Toxicology and Biohazards Flashcards
7 cards from real COHN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Toxicology and Biohazards flashcards as text
A worker is splashed with an unknown corrosive chemical in the eyes. The IMMEDIATE first aid action is to:
Answer: Irrigate both eyes continuously with water or saline for at least 15-20 minutes
Immediate copious irrigation for 15-20 minutes takes priority over chemical identification because seconds count in preventing corneal damage — the SDS can be checked during or after irrigation.
A toxicologist reports a chemical has a low therapeutic index. This means the chemical:
Answer: Has a narrow margin between effective and toxic doses
A low therapeutic index (TI = LD50/ED50) means the effective dose and toxic dose are close together, leaving little margin for safety and requiring careful dosing.
Universal precautions require that blood and body fluids from ALL patients be treated as:
Answer: Potentially infectious regardless of known diagnosis
Universal precautions, established by CDC, require treating all blood and specified body fluids as potentially infectious for bloodborne pathogens regardless of patient diagnosis or perceived risk.
A worker in a beryllium machining facility develops progressive dyspnea and is found to have non-caseating granulomas on lung biopsy. The MOST likely diagnosis is:
Answer: Chronic beryllium disease (berylliosis)
Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) is a granulomatous lung disease caused by beryllium sensitization; it is clinically and pathologically indistinguishable from sarcoidosis but requires beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT) for diagnosis.
Which control measure represents the HIGHEST level of the hierarchy of controls for chemical hazards?
Answer: Elimination of the hazardous chemical from the process
Elimination (removing the hazard entirely) sits at the top of NIOSH's hierarchy of controls and is the most effective protective measure because it removes risk at the source.
An agricultural worker presents with acute toxic effects after herbicide exposure. The MOST appropriate initial resource for identifying the chemical's acute health hazards and first aid measures is:
Answer: Reviewing the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Section 4
SDS Section 4 (First Aid Measures) provides immediate, chemical-specific first aid instructions and is the most accessible reference for acute exposure management at the worksite.
A COHN is developing a respiratory protection program. Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134, which step MUST occur before a worker is fit-tested for a respirator?
Answer: The worker must complete a medical evaluation to determine fitness to wear a respirator
OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard requires a medical evaluation (using OSHA Medical Evaluation Questionnaire or equivalent) before fit testing to ensure the worker can safely wear respiratory protection.