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EPA LEAD INSPECTOR EXAM 2025 - 2026|
ORIGINAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS|GRADED A+
What are the three systems where the effects of lead are most dangerous? ANS:->>>
**1. the central and peripheral nervous systems
- the cardiovascular system, including the blood forming system
- the kidneys** What is the allowable CDC quantity of lead in blood for children? ANS:->>>in 2012, the CDC reduced the levels to 5 μg/dL renaming the level as child blood lead reference value (BLRV) which has been further reduced to 3.5 μg/dL on 10/29/2021. What is the allowable OSHA quantity of lead in blood? ANS:->>> OSHA has established an allowable blood level of 40 μg/dL, while a blood level of 50 μg/dL requires that the worker be removed from the lead exposed work place. What is the allowable NIOSH/CDC quantity of lead in blood? ANS:->>> 25 μg/dL Exposure to high concentrations of lead can cause? ANS:->>>Retardation Convulsion s Coma Death What are the most common routes of exposure to lead in children and adults ANS:->>> Inhalation and digestion
What do lead based paint inspections focus on? ANS:->>>they focus attention on the sources of lead that could poison children and reduce the cost of lead hazard control by identifying which surfaces are coated with lead-based paint. What happens once lead enters the body? ANS:->>>once in the body, lead is distributed by the bloodstream to red blood cells, soft tissue, and bone. Lead is eliminated very slowly from the body by the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract; very very tiny amounts of lead are lost through perspiration What is acute lead poisoning? ANS:->>> Acute exposure to lead generally means exposure for a short time, but at high levels. Some symptoms may include abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, damage to the brain and central nervous system, fatigue, irritability, weakness, and muscle pain. What is chronic lead poisoning? ANS:->>>Chronic lead exposure generally means exposure to low to moderate levels of lead over a long period of time. Symptoms include: impaired blood formation, high blood pressure, changes in the nervous system, drooping hand/foot, reproductive complications, damage to developing fetus. what is chelation? ANS:->>>Chelation is the process by which lead is removed from a person's body by the use of medication. Chelating agents irreversibly bind the lead circulating in the bloodstream so that the lead is excreted through the person's urinary system or liver and gastrointestinal tract. Chelation is used ONLY in cases of high levels of blood lead under the care of a medical specialist since there are serious side effects.
2. zero-bedroom units 3. short-term rentals 4. housing specifically for elderly or handicapped What is the definition of "lead-based paint free"? ANS:->>>For the purpose of this rule, EPA and HUD have defined lead based paint free housing as target housing that has been found to be free of paint or other surface coating that contain lead equal to or in excess of 1.0 mg/cm^2 or 0.5% percent by weight Child-occupied facilities are defined as... – answer>>a building or portion of a building, constructed prior to 1978, visited by the same child, 6 years of age or younger, on at LEAST 2 different days within any week, provided that each days visit last at LEAST 3 hours, the combined weekly visits last at least 6 hours, and the combined annual visits last at least 60 hours. Ex. day-care center, housing, pre-school, kindergarten classroom What is a PEL? ANS:->>>A PEL is the maximum exposure limit to a contaminant. THE pel under OSHA is 50 μg/m^ What is the standard regulating lead exposure in the construction industry? ANS:->>>The interim lead In construction Standard formed in 1993. Under this standard, regulating occupational exposure to inorganic lead in the construction industry, the PEL is 50 μg/m^3 as an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA). The standard requires monitoring the lead level in the workers blood for workers exposed to airborne lead at or above the action level of 30 μg/m^3 (8-hour TWA) and specifies medical removal of workers whose average blood lead level based on 2 consecutive tests in 50 μg Inspectors may need to wear respirators in an effort to further minimize their exposure to lead dust. Selection of the appropriate Level of respiratory protection should include... ANS:-
1. identification of the hazards
**2. evaluation of the hazard
- provision of the respiratory protective against the contaminant level(S) and suitable for the wearer** What standard is only measured in mg? ANS:->>>Paint What are standards monitored by the EPA? ANS:->>>Paint, surface dust, and soil Paint ANS:->>>- 1.0 mg/cm^
- 0.5% by weight
- 5,000 PPM - 5000 mg/g - or 5000 mg/kg) Surface Dust ANS:->>>μg/ft
- Floor: 10 μg/ft^
- Window sill - 100 μg/ft^
- Window well- 400 μg/ft^ Soil ANS:->>>soil sampling is mandatory for risk assessment
- Childs play area: 400 ppm
- all other areas 1,200 ppm Air ANS:->>>worker exposure to airborne lead is monitored by OSHA and NIOSH
- Action level for airborne lead is 30 μg/m^3 for an 8 hour shift.
