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NEBOSH MSW practice questions

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Question 1Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

In the HSE's definition of work-related stress, what does the term 'stress' specifically refer to?

  1. A diagnosed clinical psychiatric disorder requiring medical treatment
  2. The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them Correct answer.
  3. A personality trait that makes some workers more resilient than others
  4. The physical injury caused by a single traumatic workplace incident

Explanation

The Health and Safety Executive defines work-related stress as the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them. It is explicitly framed as a reaction to demands, not a diagnosable illness, which is why the definition distinguishes stress from conditions such as anxiety or depression that may follow.

Question 2Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which statement best explains why work-related stress is regarded as a hazard under health and safety law rather than only a personal welfare matter?

  1. Because exposure to excessive pressure can cause psychological and physical harm to workers Correct answer.
  2. Because stress is only relevant where a worker has a pre-existing diagnosis
  3. Because stress always results in a reportable injury under RIDDOR
  4. Because employers are legally required to eliminate all workplace pressure

Explanation

A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm, and exposure to excessive work pressure can harm both mental and physical health, so it falls within the scope of risk assessment duties. This is why stress is managed through the same risk management framework as other workplace hazards rather than treated purely as an individual issue.

Question 3Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

According to the transactional model of stress, which element is central to whether a person experiences stress?

  1. The length of the worker's employment contract
  2. The absolute number of hours worked each week
  3. The individual's appraisal of demands and their perceived ability to cope Correct answer.
  4. The physical temperature of the working environment

Explanation

The transactional model holds that stress arises from a person's appraisal of a situation as threatening and an appraisal of their capacity to cope with it. The same demand can therefore cause stress in one worker and not another, because the appraisal differs. This explains why stress is neither purely a property of the environment nor purely of the individual.

Question 4Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A worker feels unable to cope with a heavy workload. Under the transactional model, this reflects which type of appraisal?

  1. Primary appraisal of the demand as a threat
  2. Cognitive restructuring by a therapist
  3. Reappraisal after the event has passed
  4. Secondary appraisal of their ability to cope Correct answer.

Explanation

Secondary appraisal concerns the person's evaluation of their own resources and ability to cope with a demand they have already judged to be relevant or threatening. Primary appraisal is the earlier judgement of whether the demand matters. Feeling unable to cope therefore sits within secondary appraisal.

Question 5Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which sequence correctly describes the general adaptation syndrome?

  1. Exhaustion, alarm, resistance
  2. Alarm, exhaustion, resistance
  3. Alarm, resistance, exhaustion Correct answer.
  4. Resistance, alarm, exhaustion

Explanation

General adaptation syndrome describes a non-specific physiological response to sustained stress in three stages: alarm, resistance and exhaustion. The alarm stage mobilises the body's defences, resistance is a period of sustained coping, and exhaustion follows when resources are depleted.

Question 6Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

During the alarm stage of the stress response, which physiological change is most characteristic?

  1. Reduced heart rate and lowered blood pressure
  2. Release of adrenaline and cortisol raising arousal Correct answer.
  3. Decreased breathing rate and muscle relaxation
  4. Permanent loss of immune function

Explanation

The alarm reaction involves activation of the sympatho-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal systems, releasing adrenaline and cortisol to raise arousal and prepare the body for action. These changes include increased heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate.

Question 7Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which of the following is the clearest example of a work-related psychosocial hazard?

  1. Inadequate lighting in a storage area
  2. Persistent role ambiguity with no clear expectations Correct answer.
  3. Noise from machinery exceeding 85 decibels
  4. A trailing power cable across a walkway

Explanation

Psychosocial hazards arise from how work is designed, organised and managed, and role ambiguity is a classic example because unclear expectations create sustained uncertainty and pressure. The other options are physical hazards relating to the work environment rather than its organisation.

Question 8Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A team's workload spikes unpredictably and staff report they cannot plan their work. Which HSE Management Standards area is most directly engaged?

