EPA LEAD RISK ASSESSOR EXAM AND STUDY GUIDE ACTUAL
EXAM 110 QUESTIONS AND 120 STUDY QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES|AGRADE
Risk Assessment - ANSWER: An on-site investigation of a residential dwelling for
lead-based paint hazards. Risk assessment includes investigating the age, history,
management and maintenance of the dwelling; conducting a visual assessment,
performing limited environmental sampling, such as dust wipe samples, soil
samples, and deteriorated paint samples, and reporting the results that identify
acceptable abatement and interim control strategies based on specific conditions
and the owner's capabilities.
Inspection - ANSWER: A surface-by-surface investigation for determining the
presence of lead-based paint (and in some cases, sampling for lead in dust and soil)
and a report of the results.
Lead-based paint hazard - ANSWER: Any condition that causes exposure to lead
from lead contaminated dust, lead-contaminated soil, deteriorated lead-based
paint, or from lead-based paint present on accessible, friction, or impact surfaces
would result in adverse human health effects.
Primary Prevention - ANSWER: Lead-based paint risk assessments and/or
inspections and abatement and/or interim controls in housing before children are
lead poisoned.
Secondary Prevention - ANSWER: Blood lead screening programs to identify
children who already have elevated blood lead levels.
Tertiary Prevention - ANSWER: Medical treatment/ management of children to
prevent acute injuries or death from lead poisoning.
What are the 7 steps of the Risk Assessment process? - ANSWER: 1. Obtain
background information
2. Determine the most appropriate evaluation process for the owner's dwelling(s)
3. Schedule the site visit
4. Conduct the evaluation (including visual assessment and environmental
sampling)
5. Determine the actual hazards (if any)
6. Identify options for reducing or eliminating these hazards
7. Produce a written report
What are four other types of assessments? - ANSWER: 1. Lead hazard screen
2. Combination risk assessment
3. Clearance
4. EBL Child Investigation
,Lead Hazard Screen - ANSWER: 2-21
A "negative screen"- a limited set of risk assessment procedures that may act to
exempt a dwelling from the full risk assessment requirements.
3 Sources of Legal Liability - ANSWER: Statutory law, administrative law, and
common law
LBPPPA (19__) - ANSWER: 1971 Lead-based Poisoning Prevention Act
Tort Law - ANSWER: Civil "wrong" or breach of a standard behavior or failure to
use reasonable care for which a court orders a monetary remedy called
"damages".
Contract Law - ANSWER: Relates to situations in which a person breaks or
"breaches" a legally enforceable written or oral agreement or contract. Court can
order remedies like monetary damages.
Name 2 examples of liability under Tort Law: - ANSWER: Negligence
Vicarious Liability
Negligence - ANSWER: Failure to fulfill all of your duties/ failure to exercise the
standard of care to which a reasonable Risk Assessor or contractor would adhere.
Vicarious Liability - ANSWER: Employer is legally responsible for the acts,
ommissions and wrongful behavior (torts) of his/her employees.
What are at least 4 principles risk assessors should follow to avoid legal liability
under tort law? - ANSWER: 2-26 E.g. document everything, never say anything is
"lead free", say that a risk assessment only applies to the present status of the
property, keep records
What are the 5 different evaluation options that can be recommended to the
property owner? - ANSWER: Combination risk assessment/ inspection
Risk assessment
Paint inspection
lead hazard Screen
Investigation for EBL
What are 6 different motivating factors that affect what type of evaluation option to
choose? - ANSWER: 3-18 E.g. legal requirement, liability issues, preventative
measures, response to a lead poisoning case
T/F: The risk assessor should be involved in the process of selecting a contractor. -
ANSWER: False
, How long does visual assessment and sampling take? - ANSWER: 45 minutes - 3
hours
T/F: Risk assessors should always go ahead and educate the tenants about lead
poisoning. - ANSWER: False
What are the benefits of preliminary data collection to assist risk assessment? -
ANSWER: 3-13
Scenario: You arrive on premises and are scheduled to conduct a visual assessment
of the property. Which do you take note of?
1. There are big cracks in the walls.
2. Ceiling is leaking in the bathroom and the kitchen.
3. The window wells are in disrepair- and contain paint chips.
4. Right across the street there's a battery recycling shop. - ANSWER: All of the above
What are the 3 categories of paint film quality? - ANSWER: Intact
Fair
Poor
4-8
T/F: Interior wall has >3 ft2 of deteriorated paint. This is classified as fair condition. -
ANSWER: False. (>2 ft2 is poor)
T/F: 8% of a window sill in the living room is deteriorated. This is classified as poor
condition. - ANSWER: False. (>10% is poor)
T/F: <8 ft2 of an exterior wall is deteriorated. This is classified as intact. - ANSWER:
False. (<10 ft^2 is fair)
What are the 5 categories of paint deterioration? - ANSWER: 4-9, 4-10
Surface-coat failure
Multi-coat failure
Paint failure revealing unsound substrate or structure
Paint abrasion
Chipped paint
What side of the house is more likely to have damage due to moisture? - ANSWER:
North side
T/F: Bare soil constitutes a lead based paint hazard. - ANSWER: True
What are some exterior components that a risk assessor should inspect? - ANSWER:
4-12
Roof, gutters, downspouts, windows, porches, masonry, fences and garages
EXAM 110 QUESTIONS AND 120 STUDY QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES|AGRADE
Risk Assessment - ANSWER: An on-site investigation of a residential dwelling for
lead-based paint hazards. Risk assessment includes investigating the age, history,
management and maintenance of the dwelling; conducting a visual assessment,
performing limited environmental sampling, such as dust wipe samples, soil
samples, and deteriorated paint samples, and reporting the results that identify
acceptable abatement and interim control strategies based on specific conditions
and the owner's capabilities.
