question 31

One major purpose of all occupational health and safety laws is to

A)compensate workers for injuries incurred at the workplace
B)stop injuries before they happen
C)punish employers for infracting safety legislation
D)remove one incentive for employees to unionize
E)label dangerous goods

Question 32

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety Act is concerned with the following objectives except

A)developing policies aimed at reducing occupational hazards
B)serving as a national statistics centre for occupational health and safety
C)promoting health and safety in Canadian workplaces
D)monitoring annual workplace inspections
E)consulting all levels of government on health and safety issues

Question 33

Bill C-45 amends the Criminal Code to

A)charge employers with fraud if they fail to annually report chemical spills
B)charge employees with an offense if they are involved in a rental car accident
C)charge a company if they have an increase in workers compensation claims
D)make a supervisor legally responsible if they do not prevent harm to their workers
E)charge corporate executives if WHMIS training is not conducted annually

Question 34

The federal act that is designed to protect consumers by regulating the sale of dangerous products is the

A)Hazardous Products Act
B)Workplace Hazardous Materials Act
C)Dangerous Products Act
D)Hazardous Materials Act
E)Dangerous Materials Act

Question 35

The Canadian Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)contains class and division hazard symbols for different types of hazards (eg.Class B are Flammable Materials,which are symbolized by a circle with a flame inside).A circle with a skull and crossbones inside therefore represents

A)Class D (Poisonous and Infectious Material)
B)Class C (Oxidizing Material)
C)Class E (Corrosive Material)
D)Class F (Dangerously Reactive Material)
E)Class B (Flammable and Combustible Material)

Question 36

Generally,safety inspectors may visit an industrial site more or less frequently depending upon

A)the unit's accident record
B)the unit's physical location
C)the company's organizational strategy
D)the diversity of the workforce
E)the company's profit margin

Question 37

With regard to safety,even in well managed and safety conscious organizations,the text suggests that one mistake often made by these organization is to

A)forget about safety issues when designing orientation programs
B)overly emphasize safety issues in orientation programs
C)play down safety issues in orientation programs so as to not cause fear or apprehension about the job
D)not ask newly hired workers what their opinion is concerning organizational safety procedures
E)ask workers to have a few accidents in the first month so that they will learn on their own about the dangers

Question 38

When charged with a safety offence,a company's best defense is that the company took all reasonable steps to avoid the particular event,a defense that is referred to (legally)as

A)due process
B)reasonable cause
C)due diligence
D)mea culpa
E)covering its behind

Question 39

The Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act and WHMIS requires that all the below be done except

A)Transport Canada (a federal agency)be responsible for handling and transporting dangerous materials
B)all dangerous goods being transported be labelled as such
C)that the carrier of any dangerous goods be informed of them
D)hazardous products not be sold to the public nor transported by truck or rail
E)all dangerous materials are classified according to a coding system

Question 40

The federal Workplace Hazardous Material Information System

A)requires that hazardous materials may not be produced without government permission and supervision
B)requires that suppliers do not label all hazardous products in order to avoid people worrying
C)requires that suppliers provide a Material Safety Data Sheet on each hazardous product they produce
D)requires that chemicals be listed in a company IT data base
E)does not apply to businesses with less than 50 employees

Question 41

Symptoms of stress can include all the following except

A)tension and nervousness
B)high blood pressure
C)(increased)drug/alcohol use
D)feelings of an inability to cope
E)a sense of being relaxed and at peace

Question 42

Major categories of causes of workplace stress can include all the following except

A)relationships at work
B)role in the organization
C)factors unique to the job
D)career development
E)relationships outside of the job

Question 43

Examples of stressful conditions in the workplace that are often caused by poor supervision could include all the following except

A)insecure or unpleasant workplace climate
B)poor or no performance feedback
C)inadequate authority delegated to match one's responsibilities
D)supervisors with a "bad attitude"
E)pleasant co-workers

Question 44

A condition of mental,emotional,and even physical exhaustion that results in substantial and prolonged stress is called

A)real stress
B)burnout
C)workplace stress
D)pro forma stress
E)creative stress

Question 45

The stress performance model indicates that the relationship between workplace stress and job performance is such that when workplace stress is entirely absent

A)performance is high
B)performance is high but workers are dissatisfied
C)performance tends to be low
D)performance starts high but then drops down
E)the model shows no direct correlation between performance and stress

Question 46

Which of the following statements is false?