  1. Demands Correct answer.
  2. Support
  3. Role
  4. Control

Explanation

The Demands standard covers workload, work patterns and the working environment, including whether demands are achievable and predictable. Unpredictable workload spikes relate most directly to this standard, although they may also affect control.

Question 9Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Under the HSE Management Standards, which area concerns whether workers have a say in how their work is organised and performed?

  1. Change
  2. Control Correct answer.
  3. Demands
  4. Relationships

Explanation

Control addresses how much influence employees have over the way they do their work and when, including their involvement in decisions affecting them. This is distinct from demands, which concerns workload and working patterns.

Question 10Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

An organisation is restructuring and staff complain that decisions are made without consultation and announcements arrive without warning. Which Management Standard is most relevant?

  1. Change Correct answer.
  2. Demands
  3. Role
  4. Support

Explanation

The Change standard addresses how organisational change is managed and communicated, including involving employees in the process. Lack of consultation and surprise announcements are hallmarks of poorly managed change.

Question 11Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which of the following best describes the 'Role' Management Standard?

  1. Whether employees are consulted about organisational changes
  2. Whether employees are given the tools and equipment they need
  3. Whether employees understand their responsibilities and whether roles conflict Correct answer.
  4. Whether employees are exposed to bullying or harassment

Explanation

The Role standard concerns whether people understand their responsibilities and whether they have conflicting roles, including ambiguity and role conflict. This is separate from support, change and relationships, which cover different aspects of work design.

Question 12Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which pattern of exposure is most strongly associated with the development of chronic stress-related ill health?

  1. Prolonged, sustained pressure with little opportunity for recovery Correct answer.
  2. Brief exposure to an unfamiliar task
  3. Occasional overtime worked voluntarily once a year
  4. A single short-lived peak of demand followed by recovery

Explanation

Chronic stress-related harm is associated with sustained pressure where the stress response stays activated and recovery is limited. Short bursts followed by adequate recovery are far less likely to lead to lasting ill health.

Question 13Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which of the following is an example of an individual-level stress risk factor rather than an organisational one?

  1. A worker's low perceived control over an unfamiliar task Correct answer.
  2. A culture of long unpaid hours across the site
  3. Unclear reporting lines across the department
  4. Inconsistent management style between shifts

Explanation

Individual-level factors relate to the person's perceptions, skills, confidence and personal circumstances, and low perceived control over an unfamiliar task is an example. The other options describe organisational features of work design or culture that affect the whole group.

Question 14Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Why does the HSE recommend that stress risk assessments focus on groups of employees rather than only on individuals?

  1. Because the law forbids assessing individual circumstances
  2. Because individual differences are irrelevant to stress
  3. Because group assessments remove the need for any further action
  4. Because stress risks often arise from how work is organised and affect groups sharing the same conditions Correct answer.

Explanation

Because psychosocial hazards usually stem from work design, people doing similar work tend to be exposed to similar pressures, so group-level risk assessment identifies common causes efficiently. Individual factors are still relevant, but they are not the sole focus.

Question 15Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A worker under sustained pressure begins to feel persistently low, loses interest in activities and has disturbed sleep for several weeks. Which statement best reflects the relationship between stress and mental ill health?

  1. The symptoms have no possible relationship to workplace pressure
  2. Prolonged stress can be a contributing factor to the development of conditions such as depression, but is not itself the diagnosis Correct answer.
  3. The symptoms indicate that stress and mental ill health are the same thing
  4. The symptoms prove the worker is malingering

Explanation

Stress is a reaction to excessive pressure, whereas depression is a recognised clinical condition. Sustained stress can contribute to the onset or worsening of mental ill health, but the two are distinct concepts and diagnosis rests with health professionals.

Question 16Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which statement correctly distinguishes anxiety from work-related stress?

