CAR Safety Procedures & PPE 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When handling refrigerants during appliance recycling, which type of glove material is MOST resistant to chemical permeation?
- Latex gloves
- Nitrile gloves (Correct answer)
- Leather gloves
- Cotton gloves
Correct answer: Nitrile gloves
Nitrile gloves provide superior chemical resistance to refrigerants and oils compared to latex, leather, or cotton.
Question 2: OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom) requires recycling workers to have access to Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for hazardous chemicals. Where must SDSs be kept?
- Only in the facility manager's office
- In a locked cabinet accessible only to supervisors
- In a location readily accessible to workers during their shift (Correct answer)
- At the nearest OSHA regional office
Correct answer: In a location readily accessible to workers during their shift
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200 requires SDSs to be readily accessible to employees during their work shift in their work area.
Question 3: Which class of fire extinguisher is appropriate for an electrical fire that might occur near an appliance demanufacturing station?
- Class A
- Class B
- Class C (Correct answer)
- Class D
Correct answer: Class C
Class C extinguishers use non-conductive agents and are rated for electrical fires, making them safe for use around energized equipment.
Question 4: A recycling technician notices a co-worker has lifted a heavy compressor using only their back muscles. What proper lifting technique should be recommended?
- Bend at the waist and keep legs straight
- Squat with legs, keep back straight, and lift with leg muscles (Correct answer)
- Twist the torso while lifting to distribute the load
- Lift quickly to reduce strain duration
Correct answer: Squat with legs, keep back straight, and lift with leg muscles
Safe manual lifting requires squatting close to the load, keeping the back straight, and using leg muscles to drive the lift.
Question 5: What is the purpose of a buddy system when draining mercury switches from appliances?
- To speed up the draining process by splitting tasks
- To ensure one worker can assist or get help if the other is exposed to mercury (Correct answer)
- To satisfy minimum staffing requirements under EPA rules
- To document the weight of mercury collected by two independent observers
Correct answer: To ensure one worker can assist or get help if the other is exposed to mercury
A buddy system ensures that if a worker is incapacitated by mercury exposure, the second person can provide immediate assistance or summon help.
Question 6: At what airborne concentration (TWA) does OSHA consider mercury vapor a hazardous exposure requiring engineering controls?
- 0.1 mg/m³
- 0.05 mg/m³ (Correct answer)
- 1.0 mg/m³
- 0.5 mg/m³
Correct answer: 0.05 mg/m³
OSHA's PEL for inorganic mercury vapor is 0.1 mg/m³ as a ceiling, but NIOSH recommends a 0.05 mg/m³ TWA as the recommended exposure limit.
Question 7: Which type of respirator is required when working in an environment where the oxygen level has dropped below 19.5%?
- Half-face air-purifying respirator
- Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR)
- Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) (Correct answer)
- N95 filtering facepiece respirator
Correct answer: Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
Oxygen-deficient atmospheres below 19.5% are immediately dangerous to life and require supplied-air respirators such as an SCBA.
CAR Safety Procedures & PPE 2
When handling refrigerants during appliance recycling, which type of glove material is MOST resistant to chemical permeation?