22 Infection Control & Safety Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. A stylist scrubs hair clippings and product residue off her shears with liquid soap and warm running water. Which level of decontamination has she performed?

   • A.Sterilization
   • B.Disinfection
   • C.Antisepsis
   • D.Cleaning✓ Answer

   Cleaning (sanitizing) is the lowest of the three levels of decontamination: it physically removes visible debris, oils and some microbes with detergent and water, but it does not kill most pathogens. It is a required first step because a disinfectant cannot reach organisms hidden under soil, but it is never a substitute for disinfection.

   Source: NIC Cosmetology Candidate Information Bulletin, Domain I.A.2 (levels of decontamination); Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed., Infection Control chapterReport a problem with this question

2. 2. What is the highest level of decontamination that is required — and realistically achievable — for multi-use implements in a licensed salon?

   • A.Sterilization in an autoclave
   • B.Storage in an ultraviolet (UV) cabinet
   • C.Sanitizing with soap and water only
   • D.Disinfection with an EPA-registered disinfectant✓ Answer

   Disinfection is the standard for salons: an EPA-registered disinfectant kills most pathogens (though not bacterial spores) on hard, nonporous surfaces. Sterilization is a medical-level process that salons are not equipped to validate, and cleaning alone leaves pathogens behind, so disinfection is the level state boards require for reusable implements.

   Source: NIC Cosmetology CIB, Domain I.A.2; CDC Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization (Spaulding classification)Report a problem with this question

3. 3. Which statement about sterilization is accurate?

   • A.It destroys all microbial life, including bacterial spores, and normally requires an autoclave that is periodically spore-tested✓ Answer
   • B.It simply removes visible debris from an implement
   • C.It is achieved by wiping an implement with 70% alcohol
   • D.It is achieved by a 10-minute immersion in a quaternary ammonium solution

   Sterilization is defined by the destruction of all microbial life, including highly resistant bacterial spores such as those of tetanus and anthrax. Only pressurized steam (autoclave) or validated dry heat achieves that, and the autoclave's performance must be confirmed with biological (spore) indicators — chemical disinfectants and alcohol cannot kill spores, which is exactly why disinfection is not sterilization.

   Source: CDC Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities (definition of sterilization; biological monitoring); Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed.Report a problem with this question

4. 4. A salon keeps metal implements in an ultraviolet (UV) cabinet. Under accepted infection-control standards, what is that cabinet actually for?

   • A.It disinfects the implements and replaces the need for a chemical disinfectant
   • B.It sterilizes the implements, so they may be reused immediately
   • C.It is only a clean, dry storage container for implements that have already been cleaned and disinfected✓ Answer
   • D.It cleans debris from the implements without soap and water

   UV cabinets are dry storage units, not disinfection devices: the light does not penetrate shadowed surfaces, crevices or any soil on the implement, and the units are not EPA-registered as disinfectants. Implements must be cleaned and chemically disinfected first, then stored in a covered, labeled clean container — a UV cabinet only serves as that storage.

   Source: Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed., Infection Control chapter (UV units as storage); EPA antimicrobial pesticide registration requirement under FIFRAReport a problem with this question

5. 5. Why must an implement be cleaned with soap and water before it is placed in disinfectant solution?

   • A.Because soap and water kill the bacterial spores that the disinfectant cannot kill
   • B.Because an implement must be wet before it can be immersed
   • C.Because visible debris, oil and product residue shield microorganisms and inactivate the disinfectant, so a soiled implement cannot be reliably disinfected✓ Answer
   • D.Because cleaning shortens the required contact time to a few seconds

   Organic soil physically blocks the disinfectant from contacting microorganisms and chemically neutralizes many active ingredients, especially quats. Because the disinfectant's registered efficacy data assume a pre-cleaned surface, skipping cleaning voids the label claim, and cleaning is therefore mandatory — never optional — before immersion.

   Source: EPA/FIFRA label use directions; Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed. (cleaning must precede disinfection)Report a problem with this question

6. 6. A nail technician has used an emery board and a foam buffer block on one client. What must be done with them?

   • A.Immerse them in disinfectant for 10 minutes and reuse them
   • B.Wipe them with 70% alcohol and return them to the drawer
   • C.Place them in a UV cabinet until the next client
   • D.Discard both, because porous single-use items cannot be disinfected✓ Answer

   Emery boards and foam buffers are porous and absorbent, so blood, skin cells and microbes penetrate below the surface where a disinfectant cannot reach or be verified. The governing rule is that anything that cannot be fully immersed and effectively disinfected is single-use and must be discarded after one client.

