sanitarian exam questions

Most effective way to remove mosquitoes from an area?

remove breeding ground

Best way to keep radon out of a house?

seal cracks in floors and provide ventilation

In plumbing, what is a trap or a catch used for?

catch solid materials from entering wastewater system

What is true about alpha particles?

not dangerous to life unless ingested or inhaled

If you are denied inspection, what do you do?

Contact an immediate supervisor and the police

Act that regulates food inspections?

Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act

Best soil for subsurface drain field?

yellow, red or brown

What does g/ml measure?

density

What vector is responsible for the spread of the plague?

fleas

Agents of yellow fever?

Aedes (mosquitos)

Employees in a lab using salmonella which is not aerobic must do all but what?

have clothing disinfected before washing

Agency an employer would check with to see if they are in compliance with employee handling of hazardous materials?

OSHA

\#1 component of sewage?

water

What causes EPA to say substance is toxic?

When material is composed of clear toxic material and/or it is listed as a hazardous material and/or it is listed as a hazardous chemical

What is sarin?

A toxic chemical. Colorless, odorless liquid used as a gas chemical weapon

What chemical is added to decrease chlorine in water?

Sodium Thiosulfate

What is the process in order for water filtering?

Coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration

Goal of HACCP?

prevent contamination

How long do tags need to be kept for shell fish?

90 days

How can you tell a chilled fish is fresh/not fresh?

fresh: Red gills, no foul odor, bright eyes, no slime, elastic flesh
Not fresh: sunken eyes, foul odor, slime, non-elastic flesh

Why would you test water for bacteria?

to see if it is potable

Best test for water quality?

5 day BOD

What is the most important thing when taking a sample of milk back to a lab for testing?

Have sanitary equipment and/or utensils

How do you prevent trichinosis?

thoroughly cook pork

Why is it necessary to keep PHF's at 40 degrees or lower?

slows bacteria growth

What is the difference between OSHA and NIOSH?

OSHA-responsible for reducing worker injury, illness and death caused by workplace hazards (enforcement)
NIOSH-conducts research to address problems in occupational safety and health; trains workforce, makes recommendations to OSHA

Best item to remove vapors?

activated charcoal

What is the order of steps to take when arriving at an emergency situation?

Identify the problem, protect self, secure scene, call for help

Most common reason for Food Borne Illness?

improper temperatures during holding

What can municipal sewage treatment plants use treated water for? What is preferred?

Surface Irrigation; preferred: sanitary sewer, injection well, spray irrigation

What causes cognitive problems/learning disabilities in kids after ingesting?

lead

What can cause babies to turn blue?

nitrates in drinking water

What is the best way to keep flies from a community?

Proper environmental sanitation policies and procedures

Proper way to calibrate a stem thermometer?

ice and water bath for 3 minutes

What gives inspectors the right to inspect, detain and even destroy food?

police power

What is the Hazardous Communication Standards?

To ensure that employees are aware of potential hazards in the workplace

How long do you let the water run before collecting a sample?

2-3 minutes

A person without symptoms, but is still shedding the disease is called a?

carrier

Boiling an item for 30 min may not remove what?

clostridium

What is the best option for a small community installing a sewage system?

slow sand filter

A community is located above a bathing beach and a potential sewage spill has occurred. What is the FIRST thing an inspector should do?

notify public of potential hazard

Modified Oxygen Packaging (MOP) and Sous Vide are examples of what?

Reduced air packaging which is where they remove or replace oxygen

Dried fruit is shelf stable because?

low water activity

At what point is water activity too low for bacterial growth?

0.85

Most common reasons for Nosocomial diseases (diseases occurring in healthcare facilities) is?

Population that is highly susceptible, easy modes of transmission

When potable water is combined with sewage water, this is called?

cross-connection

What are the characteristics of hazardous waste?

Flammable, corrosive, reactive, toxic

A group of people are complaining of a FBI (food-borne illness) occurring 4 hours after eating. What should you suspect?

staph

The presence of what indicates fecal contamination in drinking water?

e. coli

A liquid that is caused by rain going through a landfill and picking up bacteria is called?

leachate

What factor of soil determines the effectiveness of a drainfield?

Permeability or texture or structure

If the pH of a pool is increased, how does this affect the chlorine in the pool?

