Industrial Hazards – Mechanical MCQs With Answer

Industrial Hazards – Mechanical MCQs With Answer

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Introduction:

This collection of MCQs on Industrial Hazards – Mechanical is designed specifically for M.Pharm students studying MIP 202T – Scale Up & Technology Transfer. It focuses on mechanical risks encountered during pharmaceutical scale-up, equipment selection, installation, operation and maintenance. The questions cover rotating equipment, moving parts, stored energy, conveyors, pressure systems, LOTO, guards, interlocks, and safe work practices. These items emphasize hazard recognition, prevention measures, regulatory expectations and practical engineering controls you must consider during technology transfer and pilot-to-commercial transitions. Use these MCQs to test and deepen your understanding of mechanical hazards and to prepare for safe, compliant process scale-up.

Q1. Which of the following is the primary function of a physical machine guard on rotating pharmaceutical equipment?

  • To improve heat dissipation from the motor
  • To prevent contact and control access to hazardous moving parts
  • To reduce electrical consumption during operation
  • To increase sampling frequency without stopping equipment

Correct Answer: To prevent contact and control access to hazardous moving parts

Q2. What is the main hazard associated with exposed belt and pulley systems during tablet press operation?

  • Excessive electromagnetic interference
  • Pinch points and entanglement of clothing or hair
  • Generation of toxic vapors
  • Battery leakage causing corrosion

Correct Answer: Pinch points and entanglement of clothing or hair

Q3. Which control is most effective for eliminating the risk from a rotating shaft during maintenance?

  • Posting additional warning signs near the shaft
  • Using temporary barriers while working
  • Implementing Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) to isolate energy sources
  • Wearing multiple layers of gloves

Correct Answer: Implementing Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) to isolate energy sources

Q4. In scale-up of mixing vessels, which mechanical hazard is increased if baffles or agitator guards are removed to enhance cleaning access?

  • Improved sample homogeneity
  • Increased risk of operator contact with rotating agitator
  • Reduced noise levels
  • Decreased power consumption

Correct Answer: Increased risk of operator contact with rotating agitator

Q5. Which statement best describes a “nip point” hazard on screw conveyors used for powder transfer?

  • A point where electrical cables are bundled
  • The location where two rotating parts move toward each other creating an entrapment risk
  • A region of low pressure that prevents flow
  • A temperature gradient causing product degradation

Correct Answer: The location where two rotating parts move toward each other creating an entrapment risk

Q6. What is the key mechanical hazard when using overhead cranes to move stainless steel vessels during installation?

  • Exposure to ultraviolet radiation
  • Drop or uncontrolled release of the load due to inadequate rigging
  • Loss of formulation potency
  • Generation of abrasive dust

Correct Answer: Drop or uncontrolled release of the load due to inadequate rigging

Q7. During autoclave operations, what mechanical hazard can arise from an improperly secured door hinge?

  • Increased sterilization efficacy
  • Sudden door release causing crush or impact injuries
  • Improved steam flow distribution
  • Lowered vacuum efficiency

Correct Answer: Sudden door release causing crush or impact injuries

Q8. Which protective measure reduces entanglement risk around rotating shafts on capsule filling machines?

  • Using open-design guards for visual inspection
  • Installing fixed or interlocked guards that prevent access while running
  • Applying oil to the shaft to reduce friction
  • Increasing operator proximity to monitor operations

Correct Answer: Installing fixed or interlocked guards that prevent access while running

Q9. What mechanical hazard is most directly associated with vacuum dryers if the chamber is structurally compromised?

  • Implosion leading to flying debris and pressure wave injuries
  • Excessive drying rates enhancing throughput
  • Improved thermal uniformity
  • Reduced operator noise exposure

Correct Answer: Implosion leading to flying debris and pressure wave injuries

Q10. Which engineering control is most appropriate to prevent ingress into a confined mixing vat during sampling?

  • Rely on two-person rule only
  • Install a secure access platform with guardrails and implement confined space entry procedures
  • Use adhesive tape over the access hatch
  • Increase illumination inside the vat

Correct Answer: Install a secure access platform with guardrails and implement confined space entry procedures

Q11. When performing equipment maintenance, which stored energy poses a mechanical hazard even after electrical power is shut off?

  • Residual chemical odor in the room
  • Compressed springs, hydraulics and pneumatic pressure
  • Leftover cleaning solution on surfaces
  • Ambient room temperature

Correct Answer: Compressed springs, hydraulics and pneumatic pressure

Q12. What is the primary mechanical hazard of dusty powder handling leading to secondary concerns?

  • Dust accumulation causing slip risk only
  • Agglomeration improving flowability
  • Dust layer buildup creating explosive dust cloud potential and mechanical abrasion equipment wear
  • Reduction in static electricity

Correct Answer: Dust layer buildup creating explosive dust cloud potential and mechanical abrasion equipment wear

Q13. Which maintenance approach reduces unexpected mechanical failures on granulators and reduces hazard exposure?

  • Reactive maintenance only after breakdown
  • Planned preventive maintenance with vibration and wear monitoring
  • Allowing operators to improvise repairs
  • Deferred lubrication until failure occurs

Correct Answer: Planned preventive maintenance with vibration and wear monitoring

Q14. For a scale-up gearbox driving a high-torque agitator, which hazard is introduced if proper alignment is not maintained?

  • Improved mixing uniformity
  • Excessive vibration, heat, premature bearing failure and possible shaft breakage
  • Reduced noise levels
  • Lower power draw at high speed

Correct Answer: Excessive vibration, heat, premature bearing failure and possible shaft breakage

Q15. Which device provides immediate machine stoppage to reduce mechanical injury risk and is required in many pharmaceutical plants?

  • Pressure relief valve
  • Emergency stop (e-stop) button that breaks power to hazardous motion
  • Timed sampling alarm
  • Background ventilation fan

Correct Answer: Emergency stop (e-stop) button that breaks power to hazardous motion

Q16. When transferring a process from pilot to commercial scale, what mechanical hazard often increases if throughput increases without redesign?

  • Decreased product yield only
  • Higher mechanical stress on equipment leading to fatigue failures and reduced guard effectiveness
  • Lower inventory turnover
  • Reduced cycle times with no safety impact

Correct Answer: Higher mechanical stress on equipment leading to fatigue failures and reduced guard effectiveness

Q17. Which practice is essential to safely isolate pneumatic equipment before maintenance?

  • Turning off the room lights
  • Depressurizing lines, locking out supply and venting residual air
  • Closing the nearest door
  • Increasing blower speed

Correct Answer: Depressurizing lines, locking out supply and venting residual air

Q18. What mechanical hazard is posed by inadequate guarding around a rotary tablet press feed hopper?

  • Improved sampling accuracy
  • Risk of hands or tools entering die area causing severe crush or amputation injuries
  • Stabilized powder flow
  • Lowered noise emissions

Correct Answer: Risk of hands or tools entering die area causing severe crush or amputation injuries

Q19. Which inspection practice helps detect early mechanical hazards such as loosened fasteners or worn guards?

  • Only conducting inspections after accidents
  • Routine pre-start checks and documented machine audits
  • Relying solely on operator memory
  • Performing visual checks once a year

Correct Answer: Routine pre-start checks and documented machine audits

Q20. In a technology transfer risk assessment, which mechanical hazard assessment tool identifies failure modes, their causes and effects on equipment safety?

  • Time-and-motion study only
  • Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
  • Product stability testing
  • Market demand forecasting

Correct Answer: Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

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