(C) Biological Safety

Question 1

What are the three principle routes of organism transmission?

Answer 1

Contact, droplet, and airborne.

Question 2

Define direct transmission.

Answer 2

Occurs when microorganisms are transferred from one infected person to another person without a contaminated intermediate object or person.

Question 3

After touching an infected or colonized body site on a patient or a contaminated inanimate object and hand hygiene is not performed before touching another patient is an example of what type of contact transmission.

Answer 3

Indirect transmission.

Question 4

Define droplet transmission.

Answer 4

Respiratory droplets carrying infectious agents are transmitted directly from the respiratory tract of the infectious individual to susceptible mucosal surface of the recipient.

Question 5

Disease transmission when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks is an example of what type of transmission?

Answer 5

Droplet transmission.

Question 6

Define airborne transmission.

Answer 6

Airborne transmission occurs when infectious agents travel in droplets nuclei that become aerosolized and are inhaled.

Question 7

Define Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP).

Answer 7

Microorganisms that are present in human blood and body fluids that can cause disease in humans.

Question 8

What two body fluids are not considered infectious?

Answer 8

Urine and tears.

Question 9

Define the Percutaneous mode of transmission of BBP.

Answer 9

Direct inoculation of blood/OPIM by piercing through the skin barrier (needlestick).

Question 10

Define the Mucocutaneous mode of transmission of BBP.

Answer 10

Exposure of blood or OPIM to mucous membranes (splashes) or non-intact skin (pre-existing lesions).

Question 11

The goal of the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogen Standard is to eliminate or minimize occupational exposure to…

Answer 11

Hep B, Hep C, HIV, and other bloodborne pathogens.

Question 12

An Exposure Control Plan (ECP) includes…

Answer 12

• Methods of compliance to the BBP standard
• Communication of hazards to employees
• Hep B vaccination
• Post exposure evaluation

Question 13

What virus is relatively easy to transmit via blood exposure; 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV.

Answer 13

Hep B.

Question 14

What disease can survive outside the body for at least 7 days?

Answer 14

Hep B.

Question 15

Define biosafety.

Answer 15

Application of safety practices that reduce the risk of an exposure to a potentially infectious microbe and limit contamination of the work environment.

Question 16

Define biosafety level.

Answer 16

Set of bio-containment precautions required to isolate dangerous biological agents.

Question 17

How is the biosafety level determined.

Answer 17

Based on degree of risk posed by the materials and the activities that are done with the materials.

Question 18

Define biosafety level 1.

Answer 18

Low-risk organisms. Agents not known to cause disease in healthy adults.

Question 19

Define biosafety level 2.

Answer 19

Pathogenic organisms. Transmitted via percutaneous, ingestion, or mucous membrane exposure.

Question 20

Define biosafety level 3.

Answer 20

Pathogenic organisms. Indigenous or exotic agents that may cause serious or potentially lethal disease, transmitted generally through inhalation.

Question 21

Define biosafety level 4.

Answer 21

Dangerous/exotic agents posing high individual risk of frequently fatal infections, usually by the aerosol route. No known vaccines or treatments are available.

Question 22

Define Universal Precaution.

Answer 22

Approach to infection control in which all human blood and certain body fluids are treated as if they are known to be infectious.

Question 23

Define Standard Precautions.

Answer 23

• Hand hygiene
• Use of certain PPE based on anticipated exposure
• Safe injection practices
• Safe management of contaminated equipment
• Applied to all patients even when they are not known or suspected to be infectious

Question 24

Define Contact Precautions.

Answer 24

For patients with known or suspected infections that represent an increased risk for contact transmission.

• Patient in a single room
• PPE includes gloves and gowns, donned prior to room entry and discarded before exiting patient room
• Used dedicated patient-care equipment or disinfect before use on another patient
• Increased cleaning/disinfecting of patient room

Question 25

Define Droplet Precautions.

Answer 25

For patients know or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by respiratory droplets.

• Patient in a single room
• PPE includes mask donned upon entry to patient room
• Patient should also wear a mask

Question 26

Define Airborne Precautions.

Answer 26

For patients known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by the airborne route.

Question 27

Describe the characteristics of an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR).

Answer 27

• Negative pressure in room
• Regulated air flow rate
• Air from room is directly exhausted to outside OR recirculated through a HEPA filter

Question 28

PPE within a AIIR should include…

Answer 28

Fit-tested NIOSH-approved N95 or higher respirator.

Question 29

Define the reason for biohazard labels.

Answer 29

Alert others of the potential presence of biohazardous materials.

Question 30

A needle with a built-in safety feature or mechanism that effectively reduces the risk of an exposure incident is what kind of safety control?

Answer 30

Engineering Control

Sharps with Engineered Sharps Injury Protection (SESIP)

Question 31

Biological Safety Cabinets are what type of safety control?

Answer 31

Engineering Control.

Question 32

Describe the principle of biological safety cabinets.

Answer 32

Utilize directional airflow and high efficiency particular air (HEPA) filters.

Question 33

Biological Safety Cabinets (BSC) traps ___ particles only.

Answer 33

Airborne.

Question 34

When should Biological Safety Cabinets not be used?

Answer 34

When working with volatile chemicals or gases.

Question 35

Class I BSC are used to protect…

Answer 35

Personnel and environmental protection, but not product protection.

Question 36

Class II BSC are used to protect…

Answer 36

Personnel, environmental, and product protection.

Question 37

Describe the 4 types of Class II BSCs.

Answer 37

A1 & A2: HEPA filtered air is recirculated to the laboratory

B1 & B2: HEPA filtered air is discharged from the building.

Question 38

Class III BSC (Glove Box) is designated to work with…

Answer 38

highly infectious microbial agents (BSL4 agents).

Question 39

For cleaning up a small spill, allow ___ for contact time.

Answer 39

30.

Question 40

Define Blood Borne Pathogen exposure.

Answer 40

A specific eye, mouth, other mucous membrane, non-intact skin or parenteral contact with blood or OPIM that results from the performance of an employee’s duties.