CHMM Facility Operations with Hazmat 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A tank farm facility experiences a spill of a listed hazardous substance that reaches a navigable waterway. Under CERCLA Section 103 and 40 CFR Part 302, notification to the NRC is required when the quantity released equals or exceeds the:
- Permissible exposure limit (PEL)
- Reportable Quantity (RQ) (Correct answer)
- Threshold planning quantity (TPQ)
- Immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH) value
Correct answer: Reportable Quantity (RQ)
CERCLA requires immediate notification to the NRC when a hazardous substance release equals or exceeds its Reportable Quantity.
Question 2: Under NFPA 1, a facility's hazardous materials inventory control plan must include which of the following for each hazardous material stored on site?
- The names of all employees authorized to handle the material
- The maximum quantity stored, storage location, and applicable hazard category (Correct answer)
- Monthly purchasing records and invoice copies
- Insurance coverage amounts and carrier contact information
Correct answer: The maximum quantity stored, storage location, and applicable hazard category
An inventory control plan must document the maximum allowable quantity, storage location, and hazard classification for each hazardous material.
Question 3: A facility generates a waste solvent mixture containing trichloroethylene (TCE). Under RCRA, this waste would most likely be classified as which type of listed hazardous waste?
- F001 (Correct answer)
- K051
- P030
- U001
Correct answer: F001
F001 covers spent halogenated solvents including TCE used in degreasing operations.
Question 4: When performing an internal compliance audit of a hazmat facility, which regulatory citation would apply to a finding that the facility's emergency response plan has not been reviewed and updated within the past 12 months?
- 29 CFR 1910.38(e)
- 40 CFR 264.54 (Correct answer)
- 49 CFR 172.704
- 40 CFR 302.8
Correct answer: 40 CFR 264.54
40 CFR 264.54 requires permitted TSD facilities to review and immediately amend the contingency plan when necessary, with annual review implied by facility changes.
Question 5: A facility is evaluating whether to install a fixed gas detection system in a chemical storage room. Which NFPA standard provides guidance on detector placement and alarm setpoints for flammable gas and vapor detection?
- NFPA 72
- NFPA 30
- NFPA 72A
- NFPA 72 combined with API RP 505 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: NFPA 72 combined with API RP 505
NFPA 72 addresses the fire alarm system infrastructure while API RP 505 provides specific guidance on flammable gas detector placement and alarm thresholds in facilities.
Question 6: Under the OSHA Hazwoper standard (29 CFR 1910.120), an employee who serves as an Incident Commander at a hazardous substance emergency response must complete at least how many hours of specialized training?
- 8 hours
- 24 hours
- 40 hours
- The standard does not specify a minimum hour requirement for IC (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The standard does not specify a minimum hour requirement for IC
OSHA 1910.120(q)(6)(v) requires Incident Commanders to have completed the operations-level requirements plus IC training, but does not specify a fixed minimum hour count for the IC role itself.
Question 7: A facility's pre-emergency planning process under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 requires coordination with outside parties. Which outside entity is most critical to include when planning for a potential chemical release emergency at a fixed facility?
- The state department of transportation
- The Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and local fire department (Correct answer)
- The EPA regional administrator
- The facility's insurance carrier
Correct answer: The Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and local fire department
OSHA 1910.38 requires facilities to coordinate emergency plans with local fire, police, and emergency medical services, with the LEPC being the key planning body for hazmat incidents.
CHMM Facility Operations with Hazmat 4
A tank farm facility experiences a spill of a listed hazardous substance that reaches a navigable waterway.
Under CERCLA Section 103 and 40 CFR Part 302, notification to the NRC is required when the quantity released equals or exceeds the: