Which of the following is a key factor in designing a sampling plan?

• A. Office layout
• B. Objectives
• C. Lighting level
• D. Employee dress code

Answer: (B)

Clear objectives drive the design of a sampling plan. Knowing precisely what decision you need to support—such as determining if exposure exceeds a limit, estimating the average exposure, or comparing two processes—determines how many samples you need, where to take them, how long to sample, and which analyses to use. It also sets the acceptance criteria and guides how the data will be interpreted to reach a reliable conclusion. The other factors listed—office layout, lighting level, or employee dress code—don’t determine how you structure the sampling plan for exposure assessment; they may affect comfort or operations but not the fundamental design decisions for obtaining representative data.