EPA Worker Health, Safety & PPE 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which respirator protection factor is appropriate for most lead renovation and abatement tasks with moderate dust generation?
- APF-10 (N95 disposable)
- APF-50 (half-face elastomeric with P100 filters) (Correct answer)
- APF-1000 (supplied-air respirator)
- APF-5 (dust mask)
Correct answer: APF-50 (half-face elastomeric with P100 filters)
A half-face elastomeric respirator with P100 filters (APF-50) is commonly required for lead abatement tasks, filtering at least 99.97% of airborne particles.
Question 2: Before using a tight-fitting respirator on a lead abatement job, what must the worker perform?
- Blood lead level test
- Fit test (Correct answer)
- Lung capacity test
- Air quality measurement
Correct answer: Fit test
OSHA requires a fit test before workers use tight-fitting respirators to ensure the facepiece creates an adequate seal, preventing lead dust bypass.
Question 3: What should workers do immediately before eating, drinking, or smoking when working in a lead-contaminated area?
- Apply sunscreen
- Wash hands and face thoroughly (Correct answer)
- Change respirator filters
- Notify the supervisor
Correct answer: Wash hands and face thoroughly
Hand and face washing removes lead contamination that could be ingested, as ingestion is a significant route of lead exposure.
Question 4: What type of protective clothing is required during lead abatement activities?
- Standard cotton work clothing
- Disposable coveralls (Tyvek or equivalent) over personal clothing (Correct answer)
- Leather apron only
- Fire-resistant clothing
Correct answer: Disposable coveralls (Tyvek or equivalent) over personal clothing
Disposable coveralls prevent lead dust from contaminating personal clothing and are discarded in the work area after use, preventing take-home contamination.
Question 5: Why is it prohibited to dry sweep lead-contaminated areas during or after abatement?
- It damages flooring surfaces
- Dry sweeping resuspends lead dust into the air, increasing inhalation exposure (Correct answer)
- It violates OSHA electrical safety rules
- It spreads chemical stripping agents
Correct answer: Dry sweeping resuspends lead dust into the air, increasing inhalation exposure
Dry sweeping agitates settled lead dust and makes it airborne again, dramatically increasing the concentration of lead dust that workers and occupants can inhale.
Question 6: Under the EPA RRP Rule, which activity requires contractors to use lead-safe work practices to protect themselves and occupants?
- Painting over intact lead paint
- Disturbing more than 6 sq ft of lead paint indoors per room (Correct answer)
- Inspecting surfaces for lead without disturbing them
- Installing new fixtures in non-painted areas
Correct answer: Disturbing more than 6 sq ft of lead paint indoors per room
The EPA RRP Rule triggers lead-safe work practices when more than 6 square feet of lead-based paint per room is disturbed indoors (or 20 sq ft outdoors).
EPA Worker Health, Safety & PPE 2
Which respirator protection factor is appropriate for most lead renovation and abatement tasks with moderate dust generation?