  1. Anxiety cannot be affected by work conditions
  2. Stress is always diagnosed by a doctor, whereas anxiety is a normal everyday feeling
  3. Anxiety is a diagnosable condition that can persist independently of the stressor, whereas stress is a reaction to demands Correct answer.
  4. Stress and anxiety are interchangeable terms with no clinical distinction

Explanation

Stress is defined as the adverse reaction to excessive pressure, while anxiety is a diagnosable mental health condition that can persist even when the external stressor is removed. Prolonged stress may contribute to anxiety, but the terms are not interchangeable.

Question 17Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which of the following is a recognised physical health effect associated with chronic work-related stress?

  1. Permanent increase in muscle strength
  2. Improved cardiovascular fitness
  3. Raised blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular disease Correct answer.
  4. Enhanced immune response to infection

Explanation

Chronic activation of the stress response is associated with raised blood pressure and increased cardiovascular risk, along with other effects such as musculoskeletal problems and reduced immune function. These arise because sustained physiological arousal places strain on body systems.

Question 18Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which behaviour is most likely to be a behavioural indicator of stress in a normally reliable worker?

  1. Improved concentration on complex tasks
  2. Increased punctuality and volunteering for extra tasks
  3. Greater willingness to raise concerns openly
  4. Increased absenteeism and withdrawal from colleagues Correct answer.

Explanation

Behavioural indicators of stress include increased sickness absence, presenteeism, withdrawal, irritability and reduced performance. A change from a worker's normal reliable pattern is often the most telling sign.

Question 19Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A manager notices a usually cheerful team member becoming withdrawn and making more errors. What is the most appropriate first response under a stress management approach?

  1. Have a supportive, private conversation to explore pressures and offer appropriate support Correct answer.
  2. Ignore the change until performance formally drops below standard
  3. Immediately initiate formal disciplinary proceedings
  4. Disclose the worker's situation to the whole team

Explanation

Early, supportive and confidential conversation allows the underlying pressures to be identified and appropriate support or adjustments to be considered. Formal processes or disclosure would be premature and could worsen the situation.

Question 20Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which source of support is a line manager best placed to provide directly to a worker experiencing work-related stress?

  1. Clinical diagnosis and prescription of medication
  2. Formal psychotherapy sessions
  3. Legal advice on a compensation claim
  4. Practical adjustments to workload and regular check-ins Correct answer.

Explanation

Line managers can provide day-to-day support such as reviewing workload, agreeing adjustments and maintaining regular contact, which addresses the organisational causes of pressure. Clinical, therapeutic and legal matters fall to qualified professionals.

Question 21Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

An organisation wants to evaluate whether its stress interventions have worked. Which measure is most useful as an outcome indicator?

  1. The total budget spent on wellbeing activities
  2. The number of managers who attended a one-off briefing
  3. Sickness absence rates and staff survey scores on the Management Standards areas Correct answer.
  4. The number of stress awareness posters displayed in the building

Explanation

Outcome evaluation requires measures that reflect actual change in employee experience and health, such as absence data and survey scores against the Management Standards. Input measures like posters, briefings and spend show activity but not effect.

Question 22Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which approach reflects the hierarchy of control applied to psychosocial risks?

  1. Relying solely on individual resilience training for all staff
  2. Providing counselling only after staff have become unwell
  3. Prioritising redesign of work organisation before relying on individual coping measures Correct answer.
  4. Encouraging staff to manage pressure through personal hobbies

Explanation

Applying the hierarchy of control to psychosocial risk means addressing the source of the hazard, such as work design and organisation, before relying on measures that depend on the individual. Individual support is valuable but should supplement, not replace, organisational controls.

Question 23Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Two teams perform identical work, but one reports much higher stress levels. Which explanation is most consistent with a psychosocial risk approach?

  1. The lower-stress team must be under-reporting deliberately
  2. The higher-stress team must contain less resilient individuals
  3. Differences in supervision, staffing levels or work organisation between the teams may be creating different pressures Correct answer.
  4. Stress levels are random and cannot be investigated

Explanation

Where identical work produces different stress levels, the psychosocial risk approach directs attention to differences in how work is organised, supervised and resourced in each team. Assuming individual weakness or random variation would miss controllable causes.

