Asbestos Study Exam Questions with
correct Answers
Name four characteristics of asbestos - Answer -Naturally occurring, fibrous, hydrated,
mineral and silicates
What type of asbestos is the fibrous serpentine - Answer -chrysotile (white asbestos)
Name the 5 amphiboles - Answer -Amosite
Tremolite
Actinolite
Crocidolite
Anthopyllite
Name physical properties of asbestos - Answer -fire resistant
spinnability
tensile strength
strong and durable
resists fungus growth
corrosion
heat
acids
vermin
What were some of the uses of asbestos - Answer -brake lining in cars and air craft
pipes for water and sewer systems
What is the most common asbestos - Answer -Chrysotile (white asbestos) 3Mg O - Si
O2 - 2H2O
What is the second most common asbestos - Answer -Amosite (brown asbestos)
Fe Mg SiO3
What is the third most common asbestos but rare - Answer -Crocidolite (blue asbestos)
Na Fe [SiO3] 2H3O
,What to amphibole fibers used commercially are extremely hazardous - Answer -
Amosite and crocidolite
What 6 diseases are associated with asbestos - Answer -Lung Cancer, Stomach
Cancer, Asbestosis, Mesothelioma
and Colon-Rectal Cancer
What does asbestos cause in the lungs - Answer -Bronchogenic carcinoma
What is asbestosis - Answer -A pneumoconiosis a diffuse, interstitial, non-malignant
scarring of the lungs often goes un-noticed occurs from high exposures
What is Dyspnea? - Answer -Undue shortness of breath, asbestos-related
What is Rales? - Answer -Crackling sounds heard when heart is listened to via
stethoscope
Related to asbestos
What is finger clubbing related to? - Answer -Asbestos
How are we exposed to asbestos - Answer -Air, water, soil, food and occupational
What are some uses of asbestos - Answer -Shingles, thermal system insulation,
brake/clutch lining, water pipes
siding, cement filler, wire insulation, spray-on acoustical material
and vinyl flooring
What to do with asbestos - Answer -Leave it alone. repair, encapsulate, enclose and
remove
When is asbestos a hazard - Answer -When it is "friable"
When it will be disturbed
When it is located in areas that may be disturbed by children
Prior to demolition/renovation projects
Two types of asbestos containing materials - Answer -Friable
Non-Friable
Friable - Answer -Can be crumbled, pulverized or reduced to powder by hand pressure.
Non-friable - Answer -Cannot be crumbled, pulverized or reduce to powder by hand
pressure.
Asbestos is heat resistant from what degree Celsius - Answer -500 - 1500 degrees
Celsius
,Specific work activities that disturb the make-up of asbestos materials: - Answer -(a)
Punching
(b) Grinding
(c) Sanding
(d) Machining
What does Normal deterioration of Asbestos mean? - Answer -Asbestos fibers are
released into the air. The loosely bound fibers are pulverized or easily crumbled
creating microscopic contaminants that have been identified as a health hazard
What is Malignant Mesothelioma - Answer -Tumor which lines the chest and abdomina
cavity
(also) Suspected to also cause cancer of GI tract
Asbestos Exposure Limits - Answer -(1) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL).
(a) 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc) of air, calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted
average (TWA) exposure
Describe the fibers found in the serpentine type asbestos group - Answer -Fibers in the
serpentine group have a sheet or layered structure and curly fibers
Describe "chrysotile" fibers and how commonly they were used - Answer -Chrysotile
fibers are long, wavy and flexible. It is classfied under serpentine. Approx. 95% of all
asbestos used was chrysotile. It is still used in 90% of the asbestos application.
Describe amphibole fibers - Answer -Amphibile fibers are straight and have a chainlike
structure.
What specific properties make asbestos so useful? - Answer -they resist:
burning even at high temps.
breaking
corrosion
biological
and are very flexible
What main factor will determine ASM will be handled? - Answer -Its friability
What applications did friabable sprayed products have? - Answer -Acoustic or thermal
insulation on structural steel, hotels, and resturants. It was widely used until the 1970s
What are some early and advanced symptoms of asbestosis? - Answer -Early
sypmtoms include:
shortness of breathe after excerise
dry cough
generalized feeling of illness
, Advanced symptoms include
more sever shortness of breathe
coughing blood
recurrent respiratory infections
How does lung cancer develop with asbestos fibers? - Answer -Asbestos fibers trapped
in the lungs can trigger cancerous growth in lung tissue which will produce a tumour
limiting lung function
When does OHSA law require a Risk Assessment to be done? - Answer -Risk
assessments must be done prior to any demolition, alteration, or repair of any
machinery, equipment, or structures where asbestos-containing material may be
disturbed
What is the purpose of an OHSA Law required risk assessment? - Answer -To classify
any work activity related to asbestos as a low, moderate, or high risk activity.
What is involved in the first stage of a work activity related to asbestos? - Answer -The
first stage of an asbestos risk assessment involves evaluating parameters that are
indicative of the likelihood of worker exposure. The following parameters most
commonly looked at include:
Main parameters
accessibility
condition of asbestos containing material
firability
presence in return air plenum
precentage of asbestos content
Other parameters
extend of water damage
exposed friable surface area
activity and movement
What does phase two of risk assessment involve? - Answer -Eachof the parameters in
phase one will be given a score to indicate the potential for exposure. The scores will be
added to derive the overall risk factor which will be used to prioritize and control
abatement.
How often should asbesto contaminent and decontaminent facilty rooms be checked?
How would airflow be checked? - Answer -They should be checked daily for gaps or
breaks in contaminent. air flow areas also need to be checked to ensure clean and clear
of any contaminent. visual checks are often done along with smoke tubes and pressure
differentials.
How many air samples are required in a site that has asbestos? - Answer -Air sampling
must be done daily to determine effectiveness of controls.
correct Answers
Name four characteristics of asbestos - Answer -Naturally occurring, fibrous, hydrated,
mineral and silicates
What type of asbestos is the fibrous serpentine - Answer -chrysotile (white asbestos)
Name the 5 amphiboles - Answer -Amosite
Tremolite
Actinolite
Crocidolite
Anthopyllite
Name physical properties of asbestos - Answer -fire resistant
spinnability
tensile strength
strong and durable
resists fungus growth
corrosion
heat
acids
vermin
What were some of the uses of asbestos - Answer -brake lining in cars and air craft
pipes for water and sewer systems
What is the most common asbestos - Answer -Chrysotile (white asbestos) 3Mg O - Si
O2 - 2H2O
What is the second most common asbestos - Answer -Amosite (brown asbestos)
Fe Mg SiO3
What is the third most common asbestos but rare - Answer -Crocidolite (blue asbestos)
Na Fe [SiO3] 2H3O
,What to amphibole fibers used commercially are extremely hazardous - Answer -
Amosite and crocidolite
What 6 diseases are associated with asbestos - Answer -Lung Cancer, Stomach
Cancer, Asbestosis, Mesothelioma
and Colon-Rectal Cancer
What does asbestos cause in the lungs - Answer -Bronchogenic carcinoma
What is asbestosis - Answer -A pneumoconiosis a diffuse, interstitial, non-malignant
scarring of the lungs often goes un-noticed occurs from high exposures
What is Dyspnea? - Answer -Undue shortness of breath, asbestos-related
What is Rales? - Answer -Crackling sounds heard when heart is listened to via
stethoscope
Related to asbestos
What is finger clubbing related to? - Answer -Asbestos
How are we exposed to asbestos - Answer -Air, water, soil, food and occupational
What are some uses of asbestos - Answer -Shingles, thermal system insulation,
brake/clutch lining, water pipes
siding, cement filler, wire insulation, spray-on acoustical material
and vinyl flooring
What to do with asbestos - Answer -Leave it alone. repair, encapsulate, enclose and
remove
When is asbestos a hazard - Answer -When it is "friable"
When it will be disturbed
When it is located in areas that may be disturbed by children
Prior to demolition/renovation projects
Two types of asbestos containing materials - Answer -Friable
Non-Friable
Friable - Answer -Can be crumbled, pulverized or reduced to powder by hand pressure.
