ASP Safety Compliance and Regulations 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's PSM standard (29 CFR 1910.119), which element requires a documented review of process technology, equipment, and procedures when a change is made to a covered process?
- Process Hazard Analysis (PHA)
- Pre-Startup Safety Review (PSSR)
- Management of Change (MOC) (Correct answer)
- Mechanical Integrity (MI)
Correct answer: Management of Change (MOC)
Management of Change (MOC) requires that any change to process chemicals, technology, equipment, or procedures be reviewed and authorized before implementation.
Question 2: An OSHA 'Other-Than-Serious' violation is defined as a condition that has a direct relationship to job safety and health but is unlikely to cause:
- Any injury at all
- Death or serious physical harm (Correct answer)
- A recordable injury
- A near-miss event
Correct answer: Death or serious physical harm
Other-Than-Serious violations involve conditions related to safety and health but with a lower probability of causing death or serious physical harm.
Question 3: The OSHA recordkeeping standard (29 CFR 1904) requires employers with 10 or more employees in high-hazard industries to maintain injury and illness records. Which of the following is classified as a 'first-aid' treatment and therefore NOT recordable?
- Prescription medication use
- One visit to a physician with a follow-up visit required
- Use of non-prescription medication at prescription strength
- Use of a non-rigid means of support (e.g., elastic bandage) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Use of a non-rigid means of support (e.g., elastic bandage)
Non-rigid means of support such as elastic bandages are listed as first-aid treatment under 29 CFR 1904.7 and do not make a case recordable.
Question 4: OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) recognize worksites with exemplary safety and health programs. Which VPP level has the most stringent requirements and is the highest designation?
- Star (Correct answer)
- Merit
- Demonstration
- Challenge
Correct answer: Star
The VPP Star designation is the highest and requires a comprehensive safety and health management system with injury/illness rates below the national average.
Question 5: Under the Clean Air Act's Risk Management Program (RMP), which Program level applies to processes with the highest potential consequences requiring emergency response coordination and hazard assessment?
- Program 1
- Program 2
- Program 3 (Correct answer)
- Program 4
Correct answer: Program 3
Program 3 applies to the highest-risk processes (e.g., OSHA PSM-covered sources) and requires a full prevention program, emergency response, and five-year accident history.
Question 6: Which OSHA citation type carries the highest possible penalty per violation and is issued when an employer intentionally and knowingly violates an OSHA standard?
- Serious
- Repeat
- Failure-to-Abate
- Willful (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Willful
Willful violations are issued when an employer knowingly or intentionally violates a standard and carry penalties up to $165,514 per violation (as indexed).
Question 7: SARA Title III (EPCRA) requires facilities to notify the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) when extremely hazardous substances (EHS) are present on-site in quantities at or above:
- The threshold planning quantity (TPQ) (Correct answer)
- The permissible exposure limit (PEL)
- The immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) value
- The lower explosive limit (LEL)
Correct answer: The threshold planning quantity (TPQ)
EPCRA Section 302 requires facilities to notify the SERC and LEPC when EHS quantities meet or exceed the EPA-established threshold planning quantity (TPQ).
ASP Safety Compliance and Regulations 5
Under OSHA's PSM standard (29 CFR 1910.119), which element requires a documented review of process technology, equipment, and procedures when a change is made to a covered process?