Funeral Service Test Risk Assessment & Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is the MOST important first step when a funeral home receives a body with unknown infectious disease status?
- Begin embalming immediately to reduce decomposition risk
- Treat the body as potentially infectious and use full PPE (Correct answer)
- Contact the next of kin to obtain medical history
- Notify local health authorities before any handling
Correct answer: Treat the body as potentially infectious and use full PPE
Standard precautions require treating all human remains as potentially infectious until disease status is confirmed.
Question 2: A funeral director discovers mold growth on a body that has been in refrigeration for several days. What is the primary risk management concern?
- Aesthetic impact on the viewing
- Potential inhalation of fungal spores by staff (Correct answer)
- Increased embalming chemical costs
- Legal liability for delayed preparation
Correct answer: Potential inhalation of fungal spores by staff
Mold spores pose a respiratory and health hazard to funeral home staff, requiring respiratory PPE during handling.
Question 3: What does the term 'hazard communication' (HazCom) specifically require funeral homes to maintain for all chemicals used?
- A monthly audit of chemical usage
- Safety Data Sheets (SDS) accessible to all employees (Correct answer)
- OSHA inspection certificates
- EPA disposal manifests for every chemical
Correct answer: Safety Data Sheets (SDS) accessible to all employees
OSHA's HazCom standard requires employers to maintain accessible SDS for all hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
Question 4: During a mass casualty event, which risk management principle guides how a funeral home should prioritize receiving multiple sets of remains?
- First-come, first-served order of family requests
- Chain of custody and positive identification before processing (Correct answer)
- Embalming all remains immediately to prevent disease spread
- Notifying media to manage public expectations
Correct answer: Chain of custody and positive identification before processing
Maintaining chain of custody and positive ID prevents misidentification, which is the primary risk in mass casualty situations.
Question 5: A funeral home employee experiences a needlestick injury during arterial embalming. What is the correct immediate response?
- Complete the embalming before seeking treatment to avoid contamination spread
- Wash the wound thoroughly and report to a supervisor for post-exposure protocol (Correct answer)
- Apply a bandage and document the incident at end of shift
- Discard all chemicals used and restart the embalming process
Correct answer: Wash the wound thoroughly and report to a supervisor for post-exposure protocol
Immediate wound washing and triggering the post-exposure protocol are the first steps to minimize infection risk after a sharps injury.
Question 6: Which OSHA regulation specifically addresses bloodborne pathogen exposure risks for funeral service professionals?
- 29 CFR 1910.134 (Respiratory Protection)
- 29 CFR 1910.1030 (Bloodborne Pathogens Standard) (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout)
- 29 CFR 1910.1200 (Hazard Communication)
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1910.1030 (Bloodborne Pathogens Standard)
The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) specifically governs occupational exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials.
Question 7: When transporting remains via a transport vehicle, what is the primary risk management practice to prevent cross-contamination?
- Using scented sprays to mask odors during transport
- Enclosing remains in leak-resistant pouches or containers (Correct answer)
- Transporting only one set of remains per trip regardless of distance
- Keeping windows open to improve ventilation
Correct answer: Enclosing remains in leak-resistant pouches or containers
Leak-resistant body pouches contain bodily fluids and prevent cross-contamination of the transport vehicle and personnel.
Funeral Service Test Risk Assessment & Management 2
Which of the following is the MOST important first step when a funeral home receives a body with unknown infectious disease status?