AARC Facility Management & Safety 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which OSHA requirement mandates that an automotive recycling facility maintain a written program for protecting workers from bloodborne pathogens when handling accident vehicles?
- 29 CFR 1910.1030 (Bloodborne Pathogens Standard) (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910.134 (Respiratory Protection)
- 29 CFR 1910.146 (Confined Spaces)
- 29 CFR 1910.95 (Occupational Noise Exposure)
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1910.1030 (Bloodborne Pathogens Standard)
The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires an Exposure Control Plan to protect workers who may contact blood or other potentially infectious materials in accident vehicles.
Question 2: A Best Management Practice (BMP) for preventing stormwater contamination at a vehicle storage yard is:
- Storing all vehicles on unpaved, unlined gravel surfaces
- Using drip pans or performing fluid removal before vehicles are stored outside (Correct answer)
- Washing vehicles with soap before outdoor storage
- Allowing grass to grow between vehicles to absorb fluids
Correct answer: Using drip pans or performing fluid removal before vehicles are stored outside
Drip pans and prompt fluid removal prevent vehicle fluids from reaching stormwater runoff, which is a core SWPPP best management practice.
Question 3: An automotive recycler discovers that a batch of antifreeze/coolant has been contaminated with gasoline. This mixture must be managed as:
- Used oil under EPA used oil rules
- Hazardous waste because gasoline renders it ignitable (Correct answer)
- Universal waste for easier management
- Non-hazardous waste since antifreeze dilutes the gasoline
Correct answer: Hazardous waste because gasoline renders it ignitable
Contamination with gasoline renders the mixture ignitable (D001 hazardous characteristic), classifying it as hazardous waste regardless of the original material.
Question 4: For emergency planning purposes under EPCRA (SARA Title III), an automotive recycler must report to the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) if it:
- Has more than 10 employees on-site
- Has extremely hazardous substances above threshold planning quantities (Correct answer)
- Sells parts across state lines
- Operates more than one crusher
Correct answer: Has extremely hazardous substances above threshold planning quantities
EPCRA Section 302 requires facilities with extremely hazardous substances above threshold planning quantities to notify their LEPC for community emergency planning.
Question 5: When conducting a facility safety inspection, which area should be prioritized to check for accumulation of explosive fuel vapors?
- Outdoor vehicle storage rows
- Enclosed or low-ventilation areas such as pits and basements near fuel systems (Correct answer)
- Office areas
- Open parking lots
Correct answer: Enclosed or low-ventilation areas such as pits and basements near fuel systems
Fuel vapors are heavier than air and accumulate in low-lying enclosed spaces, creating explosion hazards if ignition sources are present.
Question 6: An automotive recycler who ships a non-empty fuel tank with residual gasoline to a scrap metal processor is potentially liable for violations under:
- DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR) (Correct answer)
- USDA agricultural transport rules
- FCC telecommunications regulations
- SEC financial reporting requirements
Correct answer: DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR)
DOT regulations classify gasoline as a flammable liquid hazardous material; shipping containers with residual gasoline requires proper draining, purging, or hazmat shipping compliance.
Question 7: Which practice best demonstrates a facility's commitment to an AARC-standard safety culture?
- Posting safety rules only in the manager's office
- Conducting regular documented safety meetings with all employees and tracking corrective actions (Correct answer)
- Relying solely on new-hire orientation for all safety training
- Delegating all safety responsibilities to a single part-time employee
Correct answer: Conducting regular documented safety meetings with all employees and tracking corrective actions
Regular documented safety meetings with corrective action tracking demonstrate proactive, organization-wide commitment to continuous safety improvement as expected by AARC standards.
AARC Facility Management & Safety 5
Which OSHA requirement mandates that an automotive recycling facility maintain a written program for protecting workers from bloodborne pathogens when handling accident vehicles?