Even if you don’t work in landmine testing or international espionage, your workplace can be dangerous. How safe is your office?
Approximately how many injuries do American office workers sustain on the job each year?
15,000
40,000
75,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), office workers sustain more than 75,000 injuries annually, including sprains, strains and broken bones.
Where should large office items like file cabinets and photocopiers be placed in a workspace?
in the break room
in the meeting room
away from high-traffic areas
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Large items and equipment should be located in an area of the office with low foot traffic to protect against tripping over or walking into the equipment.
An employee who reports unsafe working conditions to OSHA is subject to what?
death by firing squad
demotion
protection
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
An employee who notifies OSHA about hazardous conditions at his or her workplace is legally protected from being fired, demoted or any other retaliatory behavior from the employer.
Which of the following is a proper safety precaution for using a file cabinet?
leaving cabinets open when walking away to take a phone call
opening only one cabinet at a time
shaking the cabinet to dislodge stuck papers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
When using the file cabinet, you should only open one drawer at a time to avoid tip-overs from uneven weight distribution, and be sure that all the drawers are closed before walking away.
Which of the following is a common cause of paper cuts?
discarded Post-it notes
one sheet of paper misaligned in a stack
the paper cut fairy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Paper cuts are often caused by a single sheet of paper that has been slightly dislocated from a stack so that the handler doesn't notice a sharp protruding edge.
Which of these employees is more likely to be injured on the job?
a government employee
an employee of a private company
self-employed workers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of injuries among private industry workers was 3.4 per 100 full-time workers in 2010, while the rate in the public sector was 5.7 per 100.
When using a staple remover, what should you do first?
Open the staple from behind.
Pull the front of the staple from the document.
Put the document face up on a flat surface.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
A staple remover should be used to open the prongs of the staple from behind, with the document face down; then remove the staple by pulling on the front of it after the document is flipped over.
Which of the following is an indication that you are correctly sitting in an office chair?
Your feet hang just above the floor.
Your thighs are parallel to the ground.
You are able to rock back and forth on the chair's legs or wheels without falling over.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
When sitting in the chair, your feet should rest flat on the floor; your thighs should be parallel to the ground; and the seat front should not press against the back of your knees or lower legs.
Proper photocopying machine care includes which of the following?
If the machine stops working, hit it with a baseball bat.
Store the machine in unventilated areas of an office space.
Keep the document cover closed while the machine is in use.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
The machine's document cover should be closed while in use to avoid exposing your eyes to potentially damaging light. The machine should be in a well-ventilated area to minimize indoor air pollution.
Which of the following types of records are employers required to keep?
a list of employees most likely to photocopy their naked body parts
results of the office blood drive
records of on-the-job injuries, illnesses and deaths
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Federal and state laws require employers to keep track of occupational deaths, injuries and illnesses, and to make certain reports to OSHA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, including documentation of any fatalities or accidents that result in three or more employees going to the hospital.
Which of these safety precautions should be taken when storing office cleaning products?
Store them in their original containers.
Mix and match products in one container for ease of use.
Keep them on the desks of co-workers who seem to have abandoned good personal hygeine.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer
Cleaning products should always be stored in their original containers so that users know which products they are using and can refer to safety instructions.
