SM Risk Management & Mitigation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A laboratory worker is found to have a latex allergy. Which risk mitigation step is MOST appropriate for continued safe laboratory participation?
- Restrict the worker from all laboratory areas
- Provide nitrile or other latex-free gloves and post latex-free zone signage (Correct answer)
- Issue a double layer of latex gloves for added protection
- Require the worker to take antihistamines before each shift
Correct answer: Provide nitrile or other latex-free gloves and post latex-free zone signage
Substituting latex gloves with nitrile or vinyl alternatives and designating latex-free zones eliminates the allergen exposure while keeping the worker operational.
Question 2: Select agents and toxins regulated under 42 CFR Part 73 must be inventoried with what minimum frequency?
- Daily
- Weekly (Correct answer)
- Annually
- Every two years
Correct answer: Weekly
42 CFR Part 73 requires that registered entities reconcile select agent and toxin inventories at least annually, though most programs perform more frequent checks.
Question 3: Which type of biological safety cabinet (BSC) provides protection to BOTH the worker and the product but does NOT protect the environment from exhaust?
- Class I BSC
- Class II Type A2 BSC recirculating to room (Correct answer)
- Class II Type B2 BSC (100% exhaust)
- Class III BSC
Correct answer: Class II Type A2 BSC recirculating to room
Class II Type A2 cabinets recirculate 70% of air through HEPA filters back into the room, protecting the worker and product but not the environment from volatile hazardous chemicals.
Question 4: What is the PRIMARY purpose of a biosafety officer (BSO) conducting periodic laboratory inspections?
- To collect environmental samples for publication
- To audit grant compliance for funding agencies
- To identify unsafe practices and ensure regulatory compliance before incidents occur (Correct answer)
- To train new employees on payroll systems
Correct answer: To identify unsafe practices and ensure regulatory compliance before incidents occur
BSO inspections proactively identify deviations from safe practices, containment requirements, and regulatory standards, preventing incidents rather than responding to them.
Question 5: An aerosol-generating procedure involving a Risk Group 3 agent must be performed in which minimum containment device?
- An open bench with face shield
- A Class I BSC
- A Class II BSC or equivalent containment (Correct answer)
- A vented chemical fume hood
Correct answer: A Class II BSC or equivalent containment
Aerosol-generating procedures with Risk Group 3 agents require a certified Class II or higher BSC (or equivalent primary containment) to capture infectious aerosols before worker exposure.
Question 6: In the context of laboratory risk management, 'residual risk' is defined as:
- The risk eliminated by engineering controls alone
- The risk remaining after all feasible controls have been implemented (Correct answer)
- The baseline risk before any controls are applied
- The risk transferred to an outside contractor
Correct answer: The risk remaining after all feasible controls have been implemented
Residual risk is what remains after all practicable controls—engineering, administrative, and PPE—have been applied and must be explicitly accepted by management.
Question 7: A spill of a concentrated suspension of Salmonella Typhi occurs outside a BSC in a BSL-2 laboratory. After donning PPE, what is the FIRST decontamination step?
- Sweep up dry material with a broom
- Pour a disinfectant (e.g., 10% bleach) around and then onto the spill and allow contact time (Correct answer)
- Blot the spill with dry paper towels immediately
- Turn on the room UV light and leave for 30 minutes without disinfectant
Correct answer: Pour a disinfectant (e.g., 10% bleach) around and then onto the spill and allow contact time
Surrounding and covering the spill with an appropriate disinfectant and allowing adequate contact time (typically 20–30 minutes) inactivates the pathogen before any physical cleanup begins.
SM Risk Management & Mitigation 3
A laboratory worker is found to have a latex allergy.
Which risk mitigation step is MOST appropriate for continued safe laboratory participation?