EMPCO Public Safety Standards 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA standards, what is the minimum number of employees required at a worksite before a written emergency action plan is mandatory?
- 5
- 10 (Correct answer)
- 15
- 25
Correct answer: 10
OSHA requires a written emergency action plan when a workplace has more than 10 employees; smaller sites may use verbal plans.
Question 2: A public safety officer discovers a coworker experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. The AED is 60 seconds away. What is the FIRST priority action?
- Retrieve the AED immediately
- Begin chest compressions at 100–120 per minute (Correct answer)
- Call 911 and wait for instructions
- Administer two rescue breaths before compressions
Correct answer: Begin chest compressions at 100–120 per minute
High-quality chest compressions should begin immediately because every second of delay reduces survival odds; another bystander should retrieve the AED.
Question 3: Which federal agency publishes the Hazardous Materials Table used in DOT transportation regulations?
- EPA
- OSHA
- DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) (Correct answer)
- NIOSH
Correct answer: DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
PHMSA, a division of the Department of Transportation, maintains 49 CFR Part 172 which contains the Hazardous Materials Table.
Question 4: In incident command system (ICS) terminology, what term describes the individual responsible for all tactical operations at an incident?
- Incident Commander
- Operations Section Chief (Correct answer)
- Safety Officer
- Logistics Section Chief
Correct answer: Operations Section Chief
The Operations Section Chief manages all tactical resources and activities directed toward reducing the immediate hazard.
Question 5: What blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level is the legal per se limit for operating a motor vehicle in all U.S. states?
- 0.05%
- 0.08% (Correct answer)
- 0.10%
- 0.12%
Correct answer: 0.08%
All 50 states have established 0.08% BAC as the legal per se impairment limit for non-commercial adult drivers.
Question 6: The NFPA 704 diamond uses which color quadrant to indicate health hazard?
- Red (top)
- Yellow (right)
- Blue (left) (Correct answer)
- White (bottom)
Correct answer: Blue (left)
The blue quadrant on the left of the NFPA 704 diamond represents health hazard, rated 0–4.
Question 7: Under NIMS, which preparedness doctrine requires all agencies to use common terminology, modular organization, and unified command?
- National Response Framework (NRF)
- National Incident Management System (NIMS) (Correct answer)
- Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC)
- Stafford Act
Correct answer: National Incident Management System (NIMS)
NIMS provides the standardized framework—including common terminology and unified command—for all-hazards incident management across agencies.
EMPCO Public Safety Standards 2
Under OSHA standards, what is the minimum number of employees required at a worksite before a written emergency action plan is mandatory?