CITB Hazardous Substances 3

Question 1

What should a worker do if they accidentally spill a hazardous chemical on their skin?

Accepted Answer

Immediately irrigate the affected area with large quantities of water and follow the SDS emergency procedure

Answer

Immediate flushing with water dilutes and removes the chemical, limiting the depth of injury; the SDS provides first-aid instructions specific to the substance.

Question 2

What is the difference between an 'irritant' and a 'corrosive' substance under GHS classification?

Accepted Answer

An irritant causes reversible inflammation; a corrosive causes irreversible damage to tissue such as chemical burns

Answer

GHS distinguishes irritants (reversible skin or eye inflammation) from corrosives (irreversible tissue destruction such as chemical burns) — corrosives are classified as more hazardous.

Question 3

Lead dust generated during refurbishment of old paintwork creates which specific health hazard?

Accepted Answer

Neurotoxicity — lead damages the nervous system, kidneys, and bone marrow and accumulates in the body

Answer

Lead is a cumulative neurotoxin; inhalation of lead dust during stripping old paint can cause irreversible neurological damage, and contamination can be carried home to affect workers' families.

Question 4

Which document should be consulted to select appropriate respiratory protective equipment for a specific dust?

Accepted Answer

The COSHH assessment and the SDS, cross-referenced with HSE guidance on RPE selection

Answer

The COSHH assessment identifies the hazard and required protection factor; the SDS provides substance-specific information; HSE guidance (e.g. HSG53) assists in selecting RPE with the correct assigned protection factor.

Question 5

Under COSHH, how long must health surveillance records be kept for workers exposed to substances causing long-latency diseases?

Accepted Answer

40 years

Answer

For substances causing diseases with long latency periods such as silicosis or occupational cancer, COSHH requires health surveillance records to be retained for 40 years so exposures can be traced if disease develops decades later.

CITB HS&E Operatives Practice Test

CITB HS&E Operatives Practice Test

CITB Hazardous Substances 3