Question 24Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Why is presenteeism, where unwell staff attend work but perform poorly, a particular concern in stress management?

  1. It reduces the need for workplace adjustments
  2. It proves that stress is not affecting the workforce
  3. It always indicates that absence rates are understated
  4. It can conceal the true extent of stress-related harm and prolong exposure to pressure Correct answer.

Explanation

Presenteeism can mask the scale of stress-related ill health because staff remain at work while struggling, so the underlying pressures persist unaddressed and exposure continues. It may also worsen health outcomes compared with appropriate absence and recovery.

Question 25Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A worker with a stress-related condition asks for adjustments. Which legal framework is most directly relevant to the employer's duty to consider reasonable adjustments?

  1. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
  2. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations
  3. The Equality Act 2010 where the condition amounts to a disability Correct answer.
  4. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations

Explanation

Where a stress-related condition meets the definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010, the employer has a duty to make reasonable adjustments. Health and safety law also imposes general duties to manage stress risks, but the specific adjustment duty arises under equality legislation.

Question 26Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which hormone is released from the adrenal cortex during the resistance stage of the stress response and helps sustain the body's energy supply over prolonged periods?

  1. Adrenaline
  2. Insulin
  3. Cortisol Correct answer.
  4. Oxytocin

Explanation

Cortisol is the glucocorticoid secreted by the adrenal cortex; it mobilises glucose and sustains the prolonged resistance stage. Adrenaline comes mainly from the adrenal medulla and dominates the immediate alarm reaction. Insulin regulates blood glucose and is not a stress hormone of this axis.

Question 27Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

In the general adaptation syndrome, which stage is characterised by depleted resources, where the body can no longer maintain resistance and ill health becomes likely?

  1. The recovery stage
  2. The exhaustion stage Correct answer.
  3. The resistance stage
  4. The alarm stage

Explanation

Selye's general adaptation syndrome ends in exhaustion, when adaptive reserves are depleted after prolonged resistance and stress-related illness emerges. Alarm is the initial mobilisation and resistance is the sustained coping phase. Recovery is not one of Selye's three named stages.

Question 28Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which term describes the psychological process in which the demands of a situation are appraised as exceeding a person's ability to cope?

  1. Presenteeism
  2. Emotional labour
  3. Cognitive appraisal Correct answer.
  4. Burnout

Explanation

Cognitive appraisal, as described by Lazarus, is the evaluation of whether demands exceed coping resources; it explains why identical demands affect people differently. Emotional labour concerns managing displayed feelings in a job role. Burnout is a possible outcome of chronic stress, not the appraisal process itself.

Question 29Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which statement correctly distinguishes depression from a normal stress reaction in a worker?

  1. Depression involves persistent low mood and loss of interest lasting weeks, whereas a stress reaction usually settles as pressure eases Correct answer.
  2. Depression is always caused directly by a single stressful event at work
  3. Depression can be ruled out whenever the worker can still perform their job
  4. Depression is a short-lived emotional response that resolves within a few hours

Explanation

Depression is characterised by persistent low mood, anhedonia and other symptoms over an extended period, while a stress reaction typically fluctuates with the pressure and improves when it is removed. Depression is not always attributable to one work event, and functioning at work does not exclude it.

Question 30Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A worker who has been under sustained pressure for months now reports feeling emotionally drained, detached from service users and doubtful that their work makes any difference. Which concept best describes this presentation?

  1. Seasonal affective disorder
  2. Burnout Correct answer.
  3. Acute stress reaction
  4. Post-traumatic stress disorder

Explanation

Burnout is a syndrome of exhaustion, mental distance or cynicism and reduced professional efficacy arising from chronic, unmanaged workplace stress. Acute stress reaction is a short-term response to a traumatic incident. PTSD requires exposure to a traumatic event, and seasonal affective disorder follows seasonal light patterns.