- PEL is 50 μg/m^
An inspector must be able to... ANS:->>>- be knowledgeable about the performance & limitations of all lead testing technique and methods
- familiar with all lead testing methods and sample techniques & standards
- able to perform math calculations
- skilled in understanding results
- can make objective decisions
- able to implement and interpret quality control procedures When do lead inspectors get a refresher course & post-course examination? ANS:->>>Every 3 years What is the lead-based paint disclosure rule? ANS:->>>In the late 1996, the EPA and HUD created the lead-based paint disclosure rule that allows prospective purchasers of housing built before 1978 to have a lead-based paint or risk assessment to determine whether lead based paint or lead-based paint hazards exist in housing Why is lead more common in children of lower income and/or people of color? ANS:->>>1. Worse physical condition and older housing
- More lead-contaminated dust in the home
- high lead levels in urban soil
- Poor Nutrition
- Lead in drinking water What is the largest remaining source of lead exposure in children? ANS:-
contaminated dust and soil
What is Title X? ANS:->>>the residential lead-based paint HAzard reduction Act ( Title X) of the community and housing Act of 1992 shifted the focus of federal legislation from acting only on existing lead-based paint hazards to preventing new hazards from occurring What is lead based paint? ANS:->>>Paint, varnish, shellac, or other coating on surfaces that contain 1.0 mg/cm² or more of lead or 0.5% by weight What are Lead-based paint hazards? ANS:->>>any condition that causes exposure to lead contaminated dust, lead contaminated soil, or lead-contaminated paint that is deteriorated or present in accessible surfaces, friction surfaces, or impact surfaces that would result in adverse human health effects as identified by the EPA administrator under TSCA Section 403 What is Deteriorated paint? ANS:->>>any interior or exterior paint that is peeling, chipping, chalking, or cracking, or is located on an interior/exterior surface or fixture that is damaged. What is an accessible surface? ANS:->>>Surface that protrudes from the surrounding area to the extent that a child can chew the surface and is within 3 feet of the floor or ground (Window sills, railing, stair tread) what is a friction surface? ANS:->>>an interior/exterior surface that is subject toabrasion/friction (windows, floor, staircases) what is an impact surface? ANS:->>>an interior/exterior surface that is subject to damage from repeated impacts (parts of door frames) What is the primary purpose of HUD Guidelines? ANS:->>>The guidelines purpose is to guide people involved in identifying and controlling lead-based paint hazards in housing.
What is the most common route of lead exposure in the children? ANS:->>>the more common route of exposure is by ingesting lead-bearing dust that is formed by the paint when it deteriorates, chalks, or is disturbed through renovation or even abrasion from the opening and closing of windows and other friction and impact surfaces. Lead in surface dust and soil of all types can come from... ANS:->>>- weathering and chipping of lead-based paint
- scraping and sanding of lead-based paint in preparation for refinishing; renovations that break surfaces painted with lead-based paint
- abrasion and/or impact on door and windows When and where is there a higher exposure to lead in soil? ANS:->>>-if the house has exterior lead based paint, there is a higher likelihood that the soil lead levels will be greater than EPA's level of concern (currently 400 parts per million).
- lead contamination is most likely to be found around the outside of the house at the roof drip line. What are some factors that may lead to lead in drinking water? ANS:->>>1. the amount and age of lead-containing materials susceptible to corrosion
- the amount of time the water is in contact with these materials
- the corrosiveness of the water Can lead-based paint inspectors collect water samples? ANS:->>>No. Title X does not define lead contamination in water as a lead-based paint hazard. Additionally, under the EPA training and certification rules, (Section 402 of TSCA), water sampling is included as a part of a risk assessment, not an INSPECTION. Therefore, lead-based paint inspectors cannot collect water samples or recommend corrective measures.
