Pass the AHA AHA-CC CHFM Questions and answers with CertsForce

In healthcare facility maintenance, institutional standards are established to improve consistency, reliability, and efficiency in operations. Ball valves are often chosen over gate valves because they are available in standardized sizes, have fewer variations, and simplify inventory management. This allows facility departments to reduce the number of spare parts stocked and streamline repairs. The CHFM exam reference materials, including ASHE/AHA guidelines, highlight that “ease of inventory control and standardization” is a common justification for selecting one type of valve as a facility standard.

Per NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, 18 inches of clearance must be maintained below sprinkler deflectors to ensure proper spray pattern and fire suppression coverage.

C. 18 (Correct).

Less than 18 inches (12 or 15) is insufficient clearance.

More than 18 (24 inches) exceeds the standard, not required.

The Safety and Security Management Plan under TJC’s Environment of Care standards requires healthcare facilities to regularly inspect buildings, facilities, and grounds to identify unsafe conditions and security risks.

C. Safety and Security Management (Correct): Includes hazard surveillance rounds.

A. Utilities Management: Focuses on utility systems operation and maintenance.

B. Hazardous Materials Management: Covers handling/storage/disposal of hazardous substances.

D. Fire Safety Management: Addresses fire protection systems and procedures, not general hazard inspection.

When fire protection systems (sprinklers, alarms) are impaired during construction, Interim Life Safety Measures (ILSM) must be implemented to maintain safety. These include fire watch, additional training, and temporary compensating measures.

B. ILSM (Correct): Required under TJC and NFPA 101 during impairments.

A. ICRA (Infection Control Risk Assessment): Applies to infection risk during construction, not fire protection.

C. PASS (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep): Fire extinguisher operation technique.

D. RACE (Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish): Emergency fire response procedure.

NFPA 25 (2011), Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, specifies that a fire pump flow test must be performed annually. This ensures that the pump delivers adequate flow and pressure under actual operating conditions. Weekly no-flow (churn) tests are also required, but full-flow condition testing is mandated at least once per year.

EPA and OSHA define regulated medical waste (RMW) as waste that is saturated or dripping with blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM).

B. Blood-saturated gauze (Correct): Meets the definition of RMW.

A. Fluorescent bulbs: Considered hazardous universal waste (mercury), not RMW.

C. Urine-soaked pads: Not classified as RMW unless visibly contaminated with blood.

D. Home-use sharps: Not regulated by EPA as medical waste from households.

The requirement for Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) planning is specifically mandated under Federal Regulations 40 CFR Part 112, under the Clean Water Act (Oil Pollution Act amendments). Facilities with aboveground storage exceeding 1,320 gallons or underground storage over 42,000 gallons must develop and implement an SPCC plan to prevent oil discharges into navigable waters.

Correct Answer (A): Federal 40 CFR Part 112 establishes the threshold quantities and program requirements.

B (Joint Commission): TJC standards govern utility management but do not set SPCC requirements.

C (OSHA 1926.153): This regulation applies to liquefied petroleum gas safety, not petroleum or oil spill prevention.

D (NFPA 430): Governs oxidizers, not oil storage or spill prevention.

NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code) requires that on-call sleep rooms provided in healthcare facilities must be protected by single-station smoke alarms or an automatic smoke detection system. This requirement ensures early warning for occupants who may be sleeping and unable to respond as quickly in an emergency.

B: Rated doors may be required in certain hazardous areas but are not the mandated feature for on-call sleep rooms.

C: Emergency call buttons are part of patient care areas, not sleep rooms.

D: Bathrooms are not required by Life Safety Code in on-call rooms.

When Alternate B is chosen, total price = Base Bid + price for Alternate B (or zero if “Included”).

A: Not available → cannot be selected.

B: $20,000 + Included ($0) = $20,000.

C: $19,000 + $500 = $19,500.

D: $19,000 + $1,000 = $20,000.

Lowest total = $19,500 (Company C).

CMS Condition of Participation 482.41(c)(2) requires hospitals to ensure that elevator equipment is routinely inspected, tested, and maintained. Appendix A to this regulation clarifies that documentation of these three elements demonstrates compliance.

Correct (C): Maintenance – Inspections and testing alone are insufficient; ongoing maintenance must be documented.

Incorrect:

A. recalls: Not part of CMS 482.41(c)(2).

B. cleaning: While important, cleaning is not listed as a compliance requirement.

D. repairs: Only performed when problems are found; maintenance is the proactive required element.