Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Flashcards
7 cards from real HSE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene flashcards as text
Which ACGIH exposure limit category represents a concentration that should not be exceeded even instantaneously?
Answer: Ceiling (C)
The ACGIH Ceiling (C) value is the concentration that should never be exceeded at any time during the workday, regardless of how brief the exposure.
A new chemical process introduces hydrogen sulfide gas. Workers report detecting a rotten egg odor during startup, then losing the ability to smell it. What phenomenon explains this?
Answer: Olfactory fatigue (odor paralysis)
Hydrogen sulfide rapidly paralyzes the olfactory nerve at concentrations above about 100 ppm, causing workers to lose the warning signal precisely when danger is greatest.
Under OSHA's hearing conservation program (29 CFR 1910.95), at what action level must employers enroll workers in annual audiometric testing?
Answer: 85 dBA TWA
OSHA requires employers to implement a hearing conservation program, including audiometric testing, when worker noise exposure reaches or exceeds an 85 dBA 8-hour TWA action level.
Which type of air-purifying respirator provides protection against both particulates and organic vapors simultaneously?
Answer: Combination cartridge respirator
Combination cartridges contain both a particulate filter and a sorbent bed for organic vapors, providing dual protection in environments with both hazard types.
A company's industrial hygienist conducts exposure monitoring and finds results consistently below 50% of the PEL. Under OSHA guidelines, what is the minimum recommended reassessment interval?
Answer: Every year or when process changes occur
Industry guidance recommends annual reassessment or whenever process, material, or control changes could affect exposure, even when results are well below the PEL.
Which musculoskeletal disorder risk factor is most directly associated with performing tasks requiring sustained awkward wrist postures?
Answer: Carpal tunnel syndrome
Sustained flexion or extension of the wrist compresses the median nerve within the carpal tunnel, contributing to carpal tunnel syndrome.
What does the term 'bioaccumulation' mean in occupational toxicology?
Answer: The progressive accumulation of a substance in an organism over time because intake exceeds elimination
Bioaccumulation occurs when a substance (e.g., organochlorine pesticides, heavy metals) is absorbed faster than it can be metabolized or excreted, increasing body burden over time.