Question 31Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A manager wants to distinguish between a worker's normal reaction to a busy period and a possible mental health problem. Which feature is the most useful indicator of a mental health problem?

  1. The worker asks to take annual leave during a peak period
  2. The worker's difficulties persist or worsen after the pressure has eased Correct answer.
  3. The worker mentions feeling tired at the end of a long shift
  4. The worker complains about a colleague's punctuality

Explanation

A key discriminator is whether symptoms resolve when the stressor is removed; persistence or deterioration after the pressure eases suggests a mental health condition rather than a proportionate reaction. Tiredness after a long shift and requests for leave are ordinary responses. A complaint about punctuality is unrelated to the worker's own mental state.

Question 32Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

According to the HSE Management Standards, which area covers whether employees are skilled and trained for the demands of their role and whether systems are in place to respond to individual concerns?

  1. Demands
  2. Control
  3. Support Correct answer.
  4. Relationships

Explanation

The Support standard covers encouragement, sponsorship and resources from the organisation and line management, including training and systems to respond to individual concerns. Demands concerns workload, work patterns and environment. Control concerns how much say employees have in how they do their work.

Question 33Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A worker's role has changed so that they are now accountable to two supervisors who give conflicting priorities, and no one has clarified which takes precedence. Which Management Standard is most directly breached?

  1. Demands
  2. Role Correct answer.
  3. Change
  4. Control

Explanation

Conflicting priorities and unclear accountability are hallmarks of the Role standard, which requires roles to be clearly defined and understood so people know what is expected of them. Demands concerns workload volume, and Control concerns influence over work. Change concerns how organisational change is managed and communicated.

Question 34Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which mechanism best explains why a worker exposed to repeated incivility from customers may develop anxiety symptoms over time?

  1. Anxiety at work is inherited and cannot be influenced by the working environment
  2. Repeated exposure keeps the stress response activated, gradually lowering the threshold for anxiety symptoms Correct answer.
  3. Single exposures to rudeness always cause immediate clinical anxiety
  4. Anxiety develops only when the worker lacks technical competence for the job

Explanation

Chronic exposure to psychosocial stressors such as incivility maintains physiological arousal and erodes coping resources, so anxiety symptoms become more likely over time. A single incident rarely causes clinical anxiety, and genetic predisposition interacts with environment rather than excluding it. Technical competence does not determine anxiety risk.

Question 35Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A worker whose job involves continuous high emotional demands with customers begins to show irritability, disturbed sleep and reduced concentration. Which classification best fits these observations?

  1. A purely medical matter with no workplace relevance
  2. Psychological and behavioural indicators of a stress response Correct answer.
  3. Physical injury arising from a manual handling task
  4. A disciplinary issue requiring formal action

Explanation

Irritability, sleep disturbance and reduced concentration are recognised psychological and behavioural indicators of a stress response to sustained emotional demands. They are not a physical injury, and framing them as a disciplinary matter or purely medical issue ignores the workplace contribution.

Question 36Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

Which explanation best accounts for why two employees in the same role respond differently to the same workload?

  1. Workload affects stress only when overtime is formally recorded
  2. Stress is determined solely by the objective size of the workload
  3. Only employees with a diagnosed mental illness are affected by workload
  4. Individual differences in appraisal, coping resources and personal circumstances shape the response Correct answer.

Explanation

The transactional model holds that stress arises from the interaction between demands and the individual's appraisal and coping capacity, so personal circumstances and resources produce different responses to the same objective load. Workload size alone does not determine outcome, and diagnosis is not a prerequisite for being affected.

Question 37Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A supervisor notices a previously punctual worker arriving late, skipping breaks and becoming short-tempered with colleagues. Which interpretation is most consistent with the principles of work-related stress?

