TB Test Industry Regulations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which US regulation mandates that TB testing results for healthcare workers be documented and maintained as confidential employee medical records?
- HIPAA Privacy Rule only
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1020 (Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records) (Correct answer)
- The Affordable Care Act
- The Joint Commission's CAMH standard
Correct answer: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1020 (Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records)
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1020 requires employers to maintain employee medical records, including TB test results, as confidential records for the duration of employment plus 30 years.
Question 2: How long must employers retain employee TB testing and exposure records under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1020?
- 3 years
- 7 years
- Duration of employment plus 30 years (Correct answer)
- 10 years after the last date of employment
Correct answer: Duration of employment plus 30 years
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1020 requires that employee medical records, including TB test results, be retained for the duration of employment plus 30 years.
Question 3: Which classification system does the CDC use to categorize TB infection control risk levels in healthcare settings?
- Biosafety Levels 1–4
- Low, medium, and potential ongoing transmission risk categories (Correct answer)
- Class I, II, and III exposure categories
- Red, yellow, and green alert levels
Correct answer: Low, medium, and potential ongoing transmission risk categories
The CDC classifies healthcare settings as low risk, medium risk, or having potential ongoing transmission to guide the frequency and type of TB infection control activities.
Question 4: Which federal law allows public health authorities to detain individuals with infectious TB who refuse treatment?
- The Americans with Disabilities Act
- State public health laws and the Public Health Service Act (Correct answer)
- The Patriot Act
- OSHA General Duty Clause
Correct answer: State public health laws and the Public Health Service Act
State public health laws, supported by the federal Public Health Service Act, grant authorities the power to detain individuals with infectious TB who refuse treatment and pose a public health risk.
Question 5: In the US, which organization sets standards for TB laboratory testing and certifies TB reference laboratories?
- FDA
- OSHA
- CDC through the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) (Correct answer)
- The American College of Pathologists
Correct answer: CDC through the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL)
The CDC, working with the Association of Public Health Laboratories, establishes standards and coordinates the network of certified TB reference laboratories in the US.
Question 6: What is the regulatory basis for requiring HEPA filtration in rooms where TB patients are isolated in US hospitals?
- EPA clean air regulations
- CDC/HICPAC infection control guidelines and AIA/FGI facility guidelines (Correct answer)
- FDA device regulations
- OSHA respiratory protection standard only
Correct answer: CDC/HICPAC infection control guidelines and AIA/FGI facility guidelines
CDC/HICPAC guidelines and the American Institute of Architects/Facility Guidelines Institute standards specify HEPA filtration requirements for airborne infection isolation rooms.
Question 7: Under which circumstance must a healthcare employer provide a respirator (N95 or higher) to an employee who enters a TB isolation room, per OSHA standards?
- Only if the employee requests one
- Whenever a patient with suspected or confirmed infectious TB is in the room (Correct answer)
- Only when performing aerosol-generating procedures
- Only after the employee tests positive for TB
Correct answer: Whenever a patient with suspected or confirmed infectious TB is in the room
OSHA requires employers to provide appropriate respiratory protection, including N95 respirators, whenever employees enter rooms where patients with suspected or confirmed infectious TB are being cared for.
TB Test Industry Regulations 3
Which US regulation mandates that TB testing results for healthcare workers be documented and maintained as confidential employee medical records?