BTC Safety & Infection Control 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which class of fire extinguisher is appropriate for electrical equipment fires in a biomedical setting?
- Class A
- Class B
- Class C (Correct answer)
- Class D
Correct answer: Class C
Class C extinguishers are rated for energized electrical equipment fires and use non-conductive agents.
Question 2: A biomedical technician is exposed to a needlestick from a patient-used IV line. What is the FIRST action to take?
- Report to supervisor
- Flush the wound with water and soap (Correct answer)
- Begin post-exposure prophylaxis immediately
- Complete an incident report
Correct answer: Flush the wound with water and soap
Immediately washing the wound with soap and water is the first step to reduce infection risk following a needlestick.
Question 3: Which disinfectant level is required to process non-critical medical devices that contact only intact skin?
- Sterilization
- High-level disinfection
- Intermediate-level disinfection
- Low-level disinfection (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Low-level disinfection
Non-critical devices touching intact skin require only low-level disinfection per the Spaulding classification.
Question 4: What does the OSHA Lockout/Tagout standard require before a biomedical technician services energized equipment?
- Wear rubber gloves only
- Isolate and de-energize all hazardous energy sources (Correct answer)
- Place a warning sign on the device
- Obtain verbal clearance from a supervisor
Correct answer: Isolate and de-energize all hazardous energy sources
LOTO requires isolating and de-energizing all hazardous energy sources and verifying zero energy state before servicing.
Question 5: Which personal protective equipment (PPE) combination is correct when handling liquid chemical sterilants?
- Safety glasses and cloth gloves
- Face shield, chemical-resistant gloves, and gown (Correct answer)
- N95 respirator and latex gloves
- Safety goggles and shoe covers only
Correct answer: Face shield, chemical-resistant gloves, and gown
Liquid chemical sterilants are corrosive; a face shield, chemical-resistant gloves, and a gown protect against splashes.
Question 6: An autoclave biological indicator (BI) test using Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores returns a positive result after sterilization. What should the biomedical technician do?
- Repeat the BI test once more before acting
- Release the load and document the positive result
- Quarantine the load and take the autoclave out of service for investigation (Correct answer)
- Increase sterilization cycle time by 5 minutes
Correct answer: Quarantine the load and take the autoclave out of service for investigation
A positive BI indicates sterilization failure; the load must be quarantined and the autoclave removed from service pending investigation.
Question 7: Which OSHA standard establishes requirements for exposure to bloodborne pathogens for biomedical technicians?
- 29 CFR 1910.132
- 29 CFR 1910.1030 (Correct answer)
- 21 CFR Part 820
- 29 CFR 1910.147
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1910.1030
29 CFR 1910.1030 is OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, which mandates exposure control plans and PPE for workers at risk.
BTC Safety & Infection Control 2
Which class of fire extinguisher is appropriate for electrical equipment fires in a biomedical setting?