  1. These are early behavioural indicators that should prompt a supportive conversation about pressures Correct answer.
  2. These behaviours confirm deliberate misconduct and should be handled only through the disciplinary procedure
  3. These behaviours indicate the worker is no longer suitable for the role
  4. These behaviours should be ignored until the worker raises a formal grievance

Explanation

Changes in timekeeping, withdrawal from breaks and irritability are recognised behavioural indicators of stress and should trigger an early, supportive conversation to identify pressures and controls. Treating them only as misconduct or unsuitability risks missing the underlying cause, and waiting for a formal grievance delays prevention.

Question 38Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A worker with a stress-related condition is being supported at work. Which action best reflects the employer's duty under health and safety law to protect the mental as well as physical health of employees?

  1. Relying on the worker's own coping strategies without workplace changes
  2. Requiring the worker to take unpaid leave until fully recovered
  3. Transferring the worker to a lower-status role without discussion
  4. Assessing and controlling the workplace stressors contributing to the condition, in consultation with the worker Correct answer.

Explanation

Employers have a duty to assess and control risks to health, including psychosocial risks, and to consult workers about measures affecting them. Requiring unpaid leave, imposing a role change without discussion or relying solely on individual coping all shift responsibility onto the worker and leave the hazard unaddressed.

Question 39Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

A stress risk assessment identifies that staff in a call centre have very little discretion over the pace and order of their work. Which control measure most directly addresses this psychosocial hazard?

  1. Introducing greater employee discretion over task order and breaks within service limits Correct answer.
  2. Offering free fruit in the canteen
  3. Displaying posters about mental health awareness in the staff room
  4. Providing employees with a resilience and mindfulness training course

Explanation

The hazard is low control, so the most direct control is to redesign work to give employees genuine discretion over task order and breaks. Resilience training, awareness posters and free fruit are individual-level or awareness measures that do not remove the source of the risk in the way work redesign does.

Question 40Principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health

An organisation finds that reported stress is concentrated in one department despite similar work elsewhere. Which conclusion is most defensible when planning interventions?

  1. The affected staff must be individually predisposed to stress
  2. Organisation-wide counselling should be the first and only response
  3. Local factors such as management style, workload distribution or team relationships should be investigated and targeted Correct answer.
  4. The difference is random and no action is warranted

Explanation

Concentration of risk in one group suggests local organisational factors rather than individual predisposition, so the HSE approach is to investigate and target those group-level causes. Dismissing the difference as random, blaming individuals or defaulting to organisation-wide counselling all bypass the identified source of harm.

Question 41Causes and effects of workplace stress

In the NEBOSH stress model, which pair of factors best describes the two broad categories of workplace stressors?

  1. Individual personality and home life
  2. Physical hazards and chemical hazards
  3. Content of work and context of work Correct answer.
  4. Salary level and holiday entitlement

Explanation

NEBOSH groups workplace stressors into those arising from the content of the work itself (for example workload, pace, hours and task design) and those arising from the context in which the work is done (for example culture, control, relationships, role and change). Both categories are organisational in origin, which is why the model places responsibility on employers rather than on individual resilience.

Question 42Causes and effects of workplace stress

A worker is given responsibility for a project but has no authority to approve the resources it needs. Which stressor category does this most clearly illustrate?

  1. Difficult relationships
  2. Organisational change
  3. Poor role definition
  4. Low control over work Correct answer.

Explanation

Control concerns the extent to which a person has a say over how and when their work is done, including access to the resources required. Holding responsibility without the authority or discretion to act is a classic low-control situation, sometimes described as demand exceeding control, which is strongly linked to strain.

Question 43Causes and effects of workplace stress

Which physiological response is most characteristic of the acute stress reaction often called the fight-or-flight response?

