Human Resource Management, 15e (Martocchio)
Chapter 13 Employee Safety, Health, and Wellness
1) What involves protecting employees from injuries caused by work-related accidents?
A) safety
B) health
C) wellness
D) morale
2) What term refers to employees’ freedom from physical or emotional illness?
A) safety
B) health
C) prevention
D) morale
3) What is the top leading cause of workplaces injuries and their associated costs?
A) overexertion
B) truck accidents
C) repetitive motion
D) struck against object
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4) What agency enforces the Occupational Safety and Health Act?
A) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
B) National Safety Administration
C) Occupational Safety and Health Administration
D) Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
5) Which of the following was created to ensure worker safety and health?
A) ADEA
B) FLSA
C) OSHA
D) EEOC
6) In order to prove that an employer has violated the general duty clause, OSHA must prove all
of the following exist EXCEPT that ________.
A) the hazard was likely to cause minor injuries
B) a condition in the workplace presented a hazard
C) a feasible means existed to reduce the hazard
D) the employer or its industry recognized the hazard
7) Since its inception, OSHA has helped to cut workplace fatalities by approximately how much?
A) 10 percent
B) 30 percent
C) 60 percent
D) 90 percent
8) Since its inception, OSHA has helped to cut occupational injury and illness rates by how
much?
A) more than 10%
B) more than 40%
C) more than 80%
D) 100%
9) Approximately, how many inspectors does OSHA have?
A) 500
B) 2,100
C) 2,700
D) 22,000
10) ABC Manufacturing received one citation for a serious hazard. What is the maximum
penalty for this violation?
A) $13,000
B) $11,000
C) $9,000
D) $7,000
11) If 10 employees were exposed to one hazard that the employer intentionally did not
eliminate, what would be the maximum penalty?
A) $124,709
B) $250,000
C) $600,000
D) $700,000
12) Thompson Manufacturing has been designated a recalcitrant employer by OSHA. As a
result, Thompson will most likely ________.
A) receive a stern warning
B) close its facilities immediately
C) experience numerous inspections
D) downsize its staff and hire contractors
13) Small businesses that participate in OSHA can qualify for ________ exemption from routine
inspections.
A) 1 year
B) 3 years
C) 5 years
D) 4 years
14) According to your textbook, all of the following EXCEPT ________ are included within the
umbrella definition of safety.
A) musculoskeletal disorders
B) stress injuries
C) natural disasters
D) workplace and domestic violence
15) In pursuit of its mission, OSHA promotes and ensures ________.
A) corporate wellness programs
B) employee assistance programs
C) workplace safety and health
D) global health care
16) Which OSHA clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognizable
hazards that are causing, or likely to cause, death or serious harm to the employee?
A) specific duty
B) general duty
C) negligent retention
D) negligent hiring
17) Within the Department of Labor, OSHA enforces ________ for workplace safety, the
environment, consumer products, the financial system, and other areas.
A) pension benefit guaranties
B) equal employment opportunity statutes
C) whistleblower protection provisions
D) financial disclosure requirements
18) A portion of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act makes it illegal to fire or otherwise discriminate against
a corporate officer for trying to report possible accounting irregularities to higher corporate
officials or enforcement agencies. The ________ administers that portion of Sarbanes-Oxley.
A) Department of Homeland Security
B) Internal Revenue Service
C) U.S. Department of Labor
D) Securities and Exchange Commission
19) OSHA provides free on-site consultation for ________.
A) small businesses that have evidence of significant safety problems
B) small businesses
C) large businesses
D) none of the above
20) Individuals who are NOT prone to violence are more likely to be ________.
A) recovering from substance abuse
B) married with children
C) outwardly focused
D) highly educated
21) The Securities and Exchange Commission is responsible for upholding the whistleblower
provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
22) In regards to OSHA, health involves protecting employees from injuries caused by work–
related accidents.
23) The primary purpose of OSHA is to impose fines on companies that exhibit a high incidence
of accidents.
24) The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to provide employees a safe and
healthy place to work, and which responsibility extends to providing “safe” employees.
25) The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), which attempts to ensure worker safety.
26) Although OSHA has helped to significantly reduce the number of workplace fatalities, the
number of workers contracting occupational illnesses has remained the same.
27) OSHA can issue warnings, but it does not have the power to issue fines.
28) The Severe Violator Enforcement Program focuses on employers that have repeatedly
violated safety regulations.
29) OSHA has authorized stricter enforcement measures for manufacturers and other employers
that repeatedly violate health and safety standards.
30) Small businesses are exempt from complying with the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
31) In order to establish and maintain a safety program, a company must limit its focus to unsafe
working conditions.
32) Worker safety affects recruitment, retention, and benefits.
33) Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are conditions that affect the body’s muscles, joints,
tendons, ligaments, and nerves.
34) Under OSHA’s general duty clause, employers are required to conduct background
investigations and drug tests on each employee to ensure workplace safety.
35) The leading cause of workplace injuries was overexertion, such as lifting, carrying, pushing,
and pulling.
36) Why is it economically beneficial to maintain workplaces that are safe, healthy, and drug–
free?
37) Kelly is extremely stressed about work, and her productivity is declining. What is the best
way for Kelly to manage her stress?
A) exercising regularly
B) starting a diet plan
C) working on the weekend
D) requesting new assignments
38) Which of the following is an essential element of a corporate safety program?
