CFA Safety and Environmental Protection 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal agency regulates the labeling and registration of fertilizers that contain pesticide claims in the United States?
- OSHA
- EPA (Correct answer)
- USDA
- FDA
Correct answer: EPA
The EPA regulates any product with pesticidal claims under FIFRA, and fertilizer-pesticide combination products must be registered with the EPA before sale.
Question 2: When a worker experiences skin contact with anhydrous ammonia fertilizer, the immediate first aid response is to:
- Apply a neutralizing acid solution to the affected area
- Flush with large amounts of water for at least 15–20 minutes (Correct answer)
- Cover the burn with dry gauze and wait for medical help
- Apply petroleum jelly to prevent further absorption
Correct answer: Flush with large amounts of water for at least 15–20 minutes
Anhydrous ammonia causes severe alkali burns; flushing immediately with large amounts of water dilutes and removes the chemical to minimize tissue damage.
Question 3: The nitrogen loss process called volatilization is most significant when urea fertilizer is applied to:
- Cold, waterlogged soils in winter
- Warm, moist soils with a high pH and no incorporation (Correct answer)
- Dry sandy soils with low organic matter
- Tilled soils immediately before planting
Correct answer: Warm, moist soils with a high pH and no incorporation
Urease enzyme activity is highest on warm, moist, high-pH soils, rapidly converting urea to ammonia gas that escapes to the atmosphere before incorporation.
Question 4: Which type of soil test result would indicate the LOWEST risk of phosphorus runoff loss?
- Soil phosphorus at 200 ppm on a sandy loam near a stream
- Soil phosphorus at 15 ppm on a well-structured silt loam with buffer strips (Correct answer)
- Soil phosphorus at 150 ppm on a clay slope with no vegetation
- Soil phosphorus at 90 ppm on a compacted field with tile drains
Correct answer: Soil phosphorus at 15 ppm on a well-structured silt loam with buffer strips
Low soil phosphorus levels, good soil structure, and vegetated buffer strips all combine to minimize phosphorus runoff risk to adjacent waterways.
Question 5: OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom) requires that workers who handle fertilizers have access to:
- Only verbal instruction from a supervisor before each use
- Safety Data Sheets and receive training on chemical hazards (Correct answer)
- A written log of all fertilizer quantities used each day
- Government-issued chemical licenses before any contact
Correct answer: Safety Data Sheets and receive training on chemical hazards
HazCom (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires employers to provide SDS for all hazardous chemicals and train employees on how to interpret and use hazard information.
Question 6: Which nutrient management practice most effectively reduces the risk of nitrate leaching during fall fertilizer applications?
- Applying the full annual nitrogen rate in a single fall broadcast
- Using nitrification inhibitors and split-applying nitrogen closer to crop need (Correct answer)
- Switching entirely to slow-release phosphorus sources
- Deep-injecting all nitrogen below the 18-inch soil depth
Correct answer: Using nitrification inhibitors and split-applying nitrogen closer to crop need
Nitrification inhibitors slow the conversion of ammonium to leachable nitrate, and split applications time nitrogen delivery closer to when crops can take it up.
Question 7: In the context of fertilizer safety, a 'secondary containment' system is designed to:
- Provide an additional layer of fertilizer to cover treated fields
- Capture and contain spills or leaks from primary storage tanks (Correct answer)
- Filter exhaust from fertilizer application equipment
- Separate incompatible fertilizer products during transport
Correct answer: Capture and contain spills or leaks from primary storage tanks
Secondary containment (e.g., berms, dikes, catch basins) surrounds primary storage containers to prevent spills from reaching soil or water resources.
CFA Safety and Environmental Protection 3
Which federal agency regulates the labeling and registration of fertilizers that contain pesticide claims in the United States?