CPHA CPHA Environmental Health & Occupational Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which environmental health model uses the framework of Source → Pathway → Receptor to assess community health risks?
- Epidemiological Triad
- Exposure Pathway Model (Correct answer)
- Social Ecological Model
- Health Belief Model
Correct answer: Exposure Pathway Model
The Exposure Pathway Model evaluates how a contaminant travels from its source through an environmental medium (pathway) to reach a human receptor.
Question 2: Lead paint hazard regulations under HUD primarily target housing built before which year?
- 1960
- 1978 (Correct answer)
- 1986
- 1990
Correct answer: 1978
HUD regulations focus on housing built before 1978, the year the US banned lead-based paint for residential use.
Question 3: A public health administrator notices elevated rates of mesothelioma among shipyard workers from the 1970s. Which occupational exposure is most likely responsible?
- Silica dust
- Asbestos (Correct answer)
- Lead fumes
- Benzene
Correct answer: Asbestos
Asbestos exposure is the primary known cause of mesothelioma, and shipyard workers from earlier decades had significant asbestos exposure through insulation and shipbuilding materials.
Question 4: Which air quality index (AQI) level is considered 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups' by the EPA?
- 0–50
- 51–100
- 101–150 (Correct answer)
- 151–200
Correct answer: 101–150
An AQI of 101–150 is classified as 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups,' meaning people with respiratory or heart conditions, children, and older adults may experience health effects.
Question 5: Which principle of environmental justice states that all people, regardless of race or income, have the right to equal protection from environmental and health hazards?
- Precautionary Principle
- Polluter Pays Principle
- Principle of Equal Protection
- Fair Treatment Principle (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Fair Treatment Principle
The EPA defines fair treatment as the principle that no group should bear a disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences, regardless of race, color, or income.
Question 6: The 'hierarchy of controls' in occupational health lists which approach as the most effective way to protect workers from hazards?
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Administrative Controls
- Engineering Controls
- Elimination (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Elimination
Elimination — physically removing the hazard — is the most effective control in the hierarchy because it completely removes the risk rather than managing it.
CPHA CPHA Environmental Health & Occupational Safety 2
Which environmental health model uses the framework of Source → Pathway → Receptor to assess community health risks?