What ares some sources of lead exposure in the air? ANS:->>>Lead gasoline, smelters, battery factories, combustion of oil, coal, waste, municipal waste, windblown dust. Even activities such as abrasive blasting, sanding, burning, or welding on steel structures coated with lead- containing paints may produce very high concentrations of lead dust and fumes. What are some ways in which food is contaminated with lead? ANS:->>>1. from containers with lead solder, lead glaze, or other materials with lead, especially if contents are acidic in nature
- by airborne lead from industrial or automobile emissions deposited onto crops or water
- by uptake into food crops from lead in soil or pesticide applications
- during transportation or processing What are some occupations in which adults may be more likely to be exposed to lead? ANS:-
adults who work in certain industries, such as smelting, auto body repair shops, painting shops, scrap metal works, electrical work, demolition, and construction can be at risk to lead poisoning. What is room equivalent? ANS:->>>it is any place with a natural break in paint history (for example - a living room and dining room should be tested separately since it is likely they do not have the same paint history What is a testing combination? ANS:->>>it is a component in the same room equivalent with the same substrate, meaning these results can be replicated (for ex. Bedroom 01 baseboard on wall 1 may be tested and these results can be used for baseboards on walls 2, 3, 4 without testing them individually) Households that have lead levels above 15 ppb in 1 liter sample should take the following steps to limit lead exposure: ANS:->>>1. running tap water for 30-60 seconds before use
- checking for lead solder What are the sources of radiation in the XRF Analyzer that is used to detect lead-based paint? ANS:->>>Cobalt - 57 and Cadmium- 109 Florescence is defined as ANS:->>>Both Cobalt-57 and Cadmium-109 emit energy in the form of x-rays and gamma rays. When these rays are released from an XRF analyzer and hit a painted surface, the elements in the paint matrix - which can include lead - are "excited" and respond by emitting energy in the form of x-rays characteristic of each element. This response is known as fluorescence. True or false: The terms "spectrum" and "direct read" describe how an XRF detects and separates X-rays... ANS:->>>False. "Spectrum" and "direct read" do NOT describe how an XRF detects and separates x-rays but rather how the information is displayed to the user. Most XRF use a multi-channel analyzer to separate the different energy x-rays emitted by the paint surface and the substrate. What is half-life? ANS:->>>the term half-life refers to the time it takes half of the material to decay into another radionuclide or element. How does half-life effect an XRF analyzer? ANS:->>>The amount of time that it takes for an XRF analyzer to determine if lead is present is related to the number of source atoms that decay and emit gamma and x-rays during sampling. After one half-life the length of time it takes to obtain a proper reading doubles. What is the half-life of Cobalt-57? ANS:->>> 9 months or 270 days What is the half-life of cadmium- 109 ANS:->>> 15 months or 461.4 days
What form of radiation is x-rays and gamma rays? ANS:->>>Gamma and x-rays are forms of ionizing radiation. Radiation that has enough energy to eject electrons from electrically neutral atoms, leaving behind charged atoms or ions, is known as ionizing radiation. The result of ionization is the production of negatively charged free electrons and positively charged ionized atoms. Why are ionized atoms dangerous? ANS:->>>All types of ionizing radiation can remove electrons, ionized atoms, regardless of how they were formed, are much more active chemically than neutral atoms. These chemically active ions can form compounds that interfere with the process of cell division and metabolism. Also, reactive ions can cause a cascade of chemical changes in the tissue and lead to different cancers. What is ionized radiation exposure measured in? ANS:->>>The quantity of ionizing radiation exposure is measured in roentgens. The units of dosage are measured in roentgen equivalent man (rem) or one-one thousandths of a rem ( mrem or millirem) The higher the dosage the greater the potential for adverse health effects. What does ALARA stand for? ANS:->>>As Low As Reasonably Achievable. This is the principle of radiation safety. Exposure to radiation is affected by three important factors: ANS:->>>1. Time
- Distance
- Shielding What is a dosimeter? ANS:->>>A dosimeter is a small device usually containing a photographically sensitive or thermally luminescent material that measures and records the amount of radiation exposed to the person.
