CPR Health, Safety & Regulatory Compliance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The NIOSH-approved respirator required to protect against airborne asbestos fibers during abatement is at minimum a:
- N95 filtering facepiece
- Half-face air-purifying respirator with P100 filters (Correct answer)
- Powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) with HEPA filter
- Full-face air-purifying respirator with N95 filters
Correct answer: Half-face air-purifying respirator with P100 filters
OSHA requires at minimum a half-face air-purifying respirator with P100 (HEPA) filters for asbestos fiber concentrations above the PEL.
Question 2: Under the EPA's National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), regulated asbestos-containing material (RACM) must be properly removed before demolition when the amount exceeds:
- 50 linear feet or 15 square feet
- 160 square feet or 260 linear feet or 35 cubic feet (Correct answer)
- 100 square feet or 100 linear feet
- 500 square feet or 500 linear feet
Correct answer: 160 square feet or 260 linear feet or 35 cubic feet
NESHAP Subpart M triggers the regulated ACM threshold at 260 linear feet of pipe, 160 square feet on other components, or 35 cubic feet where area/length can't be measured.
Question 3: Which OSHA standard governs respiratory protection programs for restoration workers?
- 29 CFR 1910.132
- 29 CFR 1910.134 (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910.1001
- 29 CFR 1926.1101
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1910.134
29 CFR 1910.134 is OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard, requiring written programs, medical evaluations, fit testing, and training.
Question 4: A restorer using a wet-dry vacuum to remove Category 3 water must use a vacuum equipped with:
- A standard paper filter bag
- A HEPA filtration system (Correct answer)
- A charcoal pre-filter only
- No special filter — any vacuum is acceptable
Correct answer: A HEPA filtration system
HEPA filtration is required to capture microbial particles and contaminants when vacuuming Category 3 water-affected materials to prevent cross-contamination.
Question 5: Under OSHA's General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1)), employers are required to:
- Follow only OSHA-issued specific standards
- Provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious harm (Correct answer)
- Post OSHA citations only in break rooms
- Conduct safety inspections every 90 days
Correct answer: Provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious harm
The General Duty Clause requires employers to address all recognized serious hazards, even those not covered by a specific OSHA standard.
Question 6: What does the term 'permissible exposure limit' (PEL) represent in OSHA regulations?
- The maximum chemical concentration an unprotected worker can tolerate indefinitely
- The regulatory maximum airborne concentration of a substance for an 8-hour workday (Correct answer)
- The recommended guideline issued by NIOSH for workplace chemicals
- The threshold at which immediate evacuation is required
Correct answer: The regulatory maximum airborne concentration of a substance for an 8-hour workday
PELs are legally enforceable OSHA limits on the concentration of a substance in workplace air, typically based on an 8-hour time-weighted average.
Question 7: When a restoration job requires entry into a confined space with atmospheric hazards, OSHA requires the employer to:
- Post a warning sign at the entry point only
- Implement a permit-required confined space program with attendant, entry supervisor, and rescue plan (Correct answer)
- Ensure workers wear N95 respirators before entering
- Ventilate the space for 10 minutes before entry
Correct answer: Implement a permit-required confined space program with attendant, entry supervisor, and rescue plan
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 mandates a full permit-required confined space program including atmospheric testing, continuous monitoring, trained attendant, and rescue procedures.
CPR Health, Safety & Regulatory Compliance 3
The NIOSH-approved respirator required to protect against airborne asbestos fibers during abatement is at minimum a: