ALAT Occupational Health and Safety 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a laboratory animal facility, what is the correct procedure when an autoclave alarm indicates a failed sterilization cycle?
- Re-run the load immediately without investigating the cause
- Remove the load, quarantine it, and report the failure to the supervisor (Correct answer)
- Assume the load is sterile if it looks undamaged
- Increase the temperature and run a partial cycle to compensate
Correct answer: Remove the load, quarantine it, and report the failure to the supervisor
A failed sterilization cycle means the load must be quarantined and the failure investigated before any materials are used.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the 'hierarchy of controls' approach to occupational hazards in animal facilities?
- PPE is always the first and most effective control measure
- Elimination or substitution of hazards is preferred over administrative controls and PPE (Correct answer)
- Administrative controls are more effective than engineering controls
- All control methods are equally effective and interchangeable
Correct answer: Elimination or substitution of hazards is preferred over administrative controls and PPE
The hierarchy of controls prioritizes elimination and substitution as most effective, followed by engineering controls, administrative controls, and finally PPE as the least preferred option.
Question 3: A cage wash area produces significant noise levels. Which engineering control would MOST effectively reduce worker noise exposure?
- Requiring workers to take more frequent breaks
- Installing sound-absorbing panels and enclosures around noisy equipment (Correct answer)
- Rotating staff assignments to the area
- Posting warning signs about noise hazards
Correct answer: Installing sound-absorbing panels and enclosures around noisy equipment
Engineering controls like sound enclosures and absorbing materials address noise at the source, providing more reliable protection than administrative or PPE-based approaches.
Question 4: When working with non-human primates (NHPs), technicians must be aware of Herpes B virus because it:
- Causes mild cold-like symptoms in humans that resolve without treatment
- Can cause fatal encephalitis in humans if untreated after exposure (Correct answer)
- Is only transmitted through the air and not through bites or scratches
- Is a concern only for animals, not for human workers
Correct answer: Can cause fatal encephalitis in humans if untreated after exposure
Herpes B virus (Macacine alphaherpesvirus 1) from macaques can cause fatal encephalitis in humans and requires immediate post-exposure treatment.
Question 5: Formaldehyde is used in some animal facilities for tissue fixation. Which statement about formaldehyde exposure is MOST accurate?
- Brief exposures at any concentration are harmless
- Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen with OSHA permissible exposure limits (Correct answer)
- Only inhalation exposure poses a risk; skin contact is not a concern
- Formaldehyde only causes irritation and has no long-term health effects
Correct answer: Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen with OSHA permissible exposure limits
OSHA classifies formaldehyde as a potential human carcinogen and sets a PEL of 0.75 ppm as an 8-hour TWA with a 2 ppm STEL.
Question 6: What is the recommended action if a technician's glove is torn while handling an animal infected with a biohazardous agent?
- Continue working and change the glove when convenient
- Remove the glove, immediately wash hands thoroughly, and report the potential exposure (Correct answer)
- Apply a new glove over the torn one and finish the procedure
- Notify the animal care manager at the end of the shift
Correct answer: Remove the glove, immediately wash hands thoroughly, and report the potential exposure
A torn glove during biohazardous work is a potential exposure event requiring immediate glove removal, hand washing, and incident reporting per facility biosafety protocols.
Question 7: Which document must be consulted to determine proper disposal procedures for chemical waste generated in an animal facility?
- The facility's daily cleaning checklist
- The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and the institution's chemical waste disposal policy (Correct answer)
- The animal care protocol only
- The manufacturer's product label for dosage information
Correct answer: The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and the institution's chemical waste disposal policy
The SDS contains disposal information for each chemical, and institutional waste disposal policies ensure compliance with EPA and local regulations.
ALAT Occupational Health and Safety 5
In a laboratory animal facility, what is the correct procedure when an autoclave alarm indicates a failed sterilization cycle?