CSS Emergency Response & Incident Investigation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During an incident investigation, what does the term 'root cause' refer to?
- The first hazard identified at the scene
- The fundamental reason the incident occurred that, if corrected, prevents recurrence (Correct answer)
- The employee who was most directly responsible
- The physical damage resulting from the incident
Correct answer: The fundamental reason the incident occurred that, if corrected, prevents recurrence
Root cause is the underlying systemic reason an incident occurred; addressing it prevents recurrence rather than just treating symptoms.
Question 2: Which type of emergency evacuation drill is MOST important to conduct for a multi-story building?
- Lockdown drill
- Fire evacuation drill with stairwell use (Correct answer)
- Shelter-in-place drill
- Active-shooter drill only
Correct answer: Fire evacuation drill with stairwell use
Fire evacuation drills using stairwells are critical for multi-story buildings since elevators must not be used during fires.
Question 3: OSHA's 29 CFR 1910.38 requires emergency action plans for worksites with how many or more employees?
- 5
- 10 (Correct answer)
- 15
- 25
Correct answer: 10
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 requires a written emergency action plan when there are 10 or more employees; fewer than 10 may be communicated orally.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of establishing a hot zone, warm zone, and cold zone at a hazmat incident?
- To prioritize which employees receive first aid
- To control contamination spread and restrict personnel access by risk level (Correct answer)
- To assign investigative responsibilities to different teams
- To determine the order of decontamination equipment purchase
Correct answer: To control contamination spread and restrict personnel access by risk level
Zone designation controls contamination spread and limits exposure by restricting access based on risk level at hazmat incidents.
Question 5: An incident investigation finds a worker bypassed a machine guard to increase production speed. This is best classified as which type of contributing factor?
- Environmental factor
- Behavioral/human factor (Correct answer)
- Equipment failure factor
- Management system factor
Correct answer: Behavioral/human factor
Bypassing a guard is a behavioral/human factor, though a thorough investigation should also examine why the worker felt pressure to bypass it.
Question 6: Which document formally authorizes emergency responders to perform specific functions at a scene?
- Incident Action Plan (IAP) (Correct answer)
- Site Safety Plan
- Job Hazard Analysis
- Emergency Response Guidebook entry
Correct answer: Incident Action Plan (IAP)
The Incident Action Plan (IAP) outlines objectives, assignments, and authorizations for responders during an emergency.
Question 7: When conducting a post-incident analysis, which step should occur FIRST?
- Assign blame and document disciplinary actions
- Preserve the scene and secure evidence before anything is moved (Correct answer)
- Notify the insurance carrier to begin a claim
- Implement corrective actions immediately
Correct answer: Preserve the scene and secure evidence before anything is moved
Scene preservation and evidence security must occur first to ensure accurate reconstruction of events and prevent loss of critical data.
CSS Emergency Response & Incident Investigation 2
During an incident investigation, what does the term 'root cause' refer to?