Decreases its effectiveness

What factor would contribute to eye irritation in a pool?

pH of 7.4, Turbidity of 8, chlorine level at 4, residual chlorine level of .45

What causes scromboid poisoning?

Histamines in the muscles of fish

What is the purpose of Blanching a food item?

Inactivates enzymes, longer shelf-life

What is the minimum separation required from the bottom of a drain field to ground water?

2 feet

What organization oversees the use of food additives?

FDA

What are the differences between epidemic and endemic?

Epidemic - affects more than the expected number of cases of disease occurring in a community or region during a given period of time. A sudden severe outbreak with in a region or a group.
Endemic - present in a community at all times but in low frequency

What is the process called when organisms are killed by heat disinfection?

pasteurization

What is the best way to remove algae growth?

remove phosphorus

When looking at the signs on the back of trucks carrying hazardous cargo, what do the numbers mean? What are the colors and what do they mean?

0-4, zero is least harmful
orange is explosive, red is flammable, green is fine, yellow is oxidizers, white is poison, blue is explosive when wet

What vector carries and spreads Dengue fever?

mosquitos

An employee is feeling dizzy, confused, light headed. What should be suspected?

carbon monoxide poisoning

What disease is carried in the intestines of cockroaches?

salmonella

What is the best way to prevent surface water from contaminating a well?

tight fitting lids that are sealed correctly

What does the unit mm/Hg measure?

vapor pressure

What is the maximum amount of time a PHF should be left in temperature danger zone?

4 hours

What vector is the primary reservoir for the Hantavirus?

deer mouse

Best way for quick response when responding to an emergency?

prior planning

What is the minimum level of chlorine allowed for ware washing in an establishment serving the public?

50 ppm

The interval between exposure to an infectious agent and the appearance of the first symptom is called the?

incubation period

What information is needed for a FBI investigation?

history, field findings, lab work

Why are some foods classified as potentially hazardous?

They support rapid growth of pathogenic microorganisms

When choosing an insecticide, what should an establishment consider first?

Choosing an insecticide designed to target the insect they are wishing to get rid of (questionable if this is right)

Hard water is caused by

Residuals of magnesium and calcium in the water

How often should a septic tank be serviced?

3-5 years

What is the preferred method of wastewater disposal?

sewage lines, injection well, spray irrigation

Why shouldn't sludge from a septic tank be disposed of in the drain field?

creates disease carrying insects

Which one of the following pesticides can be legally used in the US by the public?

diazinon or sivin

X-rays and Gamma rays can do what?

penetrate deep tissue

A biohazard is?

A material of biological composition, especially if infective, that constitutes a threat to people or their environment.

The ideal pH range for a pool is

7.2-7.6

The most important design for the infirmary in a correction center?

Carpets shampooed weekly, air circulated twice as much as general population, doctor on call 24 hrs/day

What are the most important factors when an inspector finds an insect infestation?

location of infestation, number of insects, type of insects

What does Phenol Red have to do with sanitizing and disinfecting?

nothing

What is the MOST common cause of bacterial meningitis in children under five years of age?

Haemophilus influenzae type B

How is giardiasis USUALLY transmitted to others?

Person-to-person transfer of cysts from the feces of the infected individual, dirty water

Which of the following duties of state and local health agencies is intended to ensure that the public's health and welfare are protected?

regulatory responsibilities

Which of the following is a measure of the amount of light scattered by particles suspended in a water test sample?

Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU)

What portal of entry should a field sanitarian protect to avoid contracting Lyme disease?

skin

Swimmer's itch is a common name for which of the following diseases?

subdural dermatitis

Which of the following factors would LEAST contribute to the emergence of a new infectious disease?

disinfectant use

Listeriosis is COMMONLY associated with:

contaminated food

Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome is caused by infection with

E coli 0157:H7

The basic principles of disease control include all of the following EXCEPT

lag phase

The interval between exposure to an infectious agent and the appearance of the first symptom is called the

incubation period

An establishment known to have imminent health hazards is not closed by the inspecting regulatory authority. This example BEST fits the definition of a:

nonfeasance

Vehicleborne, vectorborne, or airborne are all examples of:

indirect mode of transportation

An employer is held liable for the torts of its employees committed within the scope of their employment. This is referred to as

parens patriae

Performance of an authorized act in an unauthorized manner is called:

misfeasance