Occupational Health and Safety Flashcards
7 cards from real ALAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Occupational Health and Safety flashcards as text
In a laboratory animal facility, what is the correct procedure when an autoclave alarm indicates a failed sterilization cycle?
Answer: Remove the load, quarantine it, and report the failure to the supervisor
A failed sterilization cycle means the load must be quarantined and the failure investigated before any materials are used.
Which of the following best describes the 'hierarchy of controls' approach to occupational hazards in animal facilities?
Answer: Elimination or substitution of hazards is preferred over administrative controls and PPE
The hierarchy of controls prioritizes elimination and substitution as most effective, followed by engineering controls, administrative controls, and finally PPE as the least preferred option.
A cage wash area produces significant noise levels. Which engineering control would MOST effectively reduce worker noise exposure?
Answer: Installing sound-absorbing panels and enclosures around noisy equipment
Engineering controls like sound enclosures and absorbing materials address noise at the source, providing more reliable protection than administrative or PPE-based approaches.
When working with non-human primates (NHPs), technicians must be aware of Herpes B virus because it:
Answer: Can cause fatal encephalitis in humans if untreated after exposure
Herpes B virus (Macacine alphaherpesvirus 1) from macaques can cause fatal encephalitis in humans and requires immediate post-exposure treatment.
Formaldehyde is used in some animal facilities for tissue fixation. Which statement about formaldehyde exposure is MOST accurate?
Answer: Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen with OSHA permissible exposure limits
OSHA classifies formaldehyde as a potential human carcinogen and sets a PEL of 0.75 ppm as an 8-hour TWA with a 2 ppm STEL.
What is the recommended action if a technician's glove is torn while handling an animal infected with a biohazardous agent?
Answer: Remove the glove, immediately wash hands thoroughly, and report the potential exposure
A torn glove during biohazardous work is a potential exposure event requiring immediate glove removal, hand washing, and incident reporting per facility biosafety protocols.
Which document must be consulted to determine proper disposal procedures for chemical waste generated in an animal facility?
Answer: The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and the institution's chemical waste disposal policy
The SDS contains disposal information for each chemical, and institutional waste disposal policies ensure compliance with EPA and local regulations.