Free NEBOSH Certificate in Hazardous Substances (COSHH) Exam Questions and Answers

A maintenance fitter in a food packaging plant routinely washes oil and grease off his hands with a solvent-based degreaser from an open tub at the end of each shift. Which route of entry is MOST directly increased by this practice?

• AA. Absorption through the skin of the hands and forearms
• BB. Ingestion of degreaser transferred to food and drink
• CC. Injection through puncture wounds caused by metal swarf
• DD. Inhalation of degreaser vapour from the open tub

A workplace exposure limit for a solvent is 50 mg/m3 as an 8-hour time-weighted average and 100 mg/m3 as a 15-minute reference period. Personal sampling on a drum filler gives 90 mg/m3 for 2 hours of decanting and 30 mg/m3 for the remaining 6 hours of the shift. A separate 15-minute sample taken during decanting gives 120 mg/m3. Which conclusion is correct?

• AA. Both limits are met, because the 8-hour average is below 50 mg/m3 for the shift
• BB. The long-term limit is exceeded, because 90 mg/m3 was recorded during the decanting task
• CC. The 8-hour limit is met but the 15-minute limit is exceeded, so control is not adequate
• DD. Neither limit applies, because the decanting task lasted for less than a full shift

A cleaning contractor receives a new limescale remover with its safety data sheet. A supervisor wants to brief staff on what to do if the product is splashed into the eyes. Which section of the safety data sheet should the supervisor use?

• AA. Section 8, exposure controls and personal protection
• BB. Section 2, hazards identification
• CC. Section 6, accidental release measures
• DD. Section 4, first-aid measures

A welder in a fabrication workshop cuts and welds galvanised steel in a poorly ventilated bay. Each Monday evening he develops a fever, chills and a metallic taste in his mouth, and by Wednesday he feels well again. Which of the following BEST describes the likely health effect?

• AA. A chronic effect, pneumoconiosis from accumulated mineral dust in the lungs
• BB. A chronic effect, sensitisation from repeated exposure to welding flux
• CC. An acute effect from absorption of zinc through the skin of the forearms
• DD. An acute effect, metal fume fever from inhaling zinc oxide fume

Two operatives clean the floor of a basement car park using a petrol-powered pressure washer with the doors closed. Within an hour both report headache, nausea and dizziness, and one of them collapses. Which of the following gives the likely cause and the control that would have been MOST effective?

• AA. Carbon monoxide from the engine exhaust; replace the washer with an electrically powered model
• BB. Carbon monoxide from the engine exhaust; issue disposable FFP3 masks to both operators
• CC. Legionella in the spray from the washer; dose the water supply with a biocide
• DD. Solvent vapour from the detergent; issue half-mask respirators with organic vapour filters

A warehouse supervisor is writing a COSHH assessment for a new descaling product supplied in 5 litre containers. She needs the supplier's recommendations on the type of gloves to be worn and any workplace exposure limits for the ingredients. Which section of the 16-section safety data sheet should she consult?

• AA. Section 4, First-aid measures
• BB. Section 13, Disposal considerations
• CC. Section 8, Exposure controls/personal protection
• DD. Section 9, Physical and chemical properties

A joinery workshop has decided that tight-fitting half-mask respirators are needed during sanding of hardwood. The supervisor has bought one model in three sizes and is about to issue them. What must be done before each worker is issued with a respirator?

• AA. Each worker should choose the size that feels most comfortable, using the manufacturer's size chart
• BB. Each worker should be fit tested for the specific make, model and size of the respirator they will use
• CC. One experienced worker from the team should be fit tested, and the result applied to the whole team
• DD. Each worker should be trained to carry out a user seal check at the start of every shift

A welder is exposed to a fume with an 8-hour TWA workplace exposure limit of 2.0 mg/m³. Over an 8-hour shift, measured exposure is 3 mg/m³ for 4 hours, 2 mg/m³ for 2 hours and 1 mg/m³ for 2 hours. What is the welder's 8-hour time-weighted average exposure?

• AA. 2.00 mg/m³
• BB. 2.25 mg/m³
• CC. 3.00 mg/m³
• DD. 4.50 mg/m³

A vehicle body repair shop has started using a new two-pack primer. The person carrying out the COSHH assessment has the supplier's safety data sheet (SDS), which follows the standard 16-section format. She needs to find the workplace exposure limits for the ingredients and the type of glove material the supplier recommends. Which section of the SDS should she use?

• AA. Section 9, physical and chemical properties
• BB. Section 11, toxicological information
• CC. Section 2, hazards identification
• DD. Section 8, exposure controls and personal protection

A joinery workshop manager wants to find out whether an operator who sands hardwood panels at a bench for most of the shift is exposed to wood dust above the workplace exposure limit. The sander is fitted with local exhaust ventilation. Which monitoring method should be used?

• AA. Personal sampling pump with the head in the operator's breathing zone
• BB. Smoke tube test carried out at the extraction hood on the sander
• CC. Dust lamp used to observe airborne dust around the sander
• DD. Static sampling pump placed on the bench beside the sander