CPC Laboratory Safety & Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom 2012), how many sections are required on a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
- 12
- 14
- 16 (Correct answer)
- 18
Correct answer: 16
GHS-aligned SDSs must contain exactly 16 sections as specified by OSHA's HazCom 2012 standard.
Question 2: A chemist discovers that a stored chemical has exceeded its peroxide formation threshold. What is the FIRST action to take?
- Dispose of it immediately in the drain
- Isolate the container and contact EHS before moving it (Correct answer)
- Dilute it with water to reduce concentration
- Return it to the original supplier
Correct answer: Isolate the container and contact EHS before moving it
Peroxide-forming chemicals that exceed safe thresholds are shock-sensitive and must be isolated in place while EHS is notified before any attempt to move them.
Question 3: Which engineering control is considered the most effective in the hierarchy of controls for chemical exposure?
- Administrative controls
- Personal protective equipment
- Elimination or substitution (Correct answer)
- Ventilation
Correct answer: Elimination or substitution
Elimination or substitution sits at the top of the hierarchy of controls because it removes the hazard entirely rather than managing exposure to it.
Question 4: When disposing of a mixture containing both a listed hazardous waste and a non-hazardous solvent, how is the entire mixture classified under RCRA?
- Non-hazardous, based on the majority component
- Hazardous, due to the mixture rule (Correct answer)
- Requires lab testing to determine classification
- Classified separately by each component
Correct answer: Hazardous, due to the mixture rule
Under RCRA's mixture rule, any mixture containing a listed hazardous waste is itself classified as hazardous waste regardless of the proportions.
Question 5: What does the NFPA 704 blue quadrant on a chemical placard indicate?
- Flammability hazard
- Reactivity hazard
- Health hazard (Correct answer)
- Special hazard
Correct answer: Health hazard
The blue (left) quadrant of the NFPA 704 diamond represents health hazard, rated from 0 (minimal) to 4 (deadly).
Question 6: A chemical fume hood sash should be kept at or below the working height mark primarily to:
- Prevent spillage of chemicals onto the floor
- Ensure adequate face velocity to protect the user (Correct answer)
- Comply with fire codes for overhead clearance
- Allow unobstructed lighting inside the hood
Correct answer: Ensure adequate face velocity to protect the user
Keeping the sash at or below the marked height maintains the minimum face velocity (typically 80–100 fpm) required to protect the user from vapor inhalation.
Question 7: Which document formally authorizes a laboratory to handle select agents and toxins regulated by the CDC/USDA?
- Laboratory Safety Plan
- Institutional Biosafety Committee approval letter
- Select Agent Registration Certificate (Correct answer)
- Biosafety Level certification
Correct answer: Select Agent Registration Certificate
The CDC/USDA Select Agent Program requires facilities to obtain a Select Agent Registration Certificate before possessing, using, or transferring regulated select agents.
CPC Laboratory Safety & Compliance 2
Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom 2012), how many sections are required on a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?