COHN Toxicology and Biohazards 5

Question 1

A worker is splashed with an unknown corrosive chemical in the eyes. The IMMEDIATE first aid action is to:

Accepted Answer

Irrigate both eyes continuously with water or saline for at least 15-20 minutes

Answer

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.

Question 2

A toxicologist reports a chemical has a low therapeutic index. This means the chemical:

Accepted Answer

Has a narrow margin between effective and toxic doses

Answer

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.

Question 3

Universal precautions require that blood and body fluids from ALL patients be treated as:

Accepted Answer

Potentially infectious regardless of known diagnosis

Answer

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.

Question 4

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:

Accepted Answer

Chronic beryllium disease (berylliosis)

Answer

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.

Question 5

Which control measure represents the HIGHEST level of the hierarchy of controls for chemical hazards?

Accepted Answer

Elimination of the hazardous chemical from the process

Answer

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.

COHN Exam Practice Test

COHN Exam Practice Test

COHN Toxicology and Biohazards 5