COHN COHN Environmental and Industrial Hygiene 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which route of entry is the most common pathway for occupational chemical exposures?
- Ingestion
- Injection
- Inhalation (Correct answer)
- Skin absorption
Correct answer: Inhalation
Inhalation is the primary route of entry for most workplace chemical exposures because airborne substances are readily drawn into the lungs.
Question 2: What does a noise dosimeter measure in an occupational setting?
- Peak noise levels only during machinery startups
- A worker's cumulative noise exposure over a work shift (Correct answer)
- Background noise levels in office environments
- Sound frequency ranges in industrial machinery
Correct answer: A worker's cumulative noise exposure over a work shift
A noise dosimeter worn by a worker records the time-weighted average noise exposure over the entire shift to compare against OSHA's PEL of 90 dBA and action level of 85 dBA.
Question 3: What is the OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) for noise as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA)?
- 85 dBA
- 90 dBA (Correct answer)
- 95 dBA
- 100 dBA
Correct answer: 90 dBA
OSHA's PEL for occupational noise is 90 dBA as an 8-hour TWA, with engineering or administrative controls required when this limit is exceeded.
Question 4: What term describes the skin condition caused by repeated occupational contact with irritating chemicals?
- Occupational asthma
- Contact dermatitis (Correct answer)
- Mesothelioma
- Silicosis
Correct answer: Contact dermatitis
Contact dermatitis is the most common occupational skin disease, resulting from skin contact with irritating or sensitizing substances in the workplace.
Question 5: Which industrial hygiene sampling strategy determines the worst-case exposure for a worker during a particular task?
- Grab sampling
- Full-shift time-weighted average sampling
- Worst-case or task-based sampling (Correct answer)
- Biological monitoring
Correct answer: Worst-case or task-based sampling
Worst-case or task-based sampling focuses on the highest-exposure tasks to identify peak exposures that may exceed ceiling or short-term exposure limits (STELs).
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) in the workplace?
- To document workers' compensation claims for chemical injuries
- To provide hazard communication and safe handling information for chemicals (Correct answer)
- To record OSHA inspection findings for hazardous substances
- To calculate permissible exposure limits for chemical mixtures
Correct answer: To provide hazard communication and safe handling information for chemicals
An SDS provides comprehensive information on a chemical's hazards, composition, handling, storage, emergency procedures, and exposure limits to protect workers.
COHN COHN Environmental and Industrial Hygiene 2
Which route of entry is the most common pathway for occupational chemical exposures?