Steamfitter Environmental Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Clean Air Act Section 608, what is the maximum allowable leak rate for commercial refrigeration systems with more than 50 pounds of refrigerant before repair is required?
- 10%
- 15%
- 20% (Correct answer)
- 30%
Correct answer: 20%
The EPA sets a 20% annual leak rate threshold for commercial refrigeration systems before mandatory repair is triggered under Section 608.
Question 2: Which document must be completed when transferring refrigerant between recovery cylinders at a job site under EPA Section 608?
- Material Safety Data Sheet
- Refrigerant transaction record (Correct answer)
- Manifold gauge log
- Work order invoice
Correct answer: Refrigerant transaction record
EPA Section 608 requires technicians to maintain refrigerant transaction records documenting the amount of refrigerant purchased, recovered, and transferred.
Question 3: A steamfitter discovers an underground storage tank (UST) during excavation. Under EPA UST regulations, who must be notified?
- OSHA only
- The state environmental agency (Correct answer)
- The local fire marshal only
- No notification is required if the tank is empty
Correct answer: The state environmental agency
EPA UST regulations require notification to the state environmental agency when a previously unknown underground storage tank is discovered during excavation.
Question 4: What does the acronym SPCC stand for in environmental compliance for facilities with oil-containing piping systems?
- Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (Correct answer)
- Secondary Pipe Containment Code
- Steam Pressure Containment Compliance
- Standard Pipeline Construction Code
Correct answer: Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure
SPCC stands for Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure, which are plans required under the Clean Water Act to prevent oil discharges into navigable waters.
Question 5: When installing new piping in a facility subject to the Risk Management Program (RMP), which threshold quantity of ammonia requires a Program 3 RMP?
- 500 pounds
- 1,000 pounds
- 10,000 pounds (Correct answer)
- 50,000 pounds
Correct answer: 10,000 pounds
Ammonia has a threshold quantity of 10,000 pounds under the EPA RMP rule, which triggers Program 3 requirements for facilities that manufacture, process, or store it.
Question 6: Which type of pipe insulation material, commonly found in older industrial facilities, requires abatement procedures before a steamfitter can disturb it?
- Fiberglass insulation
- Foam rubber insulation
- Asbestos-containing insulation (Correct answer)
- Mineral wool insulation
Correct answer: Asbestos-containing insulation
Asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in pipe insulation require OSHA and EPA-regulated abatement procedures before any disturbance to prevent asbestos fiber release.
Question 7: Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), what must be done with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated pipe materials removed during a renovation?
- Disposed of in regular dumpsters
- Managed as hazardous waste under RCRA (Correct answer)
- Returned to the original manufacturer
- Buried on-site in a lined trench
Correct answer: Managed as hazardous waste under RCRA
PCB-contaminated materials are regulated under both TSCA and RCRA and must be managed as hazardous waste, requiring proper labeling, storage, and disposal at approved facilities.
Steamfitter Environmental Compliance 2
Under the Clean Air Act Section 608, what is the maximum allowable leak rate for commercial refrigeration systems with more than 50 pounds of refrigerant before repair is required?