   Source: NIC Cosmetology CIB, Domain I.A.3 (single-use vs. multi-use items); Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed.Report a problem with this question

7. 7. Which of the following may be used on another client after it has been cleaned and fully immersed in an EPA-registered disinfectant for the required contact time?

   • A.A wooden orangewood stick
   • B.A paper neck strip
   • C.A stainless-steel cuticle nipper✓ Answer
   • D.A cotton ball

   Only hard, nonporous items can be cleaned and disinfected, and stainless steel qualifies because its surface will not absorb blood or tissue. Wooden sticks, cotton and paper neck strips are porous or absorbent, so they are single-use and go in the trash immediately after the service.

   Source: NIC Cosmetology CIB, Domain I.A.3; Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed. (multi-use implements must be nonporous)Report a problem with this question

8. 8. An esthetician has applied wax to a client's brow with a wooden applicator and needs more wax. What is the correct practice?

   • A.Wipe the applicator on a clean towel before re-dipping it
   • B.Discard the applicator once it has touched the client's skin and use a new one — never double-dip✓ Answer
   • C.Dip the same applicator back into the pot, since it is being used on the same client
   • D.Spray the applicator with disinfectant between dips

   A used applicator carries skin flora, and possibly blood or lymph, back into the wax, contaminating the entire pot for every client who follows. The wax and the pot cannot be disinfected, and wooden applicators are porous single-use items, so a fresh stick is required for each dip.

   Source: Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed. (no double-dipping; single-use applicators); NIC CIB Domain I.A.3Report a problem with this question

9. 9. A disinfectant used on salon implements must be EPA-registered, and its label must state at minimum that the product is:

   • A.Sporicidal, meaning it destroys bacterial spores
   • B.Bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal✓ Answer
   • C.Hypoallergenic and biodegradable
   • D.Antiseptic and deodorizing

   Because the EPA requires a manufacturer to submit efficacy data for every organism claimed, the label claim is the legal proof of what the product actually kills — so a salon disinfectant must carry bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal claims to cover the pathogens encountered in services. Many states additionally require a tuberculocidal claim; antiseptics are for skin, not implements, and no practical salon disinfectant is sporicidal.

   Source: EPA antimicrobial pesticide registration under FIFRA (label efficacy claims); Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed. (disinfectant label requirements)Report a problem with this question

10. 10. What does a tuberculocidal claim on a disinfectant label tell the user?

    • A.The product has proven efficacy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a highly resistant organism, which places it at the intermediate level of disinfection✓ Answer
    • B.The product is gentle enough to be applied to skin
    • C.The product may be used without cleaning the implement first
    • D.The product destroys bacterial spores

    The tubercle bacillus has a waxy cell wall that makes it unusually hard to kill, so it is used as a benchmark organism: a product that passes the TB test is classified as intermediate-level and is presumed effective against less resistant pathogens such as hepatitis B and C, HIV and enveloped viruses. It does not, however, kill bacterial spores, and it is a surface product, not a skin antiseptic.

    Source: CDC Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization (intermediate-level disinfection / tuberculocidal benchmark); EPA antimicrobial efficacy claimsReport a problem with this question

11. 11. How long should implements remain in an immersion disinfectant?

    • A.A minimum of 30 minutes for any disinfectant
    • B.Exactly 60 seconds, regardless of the product
    • C.For the full contact time printed on the manufacturer's label, remaining completely immersed the entire time✓ Answer
    • D.Until they look and feel clean

    Contact time is product-specific and was established by the efficacy testing the EPA accepted for that formulation, so only the label states it correctly; an implement that is partly exposed or removed early has not been disinfected. Under federal pesticide law, using a registered disinfectant in a manner inconsistent with its labeling — wrong dilution, short contact time, wrong surface — is a violation.

    Source: FIFRA, 7 U.S.C. 136j(a)(2)(G) (use inconsistent with labeling is unlawful); Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed.Report a problem with this question

12. 12. When preparing a diluted disinfectant solution from concentrate, which practice is correct?

