EMS Safety & Regulatory Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, which document must employers make available to employees who are at risk of occupational exposure?
- Exposure Control Plan (Correct answer)
- Incident Command Report
- Patient Care Report
- HIPAA Privacy Notice
Correct answer: Exposure Control Plan
OSHA requires employers to establish and maintain a written Exposure Control Plan that outlines procedures to minimize bloodborne pathogen exposure.
Question 2: An EMS crew arrives at a structure fire scene. Who has overall incident command authority over EMS operations at the scene?
- The fire department incident commander (Correct answer)
- The senior EMS paramedic
- The medical director
- The hospital charge nurse
Correct answer: The fire department incident commander
At a structure fire, the fire department incident commander holds overall scene authority, including over EMS personnel operating on scene.
Question 3: Which federal regulation governs the transport of hazardous materials by ground emergency vehicles?
- 49 CFR (DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations) (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910 (OSHA General Industry)
- 42 CFR Part 2 (Substance Abuse Records)
- 21 CFR (FDA Drug Regulations)
Correct answer: 49 CFR (DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations)
49 CFR, enforced by the Department of Transportation, regulates hazardous materials transportation including by emergency vehicles.
Question 4: When using a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) at a hazmat scene, what is the primary advantage over a standard N95 mask?
- It provides a higher assigned protection factor and does not require fit testing (Correct answer)
- It is lighter and cheaper than an N95
- It can be reused indefinitely without decontamination
- It protects against all chemical vapors
Correct answer: It provides a higher assigned protection factor and does not require fit testing
PAPRs have a higher assigned protection factor (25–1000) than N95s and do not require individual fit testing.
Question 5: A patient refuses transport after an EMS evaluation. To protect the crew legally, the EMT should:
- Document the refusal thoroughly and have the patient sign an against-medical-advice form (Correct answer)
- Contact medical direction and cancel the call without documentation
- Restrain the patient for transport to ensure safety
- Leave without further action since the patient is an adult
Correct answer: Document the refusal thoroughly and have the patient sign an against-medical-advice form
Thorough documentation and a signed AMA form are essential to protect EMS personnel legally when a competent adult refuses care.
Question 6: Which NFPA standard specifically addresses protective clothing for EMS personnel?
- NFPA 1999 (Correct answer)
- NFPA 704
- NFPA 1971
- NFPA 10
Correct answer: NFPA 1999
NFPA 1999 establishes minimum performance requirements for protective clothing worn by EMS personnel during patient care.
Question 7: An EMS provider inadvertently self-sticks with a used needle. What is the FIRST action they should take?
- Immediately wash the site with soap and water and report the exposure (Correct answer)
- Apply a tourniquet above the puncture site
- Squeeze the site vigorously to expel blood and apply iodine
- Continue the call and report after patient is delivered
Correct answer: Immediately wash the site with soap and water and report the exposure
The immediate action following a needlestick is to wash the site thoroughly with soap and water, then report the exposure per the employer's exposure control plan.
EMS Safety & Regulatory Compliance 2
Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, which document must employers make available to employees who are at risk of occupational exposure?