A)In a poll of 651 Canadian workers,32% had an accident requiring medical attention
B)In a poll of 651 Canadian workers,30% were afraid to report unsafe work conditions
C)In a poll of 651 Canadian workers,29% claim to know someone who filed a false accident claim
D)In a poll of 651 Canadian workers,27% know their employers are not filing accident claims
E)In a poll of 651 Canadian workers,39% were told by management to lie on their accident claim

Question 47

All of the following can be symptoms of stress that harm an employee's job performance except

A)workplace injuries
B)cardiovascular disease
C)psychological disorders
D)back injuries
E)impaired far sighted vision

Question 48

Burnout generally can happens to all the following except

A)senior managers
B)professionals
C)supervisors
D)hourly employees
E)buildings

Question 49

Documented supervisor support for safety,internal group process and boundary management are all examples of:

A)a safety audit
B)organizational level dimensions of an organization's safety climate
C)local work group dimensions of an organization's safety climate
D)a Joint Health and Safety Committee's mandate
E)downsizing requirements

Question 50

Supervision can be a workplace stressor when

A)employees have inadequate authority to match one's responsibility
B)the workplace climate is focused on safety
C)poorly defined jobs allow employees to set their own standards,time limits,and rewards
D)jobs are clearly and fairly defined
E)there is consistent and meaningful feedback

Question 51

Health and safety audits may include all of the following except

A)review of training records and manuals
B)interviews of front line employees
C)tour of the workplace
D)review of monthly financial statements
E)surveys of supervisors and senior management

Question 52

The stress performance model indicates that the relationship between workplace stress and job performance is such that when workplace stress becomes too great

A)performance is high
B)performance is high but workers are dissatisfied
C)performance tends to drop,often drastically
D)performance starts to slowly level off
E)the model shows no direct correlation between performance and stress

Question 53

Chronic stressors are __________ than acute stressors.

A)bigger
B)more personal
C)more ongoing
D)more permanent
E)more likely to have an impact on managers

Question 54

Psychological stress tends to be highest in jobs where employees have

A)high demands but little decision-making authority
B)high demands on them but also a large latitude in making decisions
C)low demands and little authority to make decisions
D)low demands but with sufficient authority to make decisions
E)absolutely no demands on them whatsoever,and are not required to make decisions

Question 55

Some causes of workplace stress can include all the below except

A)poor supervision
B)organizational change
C)downsizing
D)family problems
E)insecure workplace climate

Question 56

Working conditions that directly influence the health and safety of employees are called

A)job responses
B)job stressors
C)workplace stressors
D)stress causing workplace conditions
E)stress matrix factors

Question 57

Research indicates that moderate levels of stress (the definition of moderate varying with individuals)

A)tends to be no different in effect than high levels of stress
B)makes people happy and excited
C)may actually increase performance
D)is not possible;stress is either high or low
E)destroys productivity completely

Question 58

The human resource department can be proactive in preventing burnout in employees before it occurs by:

A)rearranging work assignments
B)utilizing less resources on training managers
C)not allowing jobs to be redesigned
D)discouraging temporary job leaves
E)limiting external counseling that is covered by the company benefit plan

Question 59

"The harmful physical and emotional responses that can happen when there is a conflict between job demands of the employee and the amount of control the employee has over meeting those demands" is called

A)stress management
B)workplace stress
C)workplace safety
D)Type A stress
E)Type B stress

Question 60

Workplace stress

A)must be diagnosed by an occupational health nurse
B)can be controlled with medication
C)relates to both the physical and emotional responses when a conflict exists between job demands and employee control
D)always decreases workplace performance
E)occurs usually when workplace demands are not rewarded with monetary bonuses

Question 61

One of the earlier approaches to workplace safety was the risky worker model,which assumed that accidents were the result of worker carelessness and the inherent risks of the job.

