SHS Safety & Infection Control 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which OSHA standard specifically governs the control of hazardous energy during equipment servicing and maintenance to prevent unexpected startup?
- 29 CFR 1910.132 — PPE
- 29 CFR 1910.147 — Lockout/Tagout (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910.119 — Process Safety Management
- 29 CFR 1910.1200 — Hazard Communication
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1910.147 — Lockout/Tagout
29 CFR 1910.147, the Control of Hazardous Energy standard (Lockout/Tagout), governs procedures to prevent the unexpected energization of machinery during servicing.
Question 2: In the context of infection control, what does the term 'fomite' refer to?
- An airborne pathogen particle
- An inanimate object that can carry and transfer infectious agents (Correct answer)
- A vector insect that transmits disease
- A reservoir of pathogenic microorganisms in water
Correct answer: An inanimate object that can carry and transfer infectious agents
A fomite is any inanimate object (e.g., doorknob, medical equipment) that can harbor and transmit pathogens to a new host.
Question 3: When selecting gloves for protection against chemical hazards in the workplace, what is the MOST important factor to consider?
- Glove color coding for the specific department
- The chemical permeation and degradation resistance of the glove material (Correct answer)
- Glove thickness measured in mils
- Whether the gloves are sterile or non-sterile
Correct answer: The chemical permeation and degradation resistance of the glove material
Chemical resistance is determined by the glove material's permeation breakthrough time and degradation rate, which must be matched to the specific chemical hazard.
Question 4: Which type of isolation is used to protect severely immunocompromised patients (e.g., stem cell transplant recipients) from environmental pathogens?
- Contact isolation
- Reverse (protective) isolation (Correct answer)
- Droplet isolation
- Airborne isolation
Correct answer: Reverse (protective) isolation
Protective (reverse) isolation uses a positive-pressure environment and HEPA filtration to shield immunocompromised patients from external pathogens rather than containing patient-borne illness.
Question 5: A safety professional is conducting a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA). After identifying a hazard, what is the NEXT step in the JHA process?
- Implement administrative controls immediately
- Break the job into basic steps
- Assess the risk level of the hazard
- Develop preventive and protective measures (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Develop preventive and protective measures
After identifying hazards associated with each job step, the JHA process requires developing preventive and protective measures to control or eliminate those hazards.
Question 6: Under the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, what information must be found in Section 8 of a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?
- Physical and chemical properties
- Exposure controls and personal protective equipment (Correct answer)
- Reactivity and stability information
- Ecological and disposal information
Correct answer: Exposure controls and personal protective equipment
SDS Section 8 — Exposure Controls/Personal Protection — includes occupational exposure limits, engineering controls, and required PPE.
Question 7: Which microorganism class is MOST resistant to standard disinfection and typically requires sterilization for destruction?
- Lipid-enveloped viruses
- Non-spore-forming bacteria
- Bacterial endospores (Correct answer)
- Protozoan cysts
Correct answer: Bacterial endospores
Bacterial endospores (e.g., Bacillus anthracis, Clostridioides difficile) are the most resistant form and require sterilization methods such as steam autoclave or ethylene oxide to be destroyed.
SHS Safety & Infection Control 3
Which OSHA standard specifically governs the control of hazardous energy during equipment servicing and maintenance to prevent unexpected startup?