What is the 'hotline' on a hazardous waste site?
- The telephone number for site emergencies
- The outer boundary of the support zone
- The outer boundary of the exclusion zone
- The route used by trucks hauling waste
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C. The outer boundary of the exclusion zone
The hotline marks the edge of the exclusion zone, separating it from the contamination reduction zone. Anyone crossing it must wear the required PPE. The boundary between the warm and cold zones is the contamination control line.
Reference: NIOSH/OSHA/USCG/EPA Guidance Manual for Hazardous Waste Site Activities, Ch. 9 (site control)
Where should the command post normally be located?
- In the support zone, downwind of the exclusion zone
- In the support zone, upwind of the exclusion zone
- In the contamination reduction zone, at the decon line
- In the exclusion zone, close to the work being done
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B. In the support zone, upwind of the exclusion zone
The command post belongs in the clean zone, upwind and preferably uphill so that vapors and runoff move away from it. Downwind puts staff in the path of any release.
Reference: NIOSH/OSHA/USCG/EPA Guidance Manual for Hazardous Waste Site Activities, Ch. 9 (site control)
What is the main purpose of the buddy system in the exclusion zone?
- Each worker can share a single air cylinder with a partner to save air
- Each worker's time in the zone is cut in half by splitting the task
- Each worker is supervised by a more senior employee for training credit
- Each worker is observed by another who can give rapid help if needed
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D. Each worker is observed by another who can give rapid help if needed
The buddy system organizes workers so that each one is watched by at least one other, who can assist or summon help at once. It is a safety measure, not a way to share equipment or shorten tasks.
Reference: 29 CFR 1910.120(a)(3) and (d)(3)