Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Model Lead Based Paint Risk Assessor Practice Test

When should a field blank be obtained?

1. During lead hazard assessments

2. When lead-based paint is not suspected

3. When lead-based paint remains or is suspected

4. After decontamination

The correct answer is: When lead-based paint remains or is suspected

A field blank should be obtained when lead-based paint is suspected or remains in a setting being assessed. The purpose of a field blank is to ensure that any contamination in the samples is not due to the sampling process itself. This means that you want to confirm that the results you obtain are due to the presence of lead and not the result of contamination from equipment, the environment, or handling. In situations where lead-based paint is suspected or present, collecting a field blank helps establish a baseline for environmental contamination. This practice provides critical data to determine whether lead exposure levels are naturally occurring or a result of sampling and testing activities. Therefore, incorporating this step into the assessment protocol is essential to ensure accuracy and reliability in the results. Obtaining field blanks is not necessary when lead-based paint is not suspected, as there wouldn’t be valid reasons to assess for potential contamination from sampling in such scenarios. Moreover, collecting field blanks after decontamination would not capture the environmental conditions prior to the decontamination process, thus undermining the purpose of the assessment.