CCS Safety and Compliance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Why must a pacemaker be removed from a body before cremation?
- It contaminates the cremated remains with copper
- Its lithium battery can explode under high heat, damaging equipment and endangering staff (Correct answer)
- It lowers the retort temperature below legal limits
- Federal law requires all medical devices to be returned to the manufacturer
Correct answer: Its lithium battery can explode under high heat, damaging equipment and endangering staff
Sealed lithium batteries in pacemakers and similar devices can explode in the retort, damaging refractory and injuring operators.
Question 2: Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, within how many working days of initial assignment must an employer offer the hepatitis B vaccine to exposed employees?
- 30 working days
- 5 working days
- 10 working days (Correct answer)
- 60 working days
Correct answer: 10 working days
29 CFR 1910.1030 requires the hepatitis B vaccination series be made available within 10 working days of initial assignment.
Question 3: An emergency eyewash station in a crematory should be able to provide flushing fluid for at least how long?
- 15 minutes (Correct answer)
- 1 minute
- 5 minutes
- 30 seconds
Correct answer: 15 minutes
ANSI Z358.1 calls for a continuous 15-minute flush at eyewash stations.
Question 4: Which container material is generally prohibited or discouraged for cremation because it releases hazardous emissions such as hydrogen chloride?
- Corrugated cardboard
- Untreated pine
- Pressed particleboard
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
PVC releases hydrogen chloride and other toxic compounds when burned, so it is excluded from cremation containers.
Question 5: Which document provides employees with hazard, handling, and first-aid information for chemicals used in the crematory?
- Certificate of cremation
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS) (Correct answer)
- Burial transit permit
- Cremation authorization form
Correct answer: Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard requires accessible Safety Data Sheets for each hazardous chemical in the workplace.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of a crematory's afterburner (secondary chamber) from a compliance standpoint?
- To speed up the cooling of remains
- To dry the body before ignition
- To reduce smoke, odor, and particulate emissions to meet air-quality permits (Correct answer)
- To separate metal from bone fragments
Correct answer: To reduce smoke, odor, and particulate emissions to meet air-quality permits
The secondary chamber burns off gases and particulates so emissions comply with state and local air permits.
Question 7: Before servicing a cremated remains processor, which OSHA procedure should an operator follow to prevent unexpected startup?
- Lockout/tagout (Correct answer)
- Confined space entry permit
- Respiratory fit test
- Hot work permit
Correct answer: Lockout/tagout
Lockout/tagout (29 CFR 1910.147) isolates energy sources so machinery cannot start during maintenance.