Question 62

The two common types of injuries that may be reduced through the application of ergonomic principles are:

A)lower-back injuries and repetitive strain injuries
B)repetitive strain injuries and bullying
C)lower-back injuries and slips and falls
D)slips and falls and carpal tunnel syndrome
E)eye strain and neck soreness

Question 63

Among the solutions to the problem of workplace stress are

A)curative measures
B)punitive measures
C)containment measures
D)analytical measures
E)stress measures

Question 64

The legal expression,"the careless worker," meant that a worker assumed and accepted all the customary risks associated with their occupation.

Question 65

Specific actions that the human resource department can do to reduce employee stress include all of the below except:

A)clearly define employee roles and responsibilities
B)allow decision making by managers only
C)ensure employee workloads are compatible with their capabilities
D)develop appropriate work schedules
E)improve the communication process

Question 66

Curative solutions to stress management are measures that attempt to

A)change the causes of stress
B)prevent stress from ever occurring
C)encourage constructive stress
D)correct the outcomes of stress
E)control stress-related problems by threatening poorly performing employees with discipline or dismissal

Question 67

Although the situation in Canada may likely be somewhat different,in the United States workplace violence

A)is the leading cause of workplace death for women
B)is the single-highest cause of all workplace deaths
C)appears large but studies show it to be a minor cause of injury and death in the workplace
D)is usually caused by the most productive and satisfied employees
E)surprisingly has little impact on such jobs as taxi drivers and service station attendants

Question 68

Research suggests that the fastest growing category of workplace illnesses involves

A)chemical spills
B)ergonomic disorders
C)hazardous materials
D)radiation disorders
E)workplace violence

Question 69

The careless worker model was an early approach to workplace safety which assumed that accidents were due to worker's carelessness.

Question 70

One of the most recent threats in a workplace involves

A)verbal threats
B)peeping in washroom facilities
C)bullying
D)cyberstalking
E)identity theft

Question 71

A newer approach to safety in the workplace that relies on the cooperation of both employees and employer is usually called the health and safety model.

Question 72

The newer approach to workplace safety that relies on the cooperation of both the employer and the employees is referred to as the shared responsibility model.

Question 73

A list of contemporary safety issues could include current topics,such as

A)dangerous farm machinery
B)sick building syndrome
C)black lung disease
D)smelter accidents
E)tetanus immunization

Question 74

The most common incident,classified as workplace violence is:

A)death by gunshot
B)fist-fighting
C)verbal threats
D)robbery
E)stalking

Question 75

In order to help employees feel safer in the workplace,employers are undertaking the following measures except

A)assessing the work site for hazards
B)developing emergency evacuation plans
C)outlining safety competencies for managers and supervisors
D)implementing training programs for safety issues
E)eliminating the use of swipe cards at workplace entrances

Question 76

A successful employee AIDS program should include an organizational policy that

A)protects an employee's right to privacy
B)isolates an HIV-positive employee from the others
C)puts an employee with AIDS on mandatory long-term disability
D)does not hire HIV-positive employees unless they agree to forego company medical plans
E)lets co-workers know that when employee is HIV-positive

Question 77

Preventive solutions to stress management are measures that attempt to

A)prevent stress from ever occurring
B)encourage constructive stress
C)correct the outcomes of stress
D)change the causes of stress
E)control stress-related problems by threatening poorly performing employees with discipline or dismissal

Question 78

The legal expression used that meant that a worker accepted all the customary risks associated with a job was "assumption of risk."

Question 79

The study of the relationship between the physical attributes of workers and their work environment,in order to reduce physical and mental strain,and to improve both productivity and comfort is called

A)etymology
B)ergonomics
C)entomology
D)epistemology
E)erotology

Question 80

One proactive means for human resource specialists to evaluate the extent of dysfunctional stress in an organization is by

A)performing a stress audit
B)redoing job analysis
C)performing further job evaluation
D)performing a workforce demographic analysis
E)analyzing the age breakdown of employees