Deck 4: Laboratory Safety

Question 1

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 1

C
There are several ways of sterilizing 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 2

Biosafety Level 1 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.

Answer 2

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 3

Information concerning a chemical product's health hazards, flash point, vapor pressure, and disposal procedures

A)can be found in the manufacturer's MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets).
B)can be found on the product label.
C)is proprietary information and is only released at the manufacturer's discretion.
D)can be obtained through the manufacturer's technical support division, and acquiring access to that information is the responsibility of the laboratory worker.

Answer 3

A
The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) are supplied by manufacturers to notify laboratory personnel of the potential dangers of the product in question and should be kept on hand and available at all times.

Question 4

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 5

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

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

Question 6

Universal precautions include

A)use of barrier devices to prevent exposure to skin and mucous membranes.
B)hand washing.
C)avoiding injuries with sharp objects.
D)all of the above.

Question 7

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 8

Working with biosafety Level 3 agents

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

Question 9

Universal 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 10

Class I biological safety cabinets

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

Question 11

A cleaning solution used on the venipuncture site to avoid skin contamination of the blood sample is called a/an

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

Question 12

Air flow in a microbiology laboratory

A)should be from low to higher risk areas.
B)should be minimized as much as possible.
C)should be optimized to prevent settling of dangerous aerosols.
D)should be well filtered by recirculating it through numerous filters before recycled.
E)All of the above are correct.

Question 13

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

A)are hazardous and should be done 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 done over an absorptive mat.
E)All of the above are correct.

Question 14

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)DHEC.
B)OSHA.
C)CDC.
D)HEPA.

Question 15

Certain procedures require the use of a biological safety cabinet.These include

A)processing specimens suspected of containing mycobacteria.
B)manipulation of all moldlike fungi.
C)all virology procedures.
D)manipulation of respiratory secretions.
E)all of the above.

Question 16

Mouth pipetting

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

Question 17

The agency that published guidelines known as Universal Precautions to reduce the risk of disease transmission in laboratories is

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

Question 18

The agency that published a guide to hazardous waste reduction is

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

Question 19

A cleaning solution used on the laboratory benchtop to kill bacteria that are potentially harmful to humans would be called a/an

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

Question 20

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° centigrade and 30 psi pressure.
C)processed for 30 to 60 minutes at 132° centigrade and 15 psi pressure.
D)processed for at least 1 hour at 121° centigrade and 15 psi pressure.

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

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 23

Class II biological safety cabinets

A)sterilize the air within the cabinet as it passes over the material in the cabinet.
B)protect the environment from contamination by biologic agents by filtering the air as it is exhausted from the cabinet.
C)direct the flow of contaminated air into the filters.
D)are often called laminar flow hoods.
E)All of the above are correct.

Question 24

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

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

Question 25

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

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

Question 26

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

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

Question 27

Class III biological safety cabinets

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