2024 Updated EPA Lead Inspector exam with answers

Lead-based paint (LBP) - ANSWER Any varnish, shallac, or coating that contains either- 1.0 mg/cm2 - 0.5 % by weight - 5000 ppm - Older instruments could not read accurately at 0.7, so the lead standard was updated to 1.0 Dust sample clearance values - ANSWER - Floors: 40 μg/ft2 10 μg/ft2 (10 μg/ft2 in NY) - Windows: 250 μg/ft2 100 μg/ft2 (50 μg/ft2 in NY) - Window wells (troughs): 400 μg/ft2 (100 μg/ft2 in NY) - Samples must be at 1 sq ft 2 sq ft (can be reduced to 1 sq ft if within 10 μg) EPA Soil Regulations - ANSWER - 400 ppm for playgrounds/children's areas - 1200 ppm for rest of yard - There must be 9 sq ft of soil to classify with soil testing - At 5000 ppm, MUST remediate/abate (remove & replace, paving, or bioremediation) Lab sampling technique - ANSWER - AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrometry) - Sample is placed into a furnace and vaporized ... light is shone through to give a quantitative result XRF - ANSWER - X-ray fluorescence - Utilizes radioactive isotopes (unstable material trying to reach stability) - Cobalt-57 (half-life of 9 months) and cadmium-109 (half-life of 15 months) are the two sources (where radiation originates) - Emits gamma rays but will read X-rays (backscatters) - Ionizing radiation from the removal of electrons due to interactions with radiation LBP Hazard - ANSWER ANY condition that causes exposure to lead LBP inspection - ANSWER a surface-by-surface investigation to determine the presence of lead CPSC - ANSWER - Consumer Product Safety Commission - Set a lead paint standard: cannot contain 0.06% lead by weight ... updated to 0.009% - The commission banned lead-based paint in 1978 True/False: Dust sampling only done for hazard assessments - ANSWER True; only risk assessors take samples to determine likelihood of coming into contact with contaminants What kind of sampling must be done for inspections? - ANSWER Random ... repeats must be annotated then you move onto the next HUD Guidelines for abatement - ANSWER Must last 20 years. Includes the following procedures: - Removal - Enclosure - Replacement - Encapsulation Painting over is a temporary fix! Water standards for lead - ANSWER - 15 ppb under the Clean Water Act (CWA) - 5 ppb under the FDA standard (bottled water) *These are the ONLY instances where ppb is used Why was lead used so much? - ANSWER - Durable - Colorful - Anti-corrosive - Anti- fungal - Drying agent What does RRP do? - ANSWER - Renovation, Repairing, and Painting program - Provided enforcement to Title X in 2010 ... $37,500 fines for violation - Dust sampling technicians can only sample for RRP projects What must you do if a pre-1978 site is not tested? - ANSWER Presume lead-based paint. Where is LBP still allowed? - ANSWER Commercial purposes/boats What are the major industrial uses of lead? - ANSWER Present - Electrical batteries - Chemical additives Past - Paint additive - Gasoline additive (now in soil ... doesn't permeate quickly, so sample TOP portions (12 in)) - Solder/pipes What are the common pathways of contamination? - ANSWER - For children under 6, hand-to-mouth contact from DUST ... lead tastes sweet (pica is the term for consumption of non-food items) - For adults, occupational exposure (take-home lead ... pets can contribute too) Chronic vs. acute exposure - ANSWER - Chronic: low dose, long period - Acute: high dose, short period How do you treat lead poisoning? - ANSWER - Chelation therapy - Binding agents attach to lead in the blood, allowing it to be excreted - Chelating agents cannot distinguish lead from minerals, so the therapy causes demineralization - Done at a blood lead of 45 μg/dL Where does lead contamination in water come from? - ANSWER Solder, brass fittings and fixtures, and service lines How much lead is present in homes? - ANSWER - 87% of homes pre-1940 - 69% of homes pre-1960 - 24% of homes pre-1978 Who is responsible for investigating lead poisoning? - ANSWER - Departments of Health (DOH) - They can mandate abatement T/F: Poor diet can exacerbate lead absorption - ANSWER True. You want high calcium, iron, and Vitamin C. True/False: The association between lead dust and blood level has been scientifically proven - ANSWER True Where does a house have the highest lead levels with respect to soil sampling? - ANSWER Dripline What are friction, impact, and mallable surfaces? - ANSWER - Friction: rub (floors) - Impact: smash (doors, stairs) - Mallable: edible ... protrude more than 4 in What is the chance of lead dust from high levels of LBP? - ANSWER Twice as high How much does water contribute to lead exposure for the average 2-year old? - ANSWER 5-50% How much lead can infants on formula receive from water? - ANSWER As much as 85% True/False: Lead has a purpose in the body - ANSWER False; lead does nothing for the body Lead poisoning blood concentration - ANSWER - For children: 5 μg/dL - For adults: 50 μg/dL How does lead travel through the body and for how long? - ANSWER - Blood (30 days) - Soft tissues (60-90 days) - Bones (20-30 years) ... 95% of lead from an initial exposure gets stored in bones What body system does lead most affect? Least affect? - ANSWER - Most affects central nervous system - Least affects lungs (point of entry) What is the ONLY way to know if someone is lead poisoned? - ANSWER Blood lead level True/False: You can use prophylactic chelation to maintain someone's employment - ANSWER False; chelation can only be used when blood lead reaches a certain threshold (45 μg/dL)