Construction Safety and OSHA Standards

Agency ensuring workplace safety

OSHA

Hazard Communication Standard (HCS)

Law regulating access to information about chemicals used in the workplace.

Employer chemical safety responsibility

Make standardized health and safety info available and train employees on finding it.

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) contents

Handling/storage options, recommended PPE, and health explanations.

Pictograms on chemical labels

False (they are enclosed in red diamonds, not blue circles).

Labels vs. SDS information level

False (they do not provide the exact same amount of information).

Law regulating chemical information access

The Hazard Communication Standard

Hand sanitizer vs. soap and water

False (hand sanitizer is not always just as adequate as washing with soap and water).

Pathogen survival in dried blood

Up to 3 weeks at room temperature on environmental surfaces.

Pandemic safety measures in construction

Modify work schedules, limit tool sharing, and conduct temperature checks (All of the above).

Minimum handwashing time

At least 20 seconds.

Definition of a pathogen

Any microorganism that causes disease.

Exposure incident definition

Direct contact with someone else's blood, body fluid, or potentially infectious material.

OSHA distance rule for first aid and eyewash

True (employees must not have to travel too far).

Classes of first aid kits

Multiple classes exist under ANSI/OSHA standards (Class A and Class B).

Most common type of eyewash station

Plumbed eyewash stations using tap water from municipal lines (True).

Primary goals of first aid

Caring for life-threatening situations, protecting victim, and arranging medical transportation (All of the above).

ANSI role

Oversees development of voluntary consensus standards in the US (True).

Action during an unsafe accident scene

False (ensure the scene is safe before taking action to help victims).

Ladder weight limitation

Refers to TOTAL weight of the individual PLUS anything on the person (True).

Scaffold problems

Loads too heavy, falling objects, poor planning for assembly/disassembly (All of the above).

OSHA's Focus Four

Helps understand major construction hazards and responsibilities (True).

Purpose of personal fall arrest system

Keep workers from falling.

Common causes of ladder falls

Overreaching, defective equipment, improper ladder selection (All of the above).

When NOT to use a ladder

If missing/broken, dented/bent metal, or marked 'Remove from service' (All of the above).

OSHA fall protection height requirement in construction

6 feet.

Major types of fall hazards in construction

Unprotected roof edges, improper scaffolds, unsafe portable ladders (All of the above).

Minimum height for toeboards

4 inches.

Ladder weight limitation scope

Yes, includes the weight of materials the worker is carrying.

Competent person designation

Required to identify hazardous conditions like soil stability (True).

Air quality testing

Trained staff must use OSHA-approved processes when air quality poses a threat (True).

Caught-in or caught-between hazards

Machinery pull-in, crushing between objects, and cave-ins (All of the above).

Benching in cave-in prevention

Sides of excavation formed into horizontal levels or steps.

Travel paths near loading/unloading

Should be planned to avoid catching workers between materials and equipment/walls (True).

Action during a cave-in

Move out if safe, dial 911, help co-workers if able (All of the above).

Struck-by vs. caught-in hazards

False (they are classified differently).

Strongest rope material

False (sisal is not the strongest; synthetic fibers like nylon are stronger).

Weak rope materials

Manila / Sisal (natural fibers are generally weaker than synthetics).

Riding on a hand truck

False (never ride on a hand truck).

Struck-by hazards definition

Produced by forcible contact or impact between the injured person and an object or equipment.

Avoiding struck-by flying object hazards

Keep areas clear, secure material against wind, do not use damaged tools (All of the above).

Barriers for rotating equipment

Employers must erect barriers to mark danger zones (True).

Electrical insulators

Materials like wood and rubber that do not permit electricity to flow.

Assured Equipment Grounding Conductor Program

False (not all construction sites require this specific program if other GFCI rules are met).

Preventing electrical fires

Keeping the work area clean and tidy (True).

Ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs)

Switches that shut off electricity immediately when current flows outside the correct path.

Emergency power cutoff knowledge

Everyone should know how to cut power in an emergency (True).

Ground fault definition

When electricity travels outside an intended path.

