Safety Standards & Environmental Compliance Flashcards

Under the Montreal Protocol and EPA Section 608 regulations, which refrigerant class requires technicians to follow the strictest venting prohibition and recovery requirements due to its ozone depletion potential?

Answer: CFCs (e.g., R-12)

CFCs have the highest ozone depletion potential (ODP) and are subject to the strictest prohibitions; their production was phased out under the Montreal Protocol, and venting is prohibited under Section 608.

A construction site has workers cutting through concrete containing crystalline silica. Under OSHA's Silica Standard for Construction (29 CFR 1926.1153), which Table 1 control method is specified for handheld grinders using wet methods?

Answer: Engineering controls only — no respiratory protection required if wet methods used per Table 1

Table 1 for handheld grinders using wet methods specifies engineering controls (water delivery at specified flow) as sufficient; respiratory protection is not required when Table 1 controls are implemented correctly.

Under EPA's Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), which notification threshold requires immediate reporting of a hazardous substance release to the National Response Center?

Answer: Any release at or above the reportable quantity (RQ) within a 24-hour period

CERCLA Section 103 requires immediate NRC notification whenever a hazardous substance is released in a quantity equal to or exceeding its reportable quantity (RQ) within any 24-hour period.

Which OSHA regulation establishes the requirement for employers to maintain an OSHA 300 Log of work-related injuries and illnesses, and specifies which establishments must post the OSHA 300A Summary?

Answer: 29 CFR 1904

29 CFR Part 1904 contains OSHA's recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including the OSHA 300 Log, 300A Annual Summary (posted Feb 1–Apr 30), and 301 Incident Report.

In environmental compliance, what does the term 'de minimis' exemption typically allow under RCRA hazardous waste regulations?

Answer: Small quantities of hazardous constituents co-disposed with non-hazardous waste under specific conditions to avoid RCRA characterization

RCRA's de minimis exemption allows certain small releases of listed hazardous constituents during normal manufacturing to be co-disposed without triggering RCRA characterization as hazardous waste.

When performing a fall protection hazard assessment under OSHA 29 CFR 1926.502, at what minimum height above a lower level must construction workers be protected from fall hazards?

Answer: 6 feet

OSHA's construction fall protection standard (29 CFR 1926.502) requires fall protection for employees working at heights of 6 feet or more above a lower level.

Which ISO standard provides the framework for an Environmental Management System (EMS) that organizations can use to identify, manage, monitor, and control environmental issues?

Answer: ISO 14001

ISO 14001 specifies requirements for an Environmental Management System (EMS), enabling organizations to improve environmental performance through efficient use of resources and waste reduction.