ACS CP Professional Ethics & Safety Standards 2

Question 1

A chemist discovers that a colleague has been falsifying spectroscopic data in published research. What is the most ethically appropriate first step?

Accepted Answer

Confront the colleague privately and urge self-reporting or correction

Answer

Addressing the issue directly with the colleague first gives them the opportunity to self-correct before escalating to supervisors or journals.

Question 2

Under the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom 2012), which section of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) contains first-aid measures?

Accepted Answer

Section 4

Answer

Section 4 of the GHS-aligned SDS is specifically designated for first-aid measures.

Question 3

A researcher is offered co-authorship on a paper in exchange for providing lab equipment, but made no intellectual contribution. Accepting would violate which principle?

Accepted Answer

Authorship integrity

Answer

Gift or honorary authorship violates authorship integrity, which requires substantive intellectual contribution to the work.

Question 4

Which federal agency sets permissible exposure limits (PELs) for chemical hazards in US workplaces?

Accepted Answer

OSHA

Answer

OSHA establishes and enforces legally binding PELs for occupational chemical exposures under 29 CFR 1910.

Question 5

A chemist working under a government contract discovers a significant safety risk in a product but is told by management to stay quiet. The ethical obligation is to:

Accepted Answer

Report the hazard through appropriate internal or external channels

Answer

Public safety obligations override employer directives; the chemist must report through proper channels, including whistleblower protections if needed.

(ACS CP) American Chemical Society (ACS) Certified Professional Practice Test

(ACS CP) American Chemical Society (ACS) Certified Professional Practice Test

ACS CP Professional Ethics & Safety Standards 2