CFA Safety and Emergency Procedures 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the acronym SDS stand for in a fertilizer safety context?
- Soil Delivery System
- Safety Data Sheet (Correct answer)
- Spill Detection Summary
- Sodium Decontamination Solution
Correct answer: Safety Data Sheet
SDS (Safety Data Sheet) replaced MSDS under the updated OSHA HazCom standard and provides detailed chemical hazard information.
Question 2: A worker's skin comes into contact with liquid fertilizer containing urea ammonium nitrate (UAN). What is the correct first response?
- Apply a neutralizing cream immediately
- Remove contaminated clothing and flush skin with water for 15 minutes (Correct answer)
- Cover the area with a dry cloth and monitor
- Report the incident and wait for a physician
Correct answer: Remove contaminated clothing and flush skin with water for 15 minutes
Removing contaminated clothing and flushing with water for at least 15 minutes minimizes skin absorption and irritation from UAN solution.
Question 3: In the event of an anhydrous ammonia tank leak that cannot be stopped, what should bystanders do?
- Approach from downwind to assess the leak
- Evacuate crosswind or upwind and call emergency services (Correct answer)
- Cover the leak with wet burlap bags
- Neutralize the gas with vinegar spray
Correct answer: Evacuate crosswind or upwind and call emergency services
Moving crosswind or upwind keeps responders out of the gas plume; emergency services should be contacted immediately.
Question 4: What information is found in Section 4 of a Safety Data Sheet?
- Physical and chemical properties
- First-aid measures (Correct answer)
- Regulatory information
- Composition and ingredient data
Correct answer: First-aid measures
Section 4 of the standardized 16-section SDS format is dedicated to First-Aid Measures for exposure scenarios.
Question 5: Why must ammonium nitrate fertilizer NEVER be stored with petroleum products or organic materials?
- It causes rapid nutrient loss when near hydrocarbons
- It can form explosive mixtures when contaminated with combustibles (Correct answer)
- It absorbs odors from nearby materials, reducing product quality
- It reacts with petroleum to form toxic nitrates in soil
Correct answer: It can form explosive mixtures when contaminated with combustibles
Ammonium nitrate is an oxidizer that can detonate when mixed with combustible materials, creating a serious explosion hazard.
Question 6: Which federal agency requires facilities storing large quantities of ammonium nitrate to develop a Risk Management Plan (RMP)?
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
- EPA under the Clean Air Act (Correct answer)
- OSHA Process Safety Management division
- DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
Correct answer: EPA under the Clean Air Act
EPA's RMP rule under the Clean Air Act requires facilities with threshold quantities of listed hazardous substances, including ammonium nitrate, to file a Risk Management Plan.
Question 7: An applicator notices that the pressure relief valve on an anhydrous ammonia nurse tank is venting. What should they do?
- Continue work since relief valves normally vent during operation
- Stop operations immediately, move away, and contact emergency services (Correct answer)
- Tighten the valve manually using a wrench
- Cover the valve with a rubber cap to stop the release
Correct answer: Stop operations immediately, move away, and contact emergency services
A venting pressure relief valve indicates overpressure or mechanical failure; the area must be vacated and emergency services called immediately.
CFA Safety and Emergency Procedures 3
What does the acronym SDS stand for in a fertilizer safety context?