SHS Occupational Safety Standards & Regulations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134), a medical evaluation must occur:
- Annually for all respirator users
- Before the employee is fit tested or required to use a respirator (Correct answer)
- Only after an exposure incident
- Every three years for tight-fitting facepieces
Correct answer: Before the employee is fit tested or required to use a respirator
Medical evaluation must be completed before fit testing and before an employee is required to wear a respirator.
Question 2: The hierarchy of controls ranks which control method as most effective?
- Administrative controls
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Engineering controls
- Elimination of the hazard (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Elimination of the hazard
Elimination—physically removing the hazard—is ranked highest in the hierarchy because it completely removes the risk.
Question 3: NIOSH is responsible for:
- Issuing OSHA citations and penalties
- Conducting research and recommending occupational safety and health standards (Correct answer)
- Enforcing EPA workplace chemical regulations
- Approving personal protective equipment for consumer use
Correct answer: Conducting research and recommending occupational safety and health standards
NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) is a research agency that develops recommendations; enforcement is OSHA's role.
Question 4: Under the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), which element is NOT required in an Exposure Control Plan?
- Exposure determination identifying job classifications with occupational exposure
- Schedule and method of implementation of required provisions
- Annual review and update of the plan
- Individual employee health insurance details (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Individual employee health insurance details
Exposure Control Plans must contain exposure determinations, methods of compliance, and annual updates, but not employees' personal health insurance information.
Question 5: A 'willful' OSHA violation differs from a 'serious' violation in that the employer:
- Lacked knowledge of the hazard
- Intentionally disregarded the law or showed plain indifference to employee safety (Correct answer)
- Corrected the hazard before the inspection
- Had fewer than 25 employees
Correct answer: Intentionally disregarded the law or showed plain indifference to employee safety
Willful violations involve intentional disregard or plain indifference to OSHA requirements, warranting significantly higher penalties.
Question 6: Under OSHA's confined space standard (29 CFR 1910.146), a 'permit-required' confined space must have at least one of which characteristics?
- A space smaller than 4 feet in diameter
- A hazardous atmosphere, engulfment hazard, internal configuration hazard, or any other serious safety/health hazard (Correct answer)
- A space that requires special tools to enter
- An oxygen level below 20.9%
Correct answer: A hazardous atmosphere, engulfment hazard, internal configuration hazard, or any other serious safety/health hazard
A permit-required confined space contains or has the potential to contain a serious hazard as defined by the four criteria in the standard.
Question 7: The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard aligns with which international chemical classification system?
- ISO 45001
- Globally Harmonized System (GHS) (Correct answer)
- REACH (EU)
- NFPA 704
Correct answer: Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
OSHA's HazCom Standard (revised 2012) aligns with the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals.
SHS Occupational Safety Standards & Regulations 3
Under OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134), a medical evaluation must occur: