CFP Risk Management & Mitigation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A photographer is assigned to document an autopsy. Which control best mitigates infectious disease risk?
- Following universal precautions and treating all body fluids as infectious (Correct answer)
- Only photographing bodies with negative disease tests
- Standing at least ten feet from the examination table
- Delegating close-up shots to the pathologist
Correct answer: Following universal precautions and treating all body fluids as infectious
Universal precautions assume every specimen is infectious, providing consistent protection regardless of known disease status.
Question 2: Which backup strategy best protects archived forensic images against a facility fire or flood?
- Maintaining a verified off-site or geographically separate backup copy (Correct answer)
- Keeping two copies on the same server
- Storing backups in a drawer near the workstation
- Printing thumbnails of every image
Correct answer: Maintaining a verified off-site or geographically separate backup copy
Geographic separation ensures a single facility disaster cannot destroy both the primary archive and its backup.
Question 3: During nighttime highway crash documentation, the most immediate physical risk to mitigate is:
- Being struck by passing vehicles (Correct answer)
- Lens flare from streetlights
- Condensation on the lens
- Running out of flash power
Correct answer: Being struck by passing vehicles
Traffic strikes are a leading cause of responder death, so high-visibility apparel and traffic control take priority.
Question 4: A photographer discovers their agency has no written standard operating procedure for image handling. Why is this a risk management concern?
- Inconsistent practices make images easier to challenge in court and errors more likely (Correct answer)
- SOPs are legally required before any camera purchase
- Photographers cannot testify without a printed SOP in hand
- Insurance premiums rise without photographic SOPs
Correct answer: Inconsistent practices make images easier to challenge in court and errors more likely
Written SOPs create consistent, defensible workflows; without them, opposing counsel can attack ad hoc handling practices.
Question 5: To mitigate the risk of equipment failure at a remote scene, a forensic photographer should:
- Carry backup camera bodies, batteries, and media as standard practice (Correct answer)
- Plan to return the next day if equipment fails
- Borrow a cell phone from bystanders if needed
- Rely on the agency to courier replacements
Correct answer: Carry backup camera bodies, batteries, and media as standard practice
Redundant gear on hand ensures documentation can continue immediately, since transient scenes may never be reproducible.
Question 6: Which practice mitigates the risk of cross-contamination when photographing multiple items of evidence?
- Changing gloves between handling different evidence items (Correct answer)
- Using the same scale marker touching each item
- Stacking items together for a group photo
- Wiping items with a shared cloth before shooting
Correct answer: Changing gloves between handling different evidence items
Fresh gloves between items prevent transferring DNA or trace material from one exhibit to another.
Question 7: A photographer is asked to release scene images to a journalist before trial. What is the correct risk-mitigating response?
- Decline and refer the request through official agency release channels (Correct answer)
- Release only low-resolution copies
- Release images with faces blurred
- Provide the images in exchange for credit
Correct answer: Decline and refer the request through official agency release channels
Unauthorized release can compromise the investigation and prosecution, so all media requests must go through official channels.
CFP Risk Management & Mitigation 3
A photographer is assigned to document an autopsy.
Which control best mitigates infectious disease risk?