Deck 4: Laboratory Safety

Question 1

Working with biosafety Level 3 agents requires:

A) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) credentials and a postgraduate degree in microbiology or a related field.
B) laboratory design features that control air movement.
C) personnel to wear protective clothing and devices and enter a decontaminating chamber before leaving.
D) workers to have blood samples routinely tested to rule out infection or contamination.

Answer 1

B
Biological agents are classified into levels, based on their degree of potential harm, from nonhazardous (Level 1)to the most hazardous (Level 4).

Question 2

The agency that has published guidelines regarding the packaging of biohazardous specimens is known as:

A) DHEC.
B) International Air Transport Association (IATA).
C) CDC.
D) EPA.

Answer 2

B
Many government agencies have been developed to help protect the public from harm involving infectious agents and other safety hazards.The IATA is one such agency.

Question 3

The autoclave sterilizes material by:

A) applying dry heat at high temperatures and pressure.
B) infusing gaseous chemicals that kill organisms.
C) applying moist heat at high temperatures and increased pressure.
D) cleaving protein bonds found in most biological agent cell walls.

Answer 3

C
Several ways are used to sterilize material in the laboratory.Moist heat at high temperature and pressure (autoclave), dry heat (ovens), pulling solution through a membrane with a vacuum (filtration), radiation, and chemicals are all used, depending on the material involved.

Question 4

Air flow in a microbiology laboratory should be:

A) from lower to higher risk areas.
B) minimized as much as possible.
C) optimized to prevent the settling of dangerous aerosols.
D) well-filtered by recirculating it through numerous filters before recycling.

Question 5

Biosafety Level 1 agents:

A) include those that are the common agents of an infectious disease.
B) require only standard good laboratory techniques.
C) include Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. gordonae, and Brucella.
D) require the use of maximum containment facilities.

Question 6

The agency that has published a guide to hazardous waste reduction is:

A) DHEC.
B) OSHA.
C) CDC.
D) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Question 7

Class I biological safety cabinets:

A) sterilize the air as it passes over the material in the cabinet.
B) protect the environment from contamination by biological agents by filtering the air as it is exhausted from the cabinet.
C) are completely enclosed and have gloves that enable the worker to manipulate the material in the cabinet.
D) are often called laminar flow hoods.

Question 8

Standard precautions include:

A) using barrier devices to prevent exposure to skin and mucous membranes.
B) recapping needles by hand.
C) storing drinks but not food in laboratory refrigerators.
D) discarding sharps in plastic biohazard bags.

Question 9

Mouth pipetting:

A) should be performed only if necessary and with extreme care.
B) can save valuable time and should be performed whenever quick results are needed.
C) is performed only when material is not expected to pose a biological hazard.
D) should not be performed in any circumstance in the clinical laboratory.

Question 10

Procedures such as grinding, mincing, vortexing, and preparing smears:

A) are hazardous and should be performed while wearing gloves and gown protection.
B) create aerosol droplets and should be performed only in an approved biosafety cabinet.
C) should be avoided with specimens known to contain infectious agents.
D) produce a spill hazard and should be performed over an absorptive mat.

Question 11

Information concerning a chemical product's health hazards, toxicity, and disposal procedures is:

A) found in the manufacturer's material safety data sheets (MSDS).
B) found on the product label.
C) proprietary information and only released at the manufacturer's discretion.
D) obtained through the manufacturer's technical support division; acquiring access to that information is the responsibility of the laboratory worker.

Question 12

A cleaning solution used on the laboratory bench top to kill bacteria that are potentially harmful to humans would be called a(n):

A) surfactant.
B) disinfectant.
C) biocide.
D) antiseptic.

Question 13

The most effective antiseptic agent against blood spills and therefore the antiseptic of choice in laboratories where these agents are likely found is:

A) 70% ethanol.
B) phenol compound.
C) absolute ethanol.
D) 10% bleach.

Question 14

Standard precautions in the microbiology laboratory apply to:

A) all clinical specimens.
B) clinical specimens that contain blood or body fluids.
C) blood, body fluids, feces, sputum, saliva, urine, and vomitus.
D) only specimens that are visibly bloody.

Question 15

The agency that has published guidelines known as standard precautions to reduce the risk of disease transmission in laboratories is:

A) DHEC.
B) OSHA.
C) CDC.
D) EPA.

Question 16

The method of choice for sterilizing items such as antibiotic solutions, chemicals, radioisotopes, and vaccines that are heat-sensitive is:

A) dry, low temperature heat.
B) moist, low temperature heat.
C) filtration.
D) chemical.

Question 17

Optimal protection of specimen, personnel, and environment is accomplished with which class of biological safety cabinet?

A) Class I
B) Class II
C) Class III
D) Class IV

Question 18

To be sterilized in an autoclave, infectious medical waste should be:

A) packed tightly to avoid dangerous pressure pockets.
B) processed for 15 to 20 minutes at 121° C and 30 pounds per square inch (psi) pressure.
C) processed for 30 to 60 minutes at 132° C and 15 psi pressure.
D) processed for at least 1 hour at 121° C and 15 psi pressure.

Question 19

A cleaning solution used on the venipuncture site to avoid skin contamination of the blood sample is called a(n):

A) surfactant.
B) disinfectant.
C) biocide.
D) antiseptic.

Question 20

The agency that requires health care facilities to provide employees with all devices and mechanisms necessary to protect them from the hazards encountered in the laboratory is:

A) Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).
B) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
C) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
D) Health Emergency Planning Advisor (HEPA).

Question 21

Biosafety Level 4 agents:

A) include those that are the common agents of infectious disease.
B) require only standard good laboratory technique.
C) include Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. gordonae, and Brucella.
D) require the use of maximum containment facilities.

Question 22

Minimal protection of specimen, personnel, and environment is accomplished with which class of biological safety cabinet?

A) Class I
B) Class II
C) Class III
D) Class IV

Question 23

Biosafety Level 2 agents:

A) include those that are the common agents of infectious disease.
B) require only standard good laboratory technique.
C) include Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. gordonae, and Brucella.
D) require the use of maximum containment facilities.

Question 24

Class III biological safety cabinets:

A) sterilize the air as it passes over the material in the cabinet.
B) protect the environment from contamination by biological agents by filtering the air as it is exhausted from the cabinet.
C) are completely enclosed and have gloves that enable the worker to manipulate the material in the cabinet.
D) are often called laminar flow hoods.

Question 25

To be sterilized in an autoclave, media or instruments should be:

A) packed tightly to avoid dangerous pressure pockets.
B) processed for 15 minutes at 121° C and 15 psi pressure.
C) processed for 30 to 60 minutes at 132° C and 15 psi pressure.
D) processed for at least 1 hour at 121° C and 15 psi pressure.