CDPH Lead Inspector Exam: Study Guide & Practice Questions

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CDPH Lead Inspector / Assessor California State Exam

_Latest Update 2025

Atomic Symbol for Lead and origin Latin word?

.....ANSWER.....Pb; plumbum meaning "liquid silver"

What form of lead is mostly used in the United States?

.....ANSWER.....#1 Form: Lead Acid Batteries, #2 Form:

Ammunition, #3 Form: Paints & Coatings

Why is/was lead added to paint? .....ANSWER.....Durability.

Other qualities include: prevents mold growth & corrosion,

soundproofing, quick drying.

What is white lead? .....ANSWER.....Major form of lead used in

paint before 1950, it was the only white paint used in European

paintings until 19th century, heavy consistency, fastest drying

white paint.

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What does Presumed Lead-Based Paint refer to?

.....ANSWER.....Residential structures built prior to January 1,

1978/ also called Target Housing.

Supplied Air Respirators (SARs) must use what grade air and

what hose length? .....ANSWER.....Grade D Air (oxygen level

greater than or equal to 19.5% and less than or equal to

23.5%), hose must not exceed 300 feet in length.

When do you replace coveralls daily? When do you replace

them weekly? .....ANSWER.....Weekly replacement if exposed to

50 - 200 μg/m3. Daily Replacement if exposed to more than

200 μg/m3.

When are you required to wear a respirator?

.....ANSWER.....When an employee's exposure to lead exceeds

the PEL, work operations for which engineering controls and work

practices are not sufficient enough to reduce levels to below PEL,

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when an employee requests a respirator, and when respirators

are used for interim practices during trigger tasks.

EPA/HUD definition of Lead-Based Paint? .....ANSWER.....≥ 0.5%

by weight or ≥ 1.0 mg/cm2 or ≥ 5000 ppm

What year was the amount of lead that could be in certain

coatings restricted to a lead concentration of less than ≤ 0.06%

lead by weight (≤ 600 ppm) if the coating was applied to

surfaces that could be accessible to children/the public and who

by? .....ANSWER.....1978; Consumer Product Safety Commission.

What year was the allowable amount of lead further reduced if

applied to surfaces that could be accessible to children/the

public and what was it lowered to? .....ANSWER.....2009;

≤0.009% lead by weight (≤ 90ppm)

Who began phase out of lead gasoline for consumer use? What

year and what act officially banned it? .....ANSWER.....EPA;

1996 Clean Air Act.

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In October (what year), the U.S. Congress passed a LAW called

the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act also

known as ____. .....ANSWER.....1992, Tile X or Title 10.

Title X lists 6 situations where lead is a hazard, what are they?

.....ANSWER.....Lead dust from lead-based paint (1) which is

damaged or deteriorated, (2) on any friction surface, (3) on any

impact surface. (4) Lead-painted surfaces that a child could

chew. Lead-contaminated (5) dust anywhere in the home or (6)

soil that is above the acceptable standards set by the EPA.

When does the EPA/HUD Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule

(RRP) under the authority of the Toxic Substances Control Act

apply, and what year was it introduced/enforced?

.....ANSWER.....Addresses hazards caused by renovation, repair

and painting work activities in any residential housing or child-

occupied facility constructed before 1978 (target housing). It