Which of the following, if true, most clearly puts the workers in the preparation division at risk of unsafe acts by employees?

Question

A) When a large order is being processed, the work team speeds up the process so that it can be completed by the end of the day.
B) Before a finished batch is transferred to pallets for shipping, it can contain over 600 pounds of boxed cheeses.
C) The workers come from different ethnic backgrounds, and not all of them are native English speakers.
D) Directions for boxing cheeses are very general, and not all the workers do this task in the same way.
E) The knife used to cut cheeses into smaller pieces is very sharp and could potentially cause serious injury.

Answer 1

Answer: A
Explanation: A) When workers perform their jobs at a normal rate, they pay more attention to safety matters than when they feel rushed. So Choice A is correct: a tendency to work at a speed quicker than comfortable will make stressed workers more likely to make unsafe decisions, even if they know better. The other choices do not necessarily encourage unsafe acts. A heavy quantity of merchandise (Choice B) can be moved safely if workers know and use prudent strategies. A tool that could be dangerous if used unwisely (Choice E) is simply the right tool for the job if used by an experienced worker using the proper protective equipment. A bilingual work atmosphere (Choice C) indicates the need for proper training and supervision, and use of more than one work strategy (Choice D) does not require that one is safer than the other.