Safety and OSHA Regulations Flashcards

Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom / GHS), what must be included on a chemical container label?

Answer: Product identifier, signal word, hazard statements, pictograms, precautionary statements, and supplier information

OSHA's HazCom Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) aligned with GHS requires 6 label elements: product identifier, signal word (Danger/Warning), hazard statements, GHS pictograms, precautionary statements, and manufacturer/supplier information.

What is the maximum permissible noise exposure for an 8-hour workday per OSHA standards?

Answer: 90 dBA for 8 hours (action level: 85 dBA for hearing conservation program)

OSHA's noise standard (29 CFR 1910.95) sets the PEL at 90 dBA for 8 hours. The action level (requiring hearing conservation programs) is 85 dBA as an 8-hr TWA. Permissible exposure halves with every 5 dBA increase.

What is the purpose of OSHA's Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) standard (29 CFR 1910.147)?

Answer: To protect workers from unexpected energization or startup of machines during servicing by controlling hazardous energy

LOTO (Control of Hazardous Energy) requires procedures to de-energize equipment and apply personal locks and tags before servicing. It covers all energy types: electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal, gravitational, and chemical.

Under OSHA's Respiratory Protection standard, when is a fit test required?

Answer: Before first use, when a different facepiece is used, and annually thereafter for tight-fitting respirators

OSHA (29 CFR 1910.134) requires annual fit testing for tight-fitting respirators (half-face, full-face). Fit testing is also required before initial use and whenever there is a change in facepiece type or a physical change that could affect fit.

What does OSHA's General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act) require of employers?

Answer: To provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm

The General Duty Clause is a catch-all requirement covering hazards not addressed by specific standards. Employers must address all recognized hazards, even if no specific OSHA standard exists for that hazard.

What are the four classes of fires (A, B, C, D), and what does each involve?

Answer: A = ordinary combustibles; B = flammable liquids/gases; C = electrical equipment; D = combustible metals

Class A: ordinary combustibles (wood, paper, cloth). Class B: flammable liquids and gases. Class C: energized electrical equipment (use Class C or CO2 extinguisher). Class D: combustible metals (magnesium, titanium — requires special dry powder). Class K is for cooking oils.

What is the OSHA required minimum safe distance for working near overhead power lines (unqualified workers)?

Answer: 10 feet for lines up to 50kV; greater distances for higher voltages

OSHA (29 CFR 1926.416 for construction; 1910.303 for general industry) requires unqualified workers to stay at least 10 feet away from power lines up to 50kV. Above 50kV, the minimum clearance increases by 4 inches per 10kV above 50kV.

Under OSHA's Fall Protection standard (29 CFR 1926.502), at what height does fall protection become mandatory in construction?

Answer: 6 feet above a lower level

In construction (29 CFR 1926), OSHA requires fall protection at 6 feet above a lower level. In general industry (29 CFR 1910), the standard is 4 feet. Fall protection systems include guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems (PFAS).

What information must an OSHA 300 Log record?

Answer: Work-related injuries and illnesses that result in days away from work, restricted work, job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness, or diagnosis of a significant condition

The OSHA 300 Log (300/300A/301) records work-related injuries and illnesses meeting recordability criteria: death, days away from work, restricted duty, job transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness, or significant injury diagnosis.

What is the purpose of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS), and which section contains first aid measures?

Answer: Provides comprehensive hazard and safety information about chemicals; first aid measures are in Section 4

A 16-section GHS SDS provides comprehensive information: identification, hazards, composition, first aid (Section 4), firefighting, accidental release, handling/storage, exposure controls/PPE, physical/chemical properties, and more.

What is the OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) concept, and how does it differ from ACGIH's TLV?

Answer: PELs are legally enforceable OSHA limits; TLVs are recommended guidelines from ACGIH that are scientifically updated more frequently

OSHA PELs are legal maximum exposure limits codified in regulations. ACGIH TLVs (Threshold Limit Values) are professional recommendations based on current scientific data, updated regularly. TLVs are generally more protective than outdated PELs.

Under OSHA's Confined Space standard (29 CFR 1910.146), what makes a space a 'permit-required confined space'?

Answer: The space is large enough to enter, has limited entry/exit, and has one or more serious hazards (atmospheric, engulfment, entrapment, or other recognized hazard)

A permit-required confined space (PRCS) has all three characteristics of a confined space PLUS at least one of: hazardous atmosphere, engulfment material, internal configuration that could trap/asphyxiate, or other recognized serious safety hazard.

What is the hierarchy of controls in OSHA's approach to hazard reduction, listed from most to least effective?

Answer: Elimination → Substitution → Engineering Controls → Administrative Controls → PPE

The hierarchy of controls (most to least effective): 1. Elimination (remove the hazard), 2. Substitution (replace with less hazardous), 3. Engineering controls (isolate from hazard), 4. Administrative controls (change work procedures), 5. PPE (last resort).

According to OSHA, within what timeframe must employers report fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations?

Answer: Fatalities: 8 hours; in-patient hospitalizations/amputations/eye loss: 24 hours

OSHA (29 CFR 1904.39) requires: fatalities reported within 8 hours; in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, or eye losses reported within 24 hours of learning of the incident. Reports can be made online, by phone, or at a local OSHA office.

What does Arc Flash PPE category 2 (per NFPA 70E) require workers to wear?

Answer: Arc-rated clothing with minimum 8 cal/cm² arc rating, arc-rated face shield or arc flash suit hood, arc-rated gloves, and other required PPE

NFPA 70E PPE Category 2 (incident energy 1.2-8 cal/cm²) requires: arc-rated clothing ≥8 cal/cm², arc-rated face shield or arc flash suit hood, arc-rated gloves (Class 00+leather), hearing protection, safety glasses, and hardhat.

What is an industrial hygienist's role in workplace safety?

Answer: Anticipates, recognizes, evaluates, and controls chemical, physical, and biological hazards in the workplace to protect worker health

Industrial hygienists (IH) follow the AIHA/ABIH model: anticipate hazards before they occur, recognize them in the workplace, evaluate exposures (air monitoring, noise measurement), and recommend controls to protect worker health.

What is 'ergonomics' in the context of industrial safety, and what does it address?

Answer: Designing work tasks, tools, and environments to fit the human body and reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)

Ergonomics applies knowledge of human capabilities and limitations to design work that fits the worker. It addresses risk factors for MSDs: repetitive motion, awkward postures, forceful exertion, vibration, and contact stress.

What is the OSHA standard for electrical safe work practices in general industry?

Answer: OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S (Electrical) and NFPA 70E is the consensus standard it references for shock and arc flash protection

OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Subpart S covers electrical safety in general industry workplaces. NFPA 70E (Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace) provides detailed safe work practice requirements that OSHA references and citations cite.

Under OSHA's HazCom standard, what is the employer's responsibility regarding SDS access?

Answer: Ensure employees have immediate access to SDS for all hazardous chemicals in their work area at all times during the work shift

OSHA requires employers to maintain SDS for every hazardous chemical in the workplace and ensure employees can access them during their shift. Electronic SDS systems are acceptable if employees can access them immediately.

What is the purpose of a Job Safety Analysis (JSA), also called a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)?

Answer: To identify and control hazards in each step of a job task before the work is performed

A JSA/JHA breaks a job into sequential steps, identifies hazards at each step, and prescribes controls to eliminate or reduce those hazards. It is a proactive tool for preventing workplace injuries before they happen.