CLS Professional Standards & Competencies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which organization administers the Certified Lubrication Specialist (CLS) certification?
- ASME
- STLE (Correct answer)
- ASTM
- SAE
Correct answer: STLE
The Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) administers the CLS certification program.
Question 2: When a lubrication specialist discovers that a recommended lubricant is unavailable, what is the most professional first step?
- Use any available oil of similar viscosity
- Consult the OEM manual and identify an approved equivalent (Correct answer)
- Stop equipment operation immediately
- Contact the equipment manufacturer before any action
Correct answer: Consult the OEM manual and identify an approved equivalent
Consulting the OEM manual for approved equivalents ensures compatibility and maintains warranty while keeping operations running safely.
Question 3: Root cause analysis (RCA) in lubrication failures is primarily valuable because it:
- Assigns blame to maintenance personnel
- Identifies the underlying cause to prevent recurrence (Correct answer)
- Satisfies regulatory reporting requirements
- Reduces the cost of lubricant purchases
Correct answer: Identifies the underlying cause to prevent recurrence
RCA identifies the fundamental cause of a failure so corrective actions prevent the same failure from happening again.
Question 4: A lubrication professional who discovers a safety hazard while performing their duties should:
- Complete the lubrication task first, then report
- Immediately report the hazard through proper channels (Correct answer)
- Ignore it if it is outside their area of responsibility
- Document it only in personal notes
Correct answer: Immediately report the hazard through proper channels
Promptly reporting safety hazards through established channels is an ethical obligation that protects personnel and equipment.
Question 5: Which record is most critical for tracking the history of a lubrication program for a single machine?
- Purchase orders for lubricants
- Equipment lubrication history card or equivalent log (Correct answer)
- Vendor product data sheets
- Annual maintenance budget reports
Correct answer: Equipment lubrication history card or equivalent log
A lubrication history card documents oil changes, additions, and analysis results, providing a complete timeline for that machine.
Question 6: In the context of professional lubrication management, an 'oil analysis trending report' is most useful for:
- Scheduling bulk lubricant deliveries
- Detecting developing machine faults and predicting failures (Correct answer)
- Calculating lubrication labor costs
- Verifying lubricant supplier invoices
Correct answer: Detecting developing machine faults and predicting failures
Trending oil analysis results over time reveals deteriorating wear metal or contamination patterns that indicate an impending failure.
Question 7: STLE's code of professional conduct requires CLS certificants to:
- Recommend only lubricants from STLE-endorsed suppliers
- Maintain competence and act with honesty and integrity (Correct answer)
- Avoid sharing knowledge with non-certified colleagues
- Prioritize cost savings over equipment reliability
Correct answer: Maintain competence and act with honesty and integrity
STLE's code requires members to uphold integrity, maintain technical competence, and act in the best interest of the public and profession.
CLS Professional Standards & Competencies 2
Which organization administers the Certified Lubrication Specialist (CLS) certification?