HAZWOPER Hazard ID 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which document provides workers with information about the hazards of chemicals they may be exposed to at a HAZWOPER site?
- Incident Command Plan
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS) (Correct answer)
- Site Safety and Health Plan
- Emergency Response Guide
Correct answer: Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) provide detailed hazard, handling, and emergency information for specific chemicals per OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard.
Question 2: A worker notices an unknown liquid pooling near a drum. Which initial action BEST supports hazard identification?
- Taste a small sample to identify the substance
- Approach and open the drum to check for labels
- Observe from a safe distance and note color, odor, and container markings (Correct answer)
- Immediately apply absorbent material to stop the spread
Correct answer: Observe from a safe distance and note color, odor, and container markings
Observing from a safe distance while noting observable characteristics is the correct initial approach before closer investigation.
Question 3: What does the NFPA 704 diamond's blue quadrant indicate?
- Flammability hazard
- Reactivity hazard
- Health hazard (Correct answer)
- Special hazard
Correct answer: Health hazard
The blue quadrant of the NFPA 704 diamond indicates health hazard, rated 0 (minimal) to 4 (severe/lethal).
Question 4: Which of the following is a PRIMARY indicator that a chemical may be a corrosive hazard?
- Container labeled with a flame symbol
- pH less than 2 or greater than 12.5 (Correct answer)
- Vapor pressure greater than 1 atm
- Boiling point below 100°F
Correct answer: pH less than 2 or greater than 12.5
EPA and RCRA define corrosive hazardous waste as having a pH ≤ 2 or ≥ 12.5, indicating strong acid or base properties.
Question 5: When using air monitoring equipment at a HAZWOPER site, what does a PID (photoionization detector) primarily measure?
- Oxygen-deficient atmospheres
- Combustible gas levels as a percentage of LEL
- Total volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in parts per million (Correct answer)
- Radiation exposure in millirem
Correct answer: Total volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in parts per million
PIDs use UV light to ionize organic vapors and measure total VOC concentrations in parts per million (ppm).
Question 6: Which hazard class is associated with materials that spontaneously ignite when exposed to air?
- Oxidizer
- Pyrophoric material (Correct answer)
- Flammable liquid
- Explosive
Correct answer: Pyrophoric material
Pyrophoric materials ignite spontaneously upon contact with air at or below 130°F (54.4°C) and require special handling.
Question 7: At a hazardous waste site, what does the term 'flash point' indicate about a chemical?
- The temperature at which the chemical begins to decompose
- The minimum temperature at which vapors can ignite with an ignition source (Correct answer)
- The temperature at which the chemical boils
- The concentration at which the chemical becomes toxic
Correct answer: The minimum temperature at which vapors can ignite with an ignition source
Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a liquid produces enough vapor to momentarily ignite when exposed to an open flame or spark.
HAZWOPER Hazard ID 2
Which document provides workers with information about the hazards of chemicals they may be exposed to at a HAZWOPER site?