Renovation Contractors Environmental Regulations and Hazardous Materials 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's lead in construction standard (29 CFR 1926.62), the action level for airborne lead exposure is:
- 10 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³)
- 30 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³) (Correct answer)
- 50 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³)
- 100 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³)
Correct answer: 30 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³)
OSHA's action level for lead in construction is 30 μg/m³ as an 8-hour time-weighted average, triggering requirements for air monitoring, medical surveillance, and training.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'friable' asbestos-containing material (ACM)?
- Material that contains less than 1% asbestos by weight
- Material that can be crumbled by hand pressure, releasing fibers into the air (Correct answer)
- Material that has been treated with an encapsulant coating
- Material found exclusively in pipe and boiler insulation
Correct answer: Material that can be crumbled by hand pressure, releasing fibers into the air
Friable ACM can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder by hand pressure, making it especially hazardous because fibers are easily released into the air.
Question 3: When asbestos-containing material (ACM) is unexpectedly discovered during a renovation, what is the required first action?
- Remove it immediately using a shop vacuum to minimize exposure time
- Stop work in the affected area and notify the appropriate regulatory authorities (Correct answer)
- Cover it with new drywall and continue work on schedule
- Continue work only if the material appears to be in non-friable condition
Correct answer: Stop work in the affected area and notify the appropriate regulatory authorities
When ACM is discovered, work must stop in the affected area and proper regulatory notification and licensed abatement procedures must be followed before resuming.
Question 4: Lead-contaminated renovation waste must be disposed of in what manner?
- In regular municipal solid waste bins
- Down the drain diluted with running water
- As regulated waste in accordance with EPA hazardous waste guidelines (Correct answer)
- By controlled burning in an outdoor fire pit
Correct answer: As regulated waste in accordance with EPA hazardous waste guidelines
Lead-contaminated waste must be disposed of as regulated waste per EPA guidelines, sealed in plastic bags and taken to approved disposal or recycling facilities.
Question 5: Under EPA and HUD standards, the threshold reading that identifies lead-based paint when using XRF (X-ray fluorescence) testing is:
- 0.5 mg/cm²
- 0.7 mg/cm²
- 1.0 mg/cm² (Correct answer)
- 1.5 mg/cm²
Correct answer: 1.0 mg/cm²
EPA and HUD define lead-based paint as paint containing lead at or above 1.0 mg/cm² when measured by XRF analyzer, triggering lead-safe work practice requirements.
Question 6: Which federal law provides the primary authority for EPA to regulate lead-based paint hazards in renovation work?
- Clean Air Act
- Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (Correct answer)
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
- Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
Correct answer: Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
The EPA's RRP Rule is promulgated under Title IV of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which specifically addresses lead hazards from paint in pre-1978 housing.
Question 7: Class I asbestos work under OSHA standards, considered the most hazardous category, includes:
- Installing new pipe insulation adjacent to existing asbestos pipe covering
- Removing or encapsulating sprayed-on or troweled-on asbestos or thermal system insulation (Correct answer)
- Performing minor repairs to intact vinyl asbestos floor tiles
- Painting over asbestos-containing ceiling texture without disturbing it
Correct answer: Removing or encapsulating sprayed-on or troweled-on asbestos or thermal system insulation
Class I asbestos work involves the removal or encapsulation of thermal system insulation (TSI) or surfacing ACM, which poses the highest risk of fiber release and requires the most stringent controls.
Renovation Contractors Environmental Regulations and Hazardous Materials 2
Under OSHA's lead in construction standard (29 CFR 1926.62), the action level for airborne lead exposure is: