Florida General Contractor Exam — All Questions
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Under OSHA construction standards, at what height above a lower level does fall protection generally become required for workers on a construction site?
- a.2 feet
- b.4 feet
- c.6 feet✓
- d.20 feet
OSHA's construction fall-protection rule (29 CFR 1926.501) generally requires protection — such as guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall-arrest systems — when a worker is exposed to a fall of 6 feet or more to a lower level. (Note the general-industry trigger is 4 feet, but on construction sites the 6-foot rule applies.) Falls are consistently a leading cause of construction fatalities, which is why this threshold is heavily tested and enforced.
According to the hierarchy of controls, which method of protecting workers from a hazard is MOST effective and should be considered first?
- a.Eliminating the hazard entirely✓
- b.Providing personal protective equipment (PPE)
- c.Posting a warning sign
- d.Writing the hazard into a safety manual
The hierarchy of controls ranks protections from most to least effective: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and finally PPE. Removing the hazard entirely is best because it does not depend on worker behavior or equipment holding up. PPE is the last line of defense — it only reduces exposure and relies on correct, consistent use, so it is the least reliable control on its own.
OSHA requires that a trench or excavation be protected by sloping, shoring, or a protective (trench) box once it reaches what depth?
- a.3 feet
- b.5 feet✓
- c.10 feet
- d.15 feet
Under OSHA's excavation standard (29 CFR 1926.652), a protective system — sloping/benching, shoring, or a trench box (shield) — is generally required for trenches 5 feet deep or greater (unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock). A registered professional engineer must design protection for trenches deeper than 20 feet. Cave-ins are frequently fatal, so a competent person must inspect excavations daily.
Who is responsible for providing a safe workplace and requiring the use of appropriate personal protective equipment on a job site?
- a.Only the individual workers themselves
- b.Only the equipment manufacturer
- c.Only OSHA inspectors
- d.The employer✓
Under the OSH Act's General Duty Clause and OSHA standards, the employer has the primary legal duty to furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards, to assess the job for hazards, and to provide and require appropriate PPE (often at no cost to the employee). Workers must follow safety rules and use provided equipment, but the core obligation to create a safe workplace rests with the employer.