Which is a component of risk management in the lab?

• A. Reducing ventilation
• B. Wearing personal protective equipment
• C. Ignoring alarms
• D. Increasing chemical inventory

Answer: (B)

In risk management for the lab, layering safety controls to reduce exposure is essential. Wearing personal protective equipment is one of those protective measures because it directly lowers the amount of hazardous material that can contact skin, eyes, or be inhaled. Proper PPE—gloves, goggles or face shield, lab coat, and, when necessary, respiratory protection—provides a barrier that helps keep exposure at or below acceptable levels even when other controls are in place.

This complements engineering controls like ventilation and fume hoods, administrative controls, and good practices. The other options would actually increase risk: reducing ventilation lowers air exchange and can raise inhalation exposure; ignoring alarms removes critical warnings that help prevent incidents; and increasing chemical inventory without additional controls raises the potential for spills or exposures. So, PPE stands out as a concrete, effective component of risk management in the lab.