Medical Laboratory TechnicianĀ Exam Medical Laboratory Technician Laboratory Operations and Safety Questions and Answers 2 ā Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which OSHA standard specifically addresses occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens in clinical laboratories?
- 29 CFR 1910.1030 (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910.1200
- 29 CFR 1910.134
- 29 CFR 1910.1450
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1910.1030
29 CFR 1910.1030 is the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard that mandates protections for workers with occupational exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials.
Question 2: What is the minimum retention time for Safety Data Sheets (SDS) after a chemical is no longer used in the laboratory?
- 30 years (Correct answer)
- 10 years
- 5 years
- 1 year
Correct answer: 30 years
OSHA requires that SDS records be maintained for at least 30 years after the chemical is no longer used, as part of employee exposure record requirements.
Question 3: A mercury thermometer breaks on the laboratory bench. What is the correct first response?
- Evacuate the immediate area and use a mercury spill kit (Correct answer)
- Wipe it up with paper towels and discard in regular trash
- Vacuum the mercury with a standard vacuum cleaner
- Pour water over the spill to prevent evaporation
Correct answer: Evacuate the immediate area and use a mercury spill kit
Mercury spills require evacuation of the immediate area and cleanup using a specialized mercury spill kit to prevent toxic vapor inhalation.
Question 4: In a clinical laboratory, which class of biological safety cabinet is required when working with agents treated with volatile toxic chemicals?
- Class II, Type B2 (Correct answer)
- Class II, Type A2
- Class I
- Class III
Correct answer: Class II, Type B2
Class II, Type B2 cabinets are 100% exhausted to the outside and are required when working with volatile toxic chemicals and radionuclides in conjunction with biological agents.
Question 5: Which fire extinguisher class is appropriate for an electrical equipment fire in the chemistry analyzer area?
- Class C (Correct answer)
- Class A
- Class B
- Class D
Correct answer: Class C
Class C fire extinguishers are specifically designed for fires involving energized electrical equipment.
Question 6: What does the term 'chain of custody' refer to in laboratory operations?
- Documented tracking of specimen handling from collection to final reporting (Correct answer)
- The hierarchical reporting structure of laboratory personnel
- The sequence of quality control checks performed on instruments
- The order in which patient samples are processed
Correct answer: Documented tracking of specimen handling from collection to final reporting
Chain of custody is the documented, unbroken trail that records the handling, transfer, and disposition of a specimen to ensure its integrity for legal or forensic purposes.
Medical Laboratory TechnicianĀ Exam Medical Laboratory Technician Laboratory Operations and Safety Questions and Answers 2
Which OSHA standard specifically addresses occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens in clinical laboratories?