CDPH Lead Inspector/Assessor California State Practice Exam

How many field blanks should risk assessors submit for wipe sampling?

1. One for each property

2. Two for each property

3. Five for every 10 samples

4. Only one for all assessments

The correct answer is: One for each property

The correct choice indicates that risk assessors should submit one field blank for each property. This approach is essential in maintaining the integrity and reliability of sampling results. Each property can have unique conditions that may affect the presence of lead contaminants. By using a field blank for each individual property, assessors can accurately account for cross-contamination and ensure that the samples taken are reflective of the site's actual conditions. Field blanks help identify whether there has been any contamination during the collection process, serving as a control to compare against the actual wipe samples taken on-site. This is particularly important in lead assessments, where accurate data is crucial for assessing the risk and determining necessary remediation actions. Submitting one field blank per property allows for a thorough evaluation of contamination specific to that property, as opposed to using a single blank for multiple assessments, which could obscure specific findings linked to individual properties.