  1. Increased release of adrenaline and cortisol Correct answer.
  2. Constriction of the pupils and reduced alertness
  3. Reduced blood flow to skeletal muscle
  4. Slowing of the heart rate and deepening sleep

Explanation

Acute stress triggers sympathetic nervous system activity and release of catecholamines such as adrenaline, together with cortisol via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. These hormones raise heart rate, blood pressure and glucose availability to prepare the body for action, which is why sustained activation can damage cardiovascular and immune function.

Question 44Causes and effects of workplace stress

According to the Health and Safety Executive's management standards approach, which standard is most directly concerned with whether employees have a say in how their work is organised?

  1. Demands
  2. Control Correct answer.
  3. Support
  4. Role

Explanation

The Control standard addresses how much influence employees have over the way their work is carried out, including pace and method. It reflects the evidence that low discretion combined with high demand is particularly harmful, so improving control is a primary organisational intervention.

Question 45Causes and effects of workplace stress

A team repeatedly receives conflicting instructions from two supervisors about priorities. Which stressor is the primary concern here?

  1. Poor physical working environment
  2. Low task variety
  3. Job insecurity
  4. Role ambiguity and role conflict Correct answer.

Explanation

Conflicting instructions create role conflict, where incompatible demands are placed on the same person, and often role ambiguity about which instruction takes precedence. Both sit in the role element of the NEBOSH model and are linked to tension, reduced performance and job dissatisfaction.

Question 46Causes and effects of workplace stress

Which pattern of working is most consistently associated with increased stress and fatigue in the stress literature?

  1. Fixed daytime hours with regular breaks
  2. Long hours combined with low control over scheduling Correct answer.
  3. Compressed hours chosen voluntarily by the worker
  4. Shift work with adequate recovery time between shifts

Explanation

Long working hours are harmful especially when combined with little influence over when and how the hours are worked, because recovery time is eroded and demand rises. Voluntary arrangements with adequate rest are generally less harmful than imposed long hours, which is why control is assessed alongside hours.

Question 47Causes and effects of workplace stress

Which behavioural sign at work most commonly indicates a worker experiencing excessive stress?

  1. Improved concentration on complex tasks
  2. Increased punctuality and volunteering
  3. Withdrawal from colleagues and increased absenteeism Correct answer.
  4. Greater willingness to accept feedback

Explanation

Behavioural indicators of stress include withdrawing from social contact, increased short-term absence, reduced performance and irritability. These are observable early warning signs that managers can use to trigger a supportive conversation before health effects become more serious.

Question 48Causes and effects of workplace stress

Why does the NEBOSH approach emphasise organisational rather than individual causes of workplace stress?

  1. Because the employer can control work design, whereas it cannot control personality Correct answer.
  2. Because individual differences have no influence on stress responses
  3. Because stress is always caused by poor mental health
  4. Because legislation forbids discussing individual factors

Explanation

The employer controls work design, management and organisation, so preventive action is most effective and most defensible when aimed at these factors. Individual differences affect vulnerability, but relying on them would shift responsibility onto the worker and leave the underlying hazards unchanged.

Question 49Causes and effects of workplace stress

Which term describes the process by which prolonged stress leads to exhaustion of physical and emotional resources?

  1. Sensitisation
  2. Homeostasis
  3. Burnout Correct answer.
  4. Habituation

Explanation

Burnout is characterised by emotional exhaustion, cynicism or depersonalisation and reduced sense of accomplishment, typically following prolonged unresolvable job stress. It is distinguished from short-term stress by its chronicity and its link to depleted coping resources rather than a single demanding event.

Question 50Causes and effects of workplace stress

An organisation introduces a new computer system with no consultation and no training. Which stressor is most directly created?

  1. Low task variety
  2. Poor physical working environment
  3. Role conflict
  4. Organisational change with inadequate communication and support Correct answer.

Explanation

Change is a recognised stressor when it is poorly managed, particularly where there is little consultation, unclear communication and insufficient training. The uncertainty and perceived loss of competence combine with increased demand, which is why change management is treated as a stress-control measure.