Frequent causes of electrical injuries

Contact with power lines, improper equipment use, no ground-fault protection (All of the above).

Employer PPE responsibility

The employer is responsible for providing PPE (True).

Worker PPE maintenance responsibility

Workers are responsible for cleaning and maintaining their PPE (True).

Prescription eyewear for protection

False (regular prescription eyewear does not provide adequate protection).

Protective body clothing fit

False (clothing should fit properly, not be overly baggy to avoid caught-in hazards).

Gloves not helping against cuts/burns

Nitrile (compared to leather, aluminized, or aramid fiber).

Common physical hazards requiring PPE

Moving/falling objects, fluctuating temperatures, high-intensity lighting (All of the above).

ANSI-approved footwear

True (has protective toe and offers impact/compression protection).

Worker PPE responsibilities

Wearing PPE properly.

PPE training requirement

Supervisors must train workers before entering the work area (True).

Employee payment for PPE

False (employers must generally provide required PPE at no cost).

Common respiratory hazards in construction

Vapors, fogs, dusts (All of the above).

Air-purifying respirators air supply

False (they filter surrounding air, unlike supplied-air respirators).

Employer lung protection responsibility

True (employer has a responsibility to help protect lungs).

Two most common types of respirators

Air-purifying and supplied-air.

Action if sick/dizzy in a respirator

Tell your supervisor immediately.

Respirator fit test frequency

False (fit test is done periodically/annually, user seal check is done every time).

Harmful effects of VOCs

Irritate eyes/nose/throat, cause headaches/dizziness, worsen asthma (All of the above).

Confined spaces location

False (confined spaces can be above or below ground).

Engulfment potential definition

A person could be buried or smothered in the confined space (True).

Permit-required confined space characteristics

Hazardous atmosphere, engulfment potential, internal trapping design (All of the above).

Confined space attendants

Stationed outside to maintain contact with and monitor authorized entrants.

Confined space position location

May be above or below ground (True).

Training for risky confined spaces

Workers must be trained and equipped properly before entry (True).

Authorized confined space entry

False (only trained and authorized personnel may enter).

Fire extinguisher selection

False (always use the correct class of extinguisher for the specific fire type).

Fighting fires regardless of size

False (only fight small, incipient-stage fires).

Fire extinguisher extinguishing power duration

Around 10 seconds for a typical portable extinguisher.

Leading causes of construction site fires

Vapors/dust burning, smoking/matches, vandalism (All of the above).

Fire extinguisher training

Employees using extinguishers must be trained (True).

Assembly point definition

Predetermined location to quickly determine if anyone is missing (True).

Power tools and prescription medications

Avoid operating power tools if medications slow response time (True).

Removing machine guards

False (never remove machine guards during operation).

Liquid fuel-powered tools examples

Chain saws (and other gas-powered equipment).

Tool care importance

Tools need care to keep operating at peak efficiency (True).

Pneumatic tools power source

Compressed air.

Removing machine guards temporarily

False (machine guards must remain in place).

PPE for abrasive wheels

Eye protection (along with face shields and guards).

Defensive driving scope

Applies to all driving situations, at work or commuting (True).

Where most accidents occur

False (accidents occur in various conditions, not just high speeds/long distances).

Basic rules of defensive driving

Safe speeds, yield right of way, wear seatbelt (All of the above).

Seatbelt crash injury reduction

Reduces risk of crash injuries by 50 percent (True).

Four A's of effective defensive driving

Awareness, Analysis, Action (Arrogance is NOT one).

Commercial vehicle blind spots

No-zones.

Chronic back injuries duration

Usually last more than 3 months (True).

Back injury lasting over 3 months

Chronic.

Lifting heavy items preference

Use powered equipment when possible (True).

Soft tissue injuries impact

Cause lost time, lost income, and reduced productivity (True).

Loading a dolly

False (place heaviest items on the bottom for stability).

Lifting heavy object technique

False (bend at the knees, not the waist).

Mercury characteristics

Naturally occurring element found in air, water, soil; hazardous to humans (True).

C&D materials recycling benefit

Reduces material sent to landfills or combustion facilities (True).