    • A.Add the disinfectant concentrate to the water, wearing gloves and eye protection✓ Answer
    • B.Combine two different disinfectants so a wider range of organisms is killed
    • C.Estimate the amounts, since the dilution ratio is only a guideline
    • D.Pour the water into the concentrate slowly to control foaming

    Always add the disinfectant to the water: pouring water into a concentrate can cause splashing of an undiluted caustic chemical toward the face and hands, and PPE is required because concentrates can burn skin and eyes. Mixing products or guessing at the ratio destroys the registered efficacy and can create hazardous reactions, and every secondary container must be labeled with the product name and dilution.

    Source: Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed. (safe handling of disinfectants); OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200(f) (secondary container labeling)Report a problem with this question

13. 13. How often must the solution in a disinfectant immersion container be replaced?

    • A.Only when the level drops because of evaporation
    • B.Once a week
    • C.Once a month
    • D.At least every 24 hours, and immediately whenever it becomes cloudy, dirty or contaminated✓ Answer

    Active ingredients degrade over time and are consumed by organic debris carried in on implements, so a solution older than 24 hours can no longer be assumed to meet its label efficacy. Visible cloudiness or soil means the disinfectant is already spent and must be discarded and remade at once — implements should also be lifted out with tongs, a basket or gloved hands rather than bare fingers.

    Source: Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed. (disinfectant solution changed at least every 24 hours or when visibly contaminated)Report a problem with this question

14. 14. Which federal agency reviews efficacy data and registers the disinfectants used in salons?

    • A.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)✓ Answer
    • B.The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
    • C.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
    • D.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

    Disinfectants are legally antimicrobial pesticides, so under FIFRA they cannot be sold in the United States until the EPA reviews the manufacturer's efficacy data and issues a registration number. Keep the division of labor straight: the EPA registers disinfectant products, OSHA protects employees, the FDA regulates cosmetics and medical devices, the CDC issues non-regulatory guidance, and the state board enforces day-to-day salon sanitation rules.

    Source: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.; EPA antimicrobial pesticide registration programReport a problem with this question

15. 15. Which statement about OSHA is accurate?

    • A.It issues cosmetology licenses and inspects salons for sanitation violations
    • B.It publishes voluntary infection-control guidance but has no enforcement authority
    • C.It is part of the U.S. Department of Labor and sets workplace safety standards, including the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030✓ Answer
    • D.It is part of the Department of Health and Human Services and registers salon disinfectants

    OSHA sits in the Department of Labor and enforces employee safety, including the employee right-to-know and the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, which requires an exposure control plan, universal precautions, employer-paid PPE, training at hire and at least annually, and free hepatitis B vaccination for employees with occupational exposure. Registering disinfectants belongs to the EPA, licensing belongs to the state board, and non-binding guidance comes from the CDC.

    Source: Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA within the U.S. Department of Labor); 29 CFR 1910.1030Report a problem with this question

16. 16. Under the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, what must a salon keep on hand for every hazardous chemical product it stores or uses?

    • A.An EPA establishment license issued to the salon
    • B.Written approval from a physician
    • C.The original purchase receipt
    • D.A current Safety Data Sheet (SDS), kept readily accessible to employees✓ Answer

    The Hazard Communication Standard is built on the employee right to know: manufacturers must supply an SDS for each hazardous product, and the employer must maintain those sheets where workers can reach them during every shift. The SDS has 16 standardized sections covering ingredients, hazards, safe handling and storage, first aid, required PPE and disposal, and the document was renamed from MSDS to SDS when the standard was aligned with the Globally Harmonized System.

    Source: OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200(g) (safety data sheets; 16-section format)Report a problem with this question

17. 17. While cutting hair you accidentally nick the client's ear and it begins to bleed. What is your FIRST action?

    • A.Apply an adhesive bandage to the ear before doing anything else
    • B.Clean and disinfect the shears before touching the client
    • C.Finish the haircut quickly and then treat the injury
    • D.Stop the service immediately and, after hand hygiene, put on gloves before touching the wound✓ Answer

    Universal precautions require that the service stop and a barrier go on before any contact with blood, because the practitioner must never touch another person's blood with bare hands. The standard order is stop the service, sanitize hands and glove, retrieve first-aid supplies, wipe the area with antiseptic, apply the bandage, discard the contaminated single-use items, then clean and disinfect anything the blood touched before resuming.

    Source: 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(1) (universal precautions) and (d)(3) (PPE); NIC practical examination blood-exposure procedureReport a problem with this question

18. 18. The shears used in that haircut came into contact with the client's blood. After the client is bandaged, what must be done with the shears?

