To reduce contamination during a hazmat incident, what should you avoid doing while wearing CPC?

• A. Sitting or kneeling
• B. Running and shouting
• C. Removing PPE before decontamination
• D. Leaning against surfaces

Answer: (A)

Maintaining a protective barrier with chemical protective clothing means minimizing contact with potentially contaminated surfaces. Sitting or kneeling brings a large area of the suit into prolonged contact with the ground, which can transfer contaminants into folds, seams, or closures and can cause abrasion or tearing. This makes it harder to keep the CPC clean and can compromise decontamination effectiveness.

Other actions shift risk in different ways but don’t involve the same direct, extended ground contact. Running and shouting can undermine safety and control but isn’t the primary way contamination transfers. Leaning against surfaces still allows contact, but typically to a lesser extent than sitting or kneeling. And removing PPE before decontamination is a serious breach of protocol because it removes your protective barrier before decontamination is complete.