Which program does the lab have to be recognized by in order to analyze paint chip samples? ANS:->>>NLLAP National lead Laboratories Accreditation Program Research conducted by the national institute of standards and technology (NIST) and HUD demonstrates that all XRF instruments exhibit substrate biases that depend upon... ANS:->>>1. the instrument used
- the nature of the substrate
- The level of lead in the paint
- possible other factors such as source age, temperature and humidity How are XRF results corrected for substrate bias? ANS:->>>XRF are corrected for substrate bias by subtracting a number, which is determined separately for each type of substrate that requires a correction. The correction value (Substrate equivalent lead) is an average of XRF readings taken from test locations that have been scraped clean of their paint covering. What is a criterion for selecting a test location for substrate corrections? ANS:->>>A criterion for selecting these test locations is that their initial XRF results are less than 2. mg/cm^2. What are two kinds of instrumental problems that could be avoided by field quality control. ANS:->>>The first is drift of the instrument's calibration, in which there is a systematic change over time in the average reading of the instrument. Drift is caused by instability of the instruments electronics or by aging of the battery, resulting in faliure of the battery to charge properly. The second problem is unusallly high variability in elements. In XRF's, what is bias usually due to? ANS:->>>Bias is generally due to calibration errors, systematic hardware problems, or systematic software problems related to internal compensation for the substrate/matrix effects.
Which state requires the least amount of effort to obtain a "permit" for operating and handling an XRF? ANS:->>>Certification state What is reciprocity? ANS:->>>Reciprocity is the ability to bring an XRF from one state into another without having to get another license. What is a general license? ANS:->>>A general license allows the user, such as, a lead inspection company, to take possession of the radioactive source under the manufactuers specific license, thereby eliminating the requirement for the inspector's company to obtain a license. What does " exclusive use" category apply to? ANS:->>>USDOT has an "exclusive use" category that would apply to most portable XRF analyzers. Exclusive use means that a single company or individual is responsible for transportation of the device and has control during the transportation. In order to insure an XRF is being transported safely the outside surface of the case must not exceed.. .? ANS:->>>2.0 mrem/hour (or, in standard international units, 0.020 millisieverts /hour mSv/h ) Failure to adhere to the statues and regulations applicable to lead-based paint inspections could result in a range of penalties or sanctions by governmental authorities against the inspector. These include the following: ANS:->>>1. fines
- loss of license
- criminal prosecution for causing injury to a child
- injunctions- prohibition against doing business; and or
- cease works order
How would you define a lead-based paint inspection? ANS:->>>a surface-by-surface investigation to determine the presence of lead-based paint and the provision of a report explaining the results of the investigation. What is a room equivalent? ANS:->>>an identifiable part of a residence such as a room, house exterior, a foyer, staircase, hallway, playset, etc. What is a building component type? ANS:->>>items in the interior or exterior of housing onto which paint, stain, varnish, or shellack has been applied and that have a common substrate. Define substrate ANS:->>>the material underneath the paint. Many substrates exist, but the HUD guidelines recommend classifying into one of the 6 substrates:
- Brick
- Concrete
- Drywall
- metal
- Plaster
- Wood Multi-family housing is defined as... ANS:->>>as any group of units that are similar in construction from unit to unit with:
- 21 or more units if any were built before 1960 or are of unknown
- 10 or more units if they were all built from 1960 to 1977! What are the benefits of random sampling? ANS:->>>1. reducing the time and cost associated with testing
- making it possible to reach rational decisions for large complexes without testing every single unit. When conducting a lead-based paint inspection, regardless of multi-family/single-family housing, what 7 steps should be followed? ANS:->>>1. List all painted testing combinations by room equivalent, icnluding those that are stained, shellacked, varnished, coated, or painted and covered with wall paper.
- select testing combinations
- Perform xrf testing
- Collect and analyze paint-chip samples for testing combinations that cannot be tested with XRF or that inconclusive XRF results; if applicable;
- Classify XRF and paint chip results
- Evaluate the work and results to ensure quality of the paint inspection.
- Document the findings in a report What is a testing combination made up of? ANS:->>>1. room equivalent
- component
- substrate For single-family housing, the HUD Guidelines recommend XRF testing on at least. .. ANS:->>>1. One location PER testing combination, except interior and exterior walls
- four readings, one on each wall What should be done for testing exterior walls? ANS:->>>1. select at least four sides;
- average the readings (rounding the result as described above) to obtain a result for any remaining side.
