An industrial facility conducts a work site survey as part of an initial health assessment. Which of the following should the nurse determine during the survey?

• A. Work practices of employees
• B. Past exposure to specific agents
• C. Past jobs of individual employees
• D. Length of time working in current role

Answer: (A)

Observing how tasks are actually performed in the workplace to identify exposure risks and how safety controls are used in real practice is the essential idea here. A work site survey focuses on work practices—the exact steps, material handling, use of personal protective equipment, and adherence to safety procedures as workers carry out their tasks. This on-site observation reveals gaps in controls, unsafe routines, or inconsistent application of protective measures, which directly influence workers’ risk for chemical, physical, or ergonomic hazards. By detecting these real-world practices, the nurse can determine what immediate and long-term interventions are needed, such as training, changes in procedures, or adjustments to engineering or administrative controls.

Past exposure to specific agents, past jobs, and how long someone has been in their current role are part of a worker’s history, but they don’t show how work is performed now or reveal current hazards and control effectiveness in the environment.