Free EPA National Certification Examination for Lead-Based Paint Risk Assessors Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the EPA National Certification Examination for Lead-Based Paint Risk Assessors practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1A risk assessor is asked to evaluate a dwelling in good physical condition where the likelihood of lead-based paint hazards is low. The owner wants a limited initial evaluation to decide whether a full risk assessment is needed. Which evaluation protocol fits that request?

   1. A. A lead-based paint inspection of every painted component
   2. B. A lead hazard screen with limited environmental sampling
   3. C. A full risk assessment of paint, dust, and soil hazards
   4. D. A combined paint inspection and full risk assessment

   Answer: B

   Explanation: HUD states that a lead hazard screen is an abbreviated evaluation and "should be used only in dwellings in good condition where the probability of finding lead-based paint hazards is low." It uses limited sampling to determine whether further assessment is warranted.

   Reference: HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing, Chapter 5: Risk Assessment and Reevaluation — Chapter 5, Lead Hazard Screen, printed p. 5–11

2. 2HUD warns that a risk assessment can be biased by an incentive to identify nonexistent hazards or recommend unnecessary control work. Which contracting arrangement creates that particular incentive?

   1. A. The assessment firm is also engaged to perform the controls it recommends
   2. B. The owner's certified staff member performs the property's assessment
   3. C. An independent assessment firm receives the same fee whatever it finds
   4. D. An accredited laboratory is paid for each sample it analyzes

   Answer: A

   Explanation: HUD warns that employing the risk assessment firm to perform the actual control work "would create a conflict of interest by providing an incentive to identify nonexistent lead hazards or to suggest controls that are not necessary or cost effective." An owner-employed assessor can create a different perceived bias, and a lab's per-sample fee concerns analytical volume; neither gives the assessment firm the described revenue from recommended control work.

   Reference: HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing, Chapter 5: Risk Assessment and Reevaluation — Chapter 5, § I.B, printed p. 5-17

3. 3A risk assessor employed on a lead-related project is required to wear a tight-fitting respirator. Under OSHA's respiratory protection standard, when must the wearer perform a user seal check?

   1. A. Each time the respirator is put on
   2. B. At the annual respirator fit test
   3. C. When a filter cartridge is changed
   4. D. Before the first use of each work shift

   Answer: A

   Explanation: OSHA requires a user seal check "each time they put on the respirator" for all tight-fitting respirators. An annual fit test or a shift-based check does not replace the check on each donning.

   Reference: OSHA 29 CFR § 1910.134 — Respiratory protection — 29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(iii)

4. 4During a walkthrough of an older home, a risk assessor finds dust accumulating where a painted window sash rubs its frame. Which historical lead use is most directly associated with that indoor dust pathway?

   1. A. Lead-based paint on older building components
   2. B. Leaded gasoline released from vehicle exhaust
   3. C. Lead used in household drinking-water pipes
   4. D. Lead released by nearby industrial smelting

   Answer: A

   Explanation: EPA identifies "dust from lead-based paint used before 1978 in older homes" as the most common U.S. lead exposure source. Friction of the painted sash provides a direct route from that paint to indoor dust.

   Reference: EPA Learn About Lead — Reduce Exposure section, paragraph on common lead sources

5. 5In a target housing risk assessment, a young child spends most waking hours in a particular living room. Under EPA's risk assessment rule, which surfaces in that living area must be sampled for dust lead?

   1. A. The floor and interior window sill
   2. B. The floor and interior window trough
   3. C. The interior window sill and trough
   4. D. The wall and interior window sill

   Answer: A

   Explanation: EPA requires that "dust samples ... from the interior window sill(s) and floor shall be collected" in living areas where children under age 6 are most likely to contact dust. The room described meets that use condition.

   Reference: 40 CFR § 745.227 — Work practice standards for conducting lead-based paint activities — 40 CFR 745.227(d)(5)

6. 6During a lead hazard screen, a risk assessor finds five deteriorated painted surfaces. Each is in poor condition and has a distinct painting history. How many of those surfaces must be tested for lead under EPA's screen procedure?

   1. A. One surface
   2. B. Two surfaces
   3. C. Three surfaces
   4. D. Five surfaces

   Answer: D

   Explanation: EPA requires that "each surface with deteriorated paint" that is in poor condition and has a distinct painting history be tested. All five identified surfaces meet those conditions, so each must be tested.

   Reference: 40 CFR § 745.227 — Work practice standards for conducting lead-based paint activities — 40 CFR 745.227(c)(2)(iii)

7. 7In a large group of similar dwellings, a risk assessor walks through every unit and then chooses the units with the strongest visual evidence of possible lead hazards for full sampling. Which HUD sampling approach is this?

   1. A. Targeted sampling
   2. B. Worst-case sampling
   3. C. Random sampling
   4. D. Systematic sampling

   Answer: B

   Explanation: HUD explains, "Worst case sampling requires a walk-through survey of all dwellings by the risk assessor in order to select the highest-risk dwellings based on direct visual evidence." Targeted sampling instead uses information supplied by the owner; random sampling uses a probability selection.

   Reference: HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing, Chapter 5: Risk Assessment and Reevaluation — Chapter 5, printed p. 5–65

8. 8An interior window sill has lead-contaminated dust and deteriorated lead-based paint. The owner elects an interim control that retains the window component rather than an abatement treatment. Which plan fits HUD's distinction?

   1. A. Remove the dust and stabilize the existing paint film
   2. B. Remove the dust and replace the complete window component
   3. C. Remove the dust and enclose the painted window component
   4. D. Remove the dust and remove all paint from the window

   Answer: A

   Explanation: HUD distinguishes interim controls such as specialized cleaning and repainting from abatement measures such as component replacement, enclosure and paint removal. For a contaminated sill with deteriorated paint it says "dust removal and paint film stabilization would be the most appropriate course of action" when resources are limited. Here that pair is the interim-control plan; B, C and D pair dust removal with distinct abatement treatments.

   Reference: HUD Guidelines, Chapter 5: Risk Assessment and Reevaluation — Chapter 5, printed p. 5–84

9. 9A federally assisted property is subject to HUD's lead hazard reevaluation schedule. What is the longest interval the risk assessor should recommend between reevaluations?

   1. A. Six months
   2. B. One year
   3. C. Two years
   4. D. Three years

   Answer: C

   Explanation: HUD states that the recommendation should provide for reevaluation "at least as often as every two years." Two years is the longest interval among the choices that meets that schedule.

   Reference: HUD Guidelines, Chapter 5: Risk Assessment and Reevaluation — Chapter 5, Section VI.C, printed p. 5-90

10. 10A single-room interior clearance area has one window with a sill and trough. Using single-surface wipes, how many surface samples should the examiner collect in that room?

    1. A. One surface sample
    2. B. Two surface samples
    3. C. Three surface samples
    4. D. Four surface samples

    Answer: C

    Explanation: HUD specifies: "In single-room clearance areas, both the sill and the trough should be sampled, so three wipe samples must be taken in the room." The third sample is the floor wipe.

    Reference: HUD Guidelines, Chapter 15: Clearance — Chapter 15, printed p. 15–29