SHS Emergency Response & Preparedness 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's Emergency Action Plan (EAP) standard (29 CFR 1910.38), which element is REQUIRED for all worksites with 10 or more employees?
- Written EAP kept in the workplace (Correct answer)
- Verbal EAP communicated only at hire
- Annual fire drill with documented attendance
- Dedicated emergency response team on every shift
Correct answer: Written EAP kept in the workplace
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 requires a written EAP for employers with more than 10 employees, which must be available to employees for review.
Question 2: During a hazardous materials spill, the 'Incident Command System' (ICS) structure assigns overall responsibility for managing the response to which position?
- Operations Section Chief
- Safety Officer
- Incident Commander (Correct answer)
- Logistics Section Chief
Correct answer: Incident Commander
The Incident Commander holds overall authority and responsibility for managing the incident response under ICS.
Question 3: A shelter-in-place order is MOST appropriate when which condition exists?
- A structural fire is detected in the building
- An outdoor airborne chemical release threatens the area (Correct answer)
- A severe weather tornado warning is issued
- A workplace violence threat occurs inside the facility
Correct answer: An outdoor airborne chemical release threatens the area
Shelter-in-place is the preferred protective action when an outdoor airborne chemical or biological hazard makes evacuation more dangerous than remaining indoors.
Question 4: The National Response Framework (NRF) is built upon which foundational preparedness system?
- Emergency Operations Center (EOC) protocols
- National Incident Management System (NIMS) (Correct answer)
- Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER)
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant programs
Correct answer: National Incident Management System (NIMS)
The NRF is built on the NIMS, which provides a consistent template for managing incidents of any size or complexity.
Question 5: Which HAZWOPER training level (29 CFR 1910.120) requires a minimum of 40 hours of off-site instruction plus 3 days of supervised field experience?
- First Responder Awareness Level
- First Responder Operations Level
- Hazardous Materials Technician (Correct answer)
- On-Scene Incident Commander
Correct answer: Hazardous Materials Technician
HAZWOPER requires Hazardous Materials Technicians to complete at least 40 hours of training and 3 days of supervised field experience.
Question 6: When developing an emergency communication plan, which principle is MOST critical for ensuring message effectiveness during a crisis?
- Using technical jargon familiar to responders
- Delivering messages through a single channel only
- Providing clear, consistent, and timely information (Correct answer)
- Restricting information to management personnel first
Correct answer: Providing clear, consistent, and timely information
Effective emergency communications must be clear, consistent, and timely to prevent confusion and enable appropriate protective actions.
Question 7: After an emergency incident, a 'hot wash' or after-action review serves what PRIMARY purpose?
- Decontaminating personnel who entered the hot zone
- Identifying lessons learned to improve future response (Correct answer)
- Reviewing financial costs of the emergency response
- Documenting OSHA recordable injuries for the 300 log
Correct answer: Identifying lessons learned to improve future response
A hot wash or after-action review is conducted immediately post-incident to capture lessons learned and identify corrective actions for improving emergency preparedness.
SHS Emergency Response & Preparedness 2
Under OSHA's Emergency Action Plan (EAP) standard (29 CFR 1910.38), which element is REQUIRED for all worksites with 10 or more employees?