    • A.Store them in a UV cabinet overnight
    • B.Rinse them under hot running water and keep working
    • C.Wipe them with a clean towel and put them away
    • D.Clean them, then disinfect them with an EPA-registered disinfectant carrying a tuberculocidal or HBV/HIV claim — or discard the item if it cannot be disinfected✓ Answer

    Blood-contaminated equipment must be decontaminated with a disinfectant proven effective against bloodborne pathogens, and a tuberculocidal or HBV/HIV claim is the label evidence of that efficacy; rinsing or wiping leaves infectious virus behind, and HBV can survive on a surface for days. A porous or non-immersible item that contacted blood is discarded instead, and a used razor blade goes straight into a closable, puncture-resistant sharps container.

    Source: 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(ii) (decontamination of contaminated equipment) and (d)(4)(iii)(A) (sharps containers); EPA-registered disinfectants with HBV/HIV or tuberculocidal claimsReport a problem with this question

19. 19. Universal (standard) precautions require that a cosmetologist:

    • A.Treat the blood and body fluids of every client as if they were infectious, regardless of what the client discloses✓ Answer
    • B.Refuse service to any client known to have hepatitis or HIV
    • C.Use gloves and extra precautions only for clients who look ill
    • D.Ask every client to disclose any bloodborne illness before the service begins

    Universal precautions exist because infection status cannot be seen and is often unknown even to the carrier, so screening or judging by appearance is unreliable and would still leave the practitioner exposed. Applying the same barrier practices — gloves, hand hygiene, safe sharps handling, disinfection of contaminated surfaces — to every client protects both parties and avoids discriminatory refusal of service.

    Source: 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(1) (universal precautions); Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed.Report a problem with this question

20. 20. Which bacteria grow in grape-like clusters and are the pus-forming organisms behind abscesses and MRSA infections?

    • A.Streptococci
    • B.Diplococci
    • C.Bacilli
    • D.Staphylococci✓ Answer

    Cocci are round bacteria classified by how they group: staphylococci form grape-like clusters and cause pus-forming conditions such as boils, abscesses and MRSA, streptococci form chains and cause strep throat and blood poisoning, and diplococci occur in pairs and cause pneumonia. Bacilli are rod-shaped rather than round and are the most common disease producers, causing tetanus, tuberculosis and typhoid.

    Source: Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed., Infection Control chapter (classification of pathogenic bacteria); NIC CIB Domain I.A.1Report a problem with this question

21. 21. Comparing hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV in a salon setting, which statement is correct?

    • A.Neither virus can be transmitted by a contaminated implement
    • B.Both viruses are destroyed by the antibiotics used in salon products
    • C.HIV survives longer on surfaces than HBV, and a vaccine is available for HIV
    • D.HBV is far more durable outside the body and is transmitted more easily by a small amount of blood, and a vaccine exists for HBV but not for HIV✓ Answer

    HBV is the greater occupational risk in a salon because it remains infectious in dried blood on a surface for days and requires a much smaller inoculum than HIV, which is fragile outside the body. A safe, effective hepatitis B vaccine exists and OSHA requires employers to offer it free to employees with occupational exposure, while no HIV vaccine exists; antibiotics act on bacteria, not viruses, so neither is affected by them.

    Source: 29 CFR 1910.1030(f)(2) (hepatitis B vaccination offered at no cost); CDC bloodborne pathogen fact sheets (HBV survival in dried blood)Report a problem with this question

22. 22. A client arrives with round, scaly, itchy patches of hair loss on the scalp consistent with tinea capitis (ringworm). What should the cosmetologist do?

    • A.Tell the client it is ringworm and recommend an antifungal cream
    • B.Perform the service and simply disinfect the implements afterward
    • C.Shampoo the scalp with a medicated shampoo and continue the service
    • D.Politely decline the service and refer the client to a physician✓ Answer

    Tinea capitis is a contagious fungal infection of the skin and hair, so performing a service risks spreading it to the practitioner, the implements and later clients. A cosmetologist's scope of practice does not include diagnosing, naming or treating any disease or disorder, so the correct response — as with head lice, scabies, open sores or an inflamed, discolored nail — is to decline the service without stating a diagnosis and refer the client to a physician.

    Source: Milady Standard Cosmetology, 14th ed. (contraindications and scope of practice; fungal infections and infestations); NIC CIB Domain I.A.1Report a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the NIC national cosmetology theory content outline and standard salon science. Not affiliated with NIC, PSI, or any state board. Your state may add state-law and practical content — check your board's requirements before testing. About NIC exams →