Assessments to Support Productivity

Question 1

what is the purpose of workplace environmental assessments?

Answer 1

prevent injuries and promote comfort, safety, and productivity for employees and workgroups

Question 2

what is a job analysis?

Answer 2

A systematic procedure to quantify and evaluate the physical, cognitive, social environmental, and psychological requirements of the essential and non- essential tasks of a job

Question 3

what do you as the OT do during a job analysis?

Answer 3

• Go to the job site
• Observe workers performing their tasks
• Measure equipment and equipment placement
• Interview those who perform the job and their supervisors

Question 4

what are continuous physical demands?

Answer 4

67-100%

Question 5

what are frequent physical demands?

Answer 5

34-66%

Question 6

what are occasional physical demands?

Answer 6

5-33%

Question 7

what are rare physical demands?

Answer 7

less than 5%

Question 8

what are examples of physical demands?

Answer 8

pushing/pulling
walking
overhead and below waist reaching

Question 9

what are elements of a standing workstation?

Answer 9

lifting workstations
lighting
noise
temperature
flooring

Question 10

how do you as the therapist prepare for a worksite visit?

Answer 10

contact employer / insurer to:
(a) identify reason for visit
(b)request a job description
(c) set a visit date and establish/confirm contact with those needing to be present

Question 11

what does a job description identify?

Answer 11

primary job function and duties essential to job

Question 12

what does Clearance refer to?

Answer 12

sufficient headroom, legroom, and elbowroom in work area

Question 13

what does reach refer to?

Answer 13

location of controls (most
frequently used) and materials accessed to perform a task.

Question 14

what is a neutral posture?

Answer 14

achieved when:
head is upright
neck is slightly flexed
shoulders are at sides and flexed less
than 20◦ to 25◦
elbows are flexed to about 90◦
wrists are in 0◦ of flexion

Question 15

what do Well-designed seated
workstations minimize?

Answer 15

pain from prolonged sitting

Question 16

what are key principles of work environments?

Answer 16

• Importance: Place most important items in most easily accessible location.
• Frequency-of-use: Place most frequently used items in convenient, close-to-reach locations.
• Function: Place items with similar
  functions together (staples, paper clips, scissors).
• Sequence-of-use: Lay out items in same sequence in which they are used.
• Decrease clutter

Question 17

how high should work surface be for precise tasks?

Answer 17

2-4 inches above elbow

Question 18

how high should work surface be fore light assembly work?

Answer 18

2-4 inches below elbow

Question 19

how high should work surface be for heavy work?

Answer 19

4-5 inches below elbow—to leverage body and trunk strength

Question 20

what is the difference between job site analysis and job demands analysis?

Answer 20

job (site) analysis - Often tailored to an individual’s needs

job demands analysis - Often based on what the requirements are of a job / job tasks