Inspection - ANSWER: A surface-by-surface investigation for determining the
presence of lead-based paint (and in some cases, sampling for lead in dust and soil)
and a report of the results.
Lead-based paint hazard - ANSWER: Any condition that causes exposure to lead
from lead contaminated dust, lead-contaminated soil, deteriorated lead-based
paint, or from lead-based paint present on accessible, friction, or impact surfaces
would result in adverse human health effects.
Primary Prevention - ANSWER: Lead-based paint risk assessments and/or
inspections and abatement and/or interim controls in housing before children are
lead poisoned.
Secondary Prevention - ANSWER: Blood lead screening programs to identify
children who already have elevated blood lead levels.
Tertiary Prevention - ANSWER: Medical treatment/ management of children to
prevent acute injuries or death from lead poisoning.
What are the 7 steps of the Risk Assessment process? - ANSWER: 1. Obtain
background information
2. Determine the most appropriate evaluation process for the owner's dwelling(s)
3. Schedule the site visit
4. Conduct the evaluation (including visual assessment and environmental
sampling)
5. Determine the actual hazards (if any)
6. Identify options for reducing or eliminating these hazards
7. Produce a written report
What are four other types of assessments? - ANSWER: 1. Lead hazard screen
2. Combination risk assessment
3. Clearance
4. EBL Child Investigation
,Lead Hazard Screen - ANSWER: 2-21
A "negative screen"- a limited set of risk assessment procedures that may act to
exempt a dwelling from the full risk assessment requirements.
3 Sources of Legal Liability - ANSWER: Statutory law, administrative law, and
common law
LBPPPA (19__) - ANSWER: 1971 Lead-based Poisoning Prevention Act
Tort Law - ANSWER: Civil "wrong" or breach of a standard behavior or failure to
use reasonable care for which a court orders a monetary remedy called
"damages".
Contract Law - ANSWER: Relates to situations in which a person breaks or
"breaches" a legally enforceable written or oral agreement or contract. Court can
order remedies like monetary damages.
Name 2 examples of liability under Tort Law: - ANSWER: Negligence
Vicarious Liability
Negligence - ANSWER: Failure to fulfill all of your duties/ failure to exercise the
standard of care to which a reasonable Risk Assessor or contractor would adhere.
Vicarious Liability - ANSWER: Employer is legally responsible for the acts,
ommissions and wrongful behavior (torts) of his/her employees.
What are at least 4 principles risk assessors should follow to avoid legal liability
under tort law? - ANSWER: 2-26 E.g. document everything, never say anything is
"lead free", say that a risk assessment only applies to the present status of the
property, keep records
What are the 5 different evaluation options that can be recommended to the
property owner? - ANSWER: Combination risk assessment/ inspection
Risk assessment
Paint inspection
lead hazard Screen
Investigation for EBL
What are 6 different motivating factors that affect what type of evaluation option to
choose? - ANSWER: 3-18 E.g. legal requirement, liability issues, preventative
measures, response to a lead poisoning case
T/F: The risk assessor should be involved in the process of selecting a contractor. -
ANSWER: False
, How long does visual assessment and sampling take? - ANSWER: 45 minutes - 3
hours
T/F: Risk assessors should always go ahead and educate the tenants about lead
poisoning. - ANSWER: False
What are the benefits of preliminary data collection to assist risk assessment? -
ANSWER: 3-13
Scenario: You arrive on premises and are scheduled to conduct a visual assessment
of the property. Which do you take note of?
1. There are big cracks in the walls.
2. Ceiling is leaking in the bathroom and the kitchen.
3. The window wells are in disrepair- and contain paint chips.
4. Right across the street there's a battery recycling shop. - ANSWER: All of the above
What are the 3 categories of paint film quality? - ANSWER: Intact
Fair
Poor
4-8
T/F: Interior wall has >3 ft2 of deteriorated paint. This is classified as fair condition. -
ANSWER: False. (>2 ft2 is poor)
T/F: 8% of a window sill in the living room is deteriorated. This is classified as poor
condition. - ANSWER: False. (>10% is poor)
T/F: <8 ft2 of an exterior wall is deteriorated. This is classified as intact. - ANSWER:
False. (<10 ft^2 is fair)
What are the 5 categories of paint deterioration? - ANSWER: 4-9, 4-10
Surface-coat failure
Multi-coat failure
Paint failure revealing unsound substrate or structure
Paint abrasion
Chipped paint
What side of the house is more likely to have damage due to moisture? - ANSWER:
North side
T/F: Bare soil constitutes a lead based paint hazard. - ANSWER: True
What are some exterior components that a risk assessor should inspect? - ANSWER:
4-12
Roof, gutters, downspouts, windows, porches, masonry, fences and garages
