CMSP Safety, Health & Risk Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which risk assessment methodology uses a bow-tie diagram to visualize both the causes of a hazardous event and its consequences?
- Fault Tree Analysis
- Bow-Tie Analysis (Correct answer)
- Job Hazard Analysis
- HAZOP Study
Correct answer: Bow-Tie Analysis
Bow-Tie Analysis places the hazardous event at the center, with threats on the left (fault tree) and consequences on the right (event tree), making it ideal for visualizing barriers.
Question 2: Under MSHA regulations, what is the maximum permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable coal dust in underground coal mines?
- 1.5 mg/m³ (Correct answer)
- 2.0 mg/m³
- 0.5 mg/m³
- 1.0 mg/m³
Correct answer: 1.5 mg/m³
MSHA's 2014 rule set the PEL for respirable coal dust at 1.5 mg/m³ (down from 2.0 mg/m³) to reduce the risk of black lung disease.
Question 3: A mine safety manager conducts a risk matrix assessment and rates a hazard as 'likely' with 'major' severity. What is the most appropriate next action?
- Accept the risk and monitor quarterly
- Implement immediate corrective controls and re-evaluate (Correct answer)
- Document the hazard and schedule a review in 6 months
- Transfer the risk to the insurance carrier
Correct answer: Implement immediate corrective controls and re-evaluate
A 'likely' probability combined with 'major' severity places the risk in the high or critical category, requiring immediate corrective action before work continues.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the hierarchy of controls as applied in mine safety?
- PPE → Administrative → Engineering → Substitution → Elimination
- Elimination → Substitution → Engineering → Administrative → PPE (Correct answer)
- Administrative → Engineering → PPE → Substitution → Elimination
- Substitution → PPE → Administrative → Engineering → Elimination
Correct answer: Elimination → Substitution → Engineering → Administrative → PPE
The hierarchy of controls prioritizes eliminating hazards first, then substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE as the last line of defense.
Question 5: What does ALARA stand for in the context of radiation and occupational health exposure?
- As Low As Reasonably Achievable (Correct answer)
- Allowable Levels And Risk Assessment
- Acceptable Limits As Regulated by APHA
- Annual Limit And Radiation Allowance
Correct answer: As Low As Reasonably Achievable
ALARA means 'As Low As Reasonably Achievable' and is a radiation protection principle requiring that exposures be kept as low as possible beyond just meeting regulatory limits.
Question 6: Which federal agency has primary jurisdiction over occupational safety and health in surface metal/nonmetal mines?
- OSHA
- EPA
- MSHA (Correct answer)
- NIOSH
Correct answer: MSHA
MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) has exclusive jurisdiction over all mining operations under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, superseding OSHA.
Question 7: A near-miss incident in a mine where a rock fall narrowly missed a worker should be treated as:
- A minor event requiring no formal documentation
- A valuable learning opportunity requiring investigation equal to an actual injury (Correct answer)
- Grounds for immediate worker discipline
- Only relevant if it causes a production delay
Correct answer: A valuable learning opportunity requiring investigation equal to an actual injury
Near-misses reveal system failures and uncontrolled hazards; investigating them with the same rigor as actual incidents is fundamental to proactive safety management and preventing future fatalities.
CMSP Safety, Health & Risk Management 2
Which risk assessment methodology uses a bow-tie diagram to visualize both the causes of a hazardous event and its consequences?