CSS Industrial Hygiene and Health Hazards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the acronym IDLH stand for in industrial hygiene?
- Immediate Danger to Life and Health (Correct answer)
- Identified Daily Limit for Hazardous substances
- Inhalation Dose Limit for Hazardous agents
- Industrial Definition of Lethal Hazards
Correct answer: Immediate Danger to Life and Health
IDLH stands for Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health and represents the maximum airborne concentration from which a worker could escape in 30 minutes without irreversible health effects.
Question 2: A worker exposed to benzene over many years develops leukemia. This is an example of what type of health hazard?
- Acute toxicity
- Chronic health effect (Correct answer)
- Sensitization reaction
- Systemic shock
Correct answer: Chronic health effect
Chronic health effects develop after prolonged or repeated exposure over a long period, such as benzene-induced leukemia.
Question 3: Which route of entry is typically the MOST common pathway for workplace chemical exposure?
- Ingestion
- Skin absorption
- Inhalation (Correct answer)
- Injection
Correct answer: Inhalation
Inhalation is the most common route of entry for workplace chemical hazards because workers breathe contaminated air continuously throughout their shift.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of a Threshold Limit Value (TLV) as published by ACGIH?
- To set legal enforceable exposure limits
- To define concentrations below which nearly all workers can be repeatedly exposed without adverse health effects (Correct answer)
- To identify concentrations immediately dangerous to life
- To establish criminal penalties for violations
Correct answer: To define concentrations below which nearly all workers can be repeatedly exposed without adverse health effects
ACGIH TLVs are occupational exposure guidelines representing conditions under which nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed without adverse health effects.
Question 5: Which type of ventilation system captures contaminants at or near their source before they enter the workroom air?
- Dilution ventilation
- Local exhaust ventilation (Correct answer)
- General supply ventilation
- Makeup air ventilation
Correct answer: Local exhaust ventilation
Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) captures airborne contaminants at the point of generation, preventing them from dispersing into the workplace.
Question 6: A safety supervisor notices workers experiencing headaches, dizziness, and nausea in an enclosed area. Which hazard should be suspected FIRST?
- Excessive noise
- Carbon monoxide poisoning (Correct answer)
- Radiation exposure
- Ergonomic strain
Correct answer: Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that causes headache, dizziness, and nausea and is a primary suspect in enclosed-space illness outbreaks.
CSS Industrial Hygiene and Health Hazards 2
What does the acronym IDLH stand for in industrial hygiene?