Non-friable - Answer -Cannot be crumbled, pulverized or reduce to powder by hand
pressure.
Asbestos is heat resistant from what degree Celsius - Answer -500 - 1500 degrees
Celsius
,Specific work activities that disturb the make-up of asbestos materials: - Answer -(a)
Punching
(b) Grinding
(c) Sanding
(d) Machining
What does Normal deterioration of Asbestos mean? - Answer -Asbestos fibers are
released into the air. The loosely bound fibers are pulverized or easily crumbled
creating microscopic contaminants that have been identified as a health hazard
What is Malignant Mesothelioma - Answer -Tumor which lines the chest and abdomina
cavity
(also) Suspected to also cause cancer of GI tract
Asbestos Exposure Limits - Answer -(1) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL).
(a) 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc) of air, calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted
average (TWA) exposure
Describe the fibers found in the serpentine type asbestos group - Answer -Fibers in the
serpentine group have a sheet or layered structure and curly fibers
Describe "chrysotile" fibers and how commonly they were used - Answer -Chrysotile
fibers are long, wavy and flexible. It is classfied under serpentine. Approx. 95% of all
asbestos used was chrysotile. It is still used in 90% of the asbestos application.
Describe amphibole fibers - Answer -Amphibile fibers are straight and have a chainlike
structure.
What specific properties make asbestos so useful? - Answer -they resist:
burning even at high temps.
breaking
corrosion
biological
and are very flexible
What main factor will determine ASM will be handled? - Answer -Its friability
What applications did friabable sprayed products have? - Answer -Acoustic or thermal
insulation on structural steel, hotels, and resturants. It was widely used until the 1970s
What are some early and advanced symptoms of asbestosis? - Answer -Early
sypmtoms include:
shortness of breathe after excerise
dry cough
generalized feeling of illness
, Advanced symptoms include
more sever shortness of breathe
coughing blood
recurrent respiratory infections
How does lung cancer develop with asbestos fibers? - Answer -Asbestos fibers trapped
in the lungs can trigger cancerous growth in lung tissue which will produce a tumour
limiting lung function
When does OHSA law require a Risk Assessment to be done? - Answer -Risk
assessments must be done prior to any demolition, alteration, or repair of any
machinery, equipment, or structures where asbestos-containing material may be
disturbed
What is the purpose of an OHSA Law required risk assessment? - Answer -To classify
any work activity related to asbestos as a low, moderate, or high risk activity.
What is involved in the first stage of a work activity related to asbestos? - Answer -The
first stage of an asbestos risk assessment involves evaluating parameters that are
indicative of the likelihood of worker exposure. The following parameters most
commonly looked at include:
Main parameters
accessibility
condition of asbestos containing material
firability
presence in return air plenum
precentage of asbestos content
Other parameters
extend of water damage
exposed friable surface area
activity and movement
What does phase two of risk assessment involve? - Answer -Eachof the parameters in
phase one will be given a score to indicate the potential for exposure. The scores will be
added to derive the overall risk factor which will be used to prioritize and control
abatement.
How often should asbesto contaminent and decontaminent facilty rooms be checked?
How would airflow be checked? - Answer -They should be checked daily for gaps or
breaks in contaminent. air flow areas also need to be checked to ensure clean and clear
of any contaminent. visual checks are often done along with smoke tubes and pressure
differentials.
How many air samples are required in a site that has asbestos? - Answer -Air sampling
must be done daily to determine effectiveness of controls.