A) a culture of fear and reprisal to penalize safety violators
B) a corporate culture where employees are involved and engaged
C) a laissez–faire attitude from the top management team
D) a top-down approach to implementing safety in the workplace
39) Comprehensive safety programs should primarily focus on unsafe working conditions and on
unsafe ________.
A) employee actions
B) equipment
C) management policies
D) products
40) An employee with which of the following qualities would most likely have fewer work
injuries?
A) high productivity rate
B) extensive education
C) lengthy work experience
D) extensive job knowledge
41) According to OSHA, who is primarily responsible for employee safety?
A) employee
B) OSHA
C) employer
D) coworkers
42) Foley Foods is a mid-size food processing facility that has had a significant increase in
business lately. The firm needs to hire additional workers and develop a second shift to meet
productivity needs. The HR manager at Foley Foods recommends implementing a safety
program. Which of the following best supports the implementation of a safety program?
A) At the end of each year, high performing employees at Foley Foods are given bonuses.
B) As a government contractor, Foley Foods must have an employee assistance program.
C) Workers’ compensation costs increased significantly in the last year at Foley Foods.
D) Foley Foods’ main competitor recently received an OSHA penalty and citation.
43) Foley Foods is a mid-size food processing facility that has had a significant increase in
business lately. The firm needs to hire additional workers and develop a second shift to meet
productivity needs. The HR manager at Foley Foods recommends implementing a safety
program. Which of the following suggests that a safety program would be beneficial to Foley
Foods?
A) Foley Foods recently became a smoke–free workplace.
B) Foley Foods will be hiring new workers for the night shift.
C) Employees at Foley Foods use simulators during training programs.
D) Managers at Foley Foods will soon be conducting performance appraisals.
44) Foley Foods is a mid–size food processing facility that has had a significant increase in
business lately. The firm needs to hire additional workers and develop a second shift to meet
productivity needs. The HR manager at Foley Foods recommends implementing a safety
program. Which of the following most likely undermines the need for a safety program?
A) Foley Foods has a high employee turnover rate.
B) All machines at Foley Foods are equipped with safety interlocks.
C) Foley Foods’ workers’ compensation costs are the highest in the industry.
D) Employees at Foley Foods have the option of wearing safety goggles and other PPE.
45) Foley Foods is a mid-size food processing facility that has had a significant increase in
business lately. The firm needs to hire additional workers and develop a second shift to meet
productivity needs. The HR manager at Foley Foods recommends implementing a safety
program. Which of the following questions is LEAST relevant to this decision?
A) How many OSHA citations has Foley Foods received?
B) What engineering controls are used at Foley Foods?
C) What is the annual accident rate at Foley Foods?
D) How does Foley Foods recruit safety engineers?
46) Which of the following is a multistep process designed to study and analyze a task and then
break down that task into steps that provide a means of eliminating associated dangers?
A) job analysis
B) job hazard analysis
C) workplace analysis
D) hazard analysis
47) What results in a detailed written procedure for safely completing many tasks within a plant?
A) job analysis
B) workplace analysis
C) job hazard analysis
D) quantified hazard analysis
48) Which of the following is NOT a component of a successful JHA program?
A) management support
B) employee training
C) government enforcement
D) management oversight
49) What law requires businesses to communicate more openly about the hazards associated with
the materials they use and produce and the wastes they generate?
A) Occupational Communication in Safety and Health Act
B) Safe Communication in Health Act
C) Occupational Safety and Health Act
D) Superfund Amendments Reauthorization Act
50) One of the primary tasks of a firm’s safety director is to ________.
A) request safety inspections
B) prepare OSHA reports
C) provide safety training
D) act as a line manager
51) Which department within a corporation is most likely responsible for anticipating losses
associated with safety factors?
A) employee relations
B) risk management
C) health and safety
D) human resources
52) Which term refers to conditions that affect the body’s muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments,
and nerves?
A) repetition syndrome
B) stress trauma injuries
C) flexible ligament injuries
D) musculoskeletal disorders
53) Musculoskeletal disorders cost companies approximately ________ annually.
A) $26.5 billion
B) $50.6 billion
C) $61.2 billion
D) $75.1 billion
54) Which of the following is caused by pressure on the median nerve that occurs as a result of a
narrowing of the passageway that houses the nerve?
A) carpal isometrics
B) carpal tunnel syndrome
C) ergotism syndrome
D) isometrics syndrome
55) Individuals in which of the following jobs are LEAST likely to develop carpal tunnel
syndrome?
A) assembly line workers
B) illustrators
C) teachers
D) carpenters
56) Which of the following is most likely to reduce the risk of developing carpal tunnel
syndrome?
A) resting the hand and wrist in a neutral position
B) performing similar activities regularly each day
C) positioning computer monitors above eye level
D) keeping keyboards below elbow level
57) Tanya is a data entry specialist who spends most of her day at a computer workstation. She
has recently experienced a weak grip, wrist numbness, and sensitivity to cold. Which of the
following recommendations is LEAST likely to benefit Tanya?
A) placing the monitor at eye level
B) taking periodic exercise breaks
C) alternating tasks during the day
D) adjusting her chair height
58) The study of human interaction with tasks, equipment, tools and the physical environment is
known as ________.
A) HR metrics
B) biomechanics
C) ergonomics
D) isometrics
59) In what approach is it the goal to fit the machine and work environment to the person, rather
than require the person to make the adjustment?
A) biomechanics
B) ergonomics
C) HR metrics
D) isometrics