CSLB C-16 Fire Protection (Trade Exam) — All Questions

A trench is 200 feet long and 4 feet wide, and the bedding is 6 inches deep under the pipe. How many cubic yards of bedding sand is that?

• a.400
• b.29.6
• c.3.7
• d.14.8✓

200 × 4 × 0.5 = 400 cubic feet, and 400 ÷ 27 = 14.8 cubic yards. The figure 400 is cubic feet, 29.6 uses a 12-inch depth, and 3.7 divides by 108.Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District FPS 9 (bedding)

A job needs 450 feet of 4-inch pipe and 36 feet of 6-inch pipe in 21-foot lengths. How many 4-inch lengths are bought?

• a.18
• b.23
• c.22✓
• d.21

450 ÷ 21 = 21.4, which rounds up to 22 because pipe is bought in whole lengths. Twenty-one rounds down and leaves the run short, 18 divides by 25, and 23 over-buys.Estimating arithmetic (whole units)

Which tape does the Sacramento standard require above buried pipe, and how high above it?

• a.Detectable blue tape, 3 inches wide, laid on the pipe
• b.Non-detectable blue tape, 3 inches wide, 12 inches above the pipe✓
• c.Detectable red tape, 6 inches wide, 24 inches above the pipe
• d.Non-detectable yellow tape, 2 inches wide, 6 inches above the pipe

The standard calls for a strand of non-detectable blue tape at least 3 inches wide, marked as a buried water line and placed 12 inches above all piping. Detectable blue tape laid on the pipe has the wrong type and the wrong position, because the metallic locator wire is what is taped on the pipe. Red tape 6 inches wide at 24 inches changes the color, width and depth. Yellow tape 2 inches wide at 6 inches changes the color and is narrower and shallower.Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District FPS 9

Direct cost is $150,000. What is the price with a 20% margin on selling price?

• a.$175,000
• b.$120,000
• c.$187,500✓
• d.$180,000

Price = 150,000 ÷ (1 − 0.20) = $187,500. Adding 20% to cost is markup and gives $180,000, subtracting 20% from cost gives $120,000, and $175,000 follows neither method.Estimating arithmetic (margin)

Direct cost is $90,000 with overhead at 15% of direct cost and profit at 10% of cost plus overhead. What is the price?

• a.$112,500
• b.$103,500
• c.$113,850✓
• d.$99,000

Overhead is $13,500, so cost plus overhead is $103,500, and profit of 10% on that is $10,350 for a price of $113,850. Adding both percentages to direct cost gives $112,500, overhead alone gives $103,500, and profit alone gives $99,000.Estimating arithmetic (markup)

A bid is $130,000 on a direct cost of $104,000. What is the markup on cost?

• a.25%✓
• b.20%
• c.26%
• d.30%

Markup = (130,000 - 104,000) / 104,000 = 25%. The 20% figure is the margin on price, 26,000 / 130,000. Neither 26% nor 30% comes from either division, because 26,000 is exactly one quarter of 104,000 and exactly one fifth of 130,000.Estimating arithmetic (markup and margin)

A bid is $130,000 on a direct cost of $104,000. What is the margin on selling price?

• a.20%✓
• b.25%
• c.80%
• d.26%

Margin = (130,000 - 104,000) / 130,000 = 20%. The 25% figure is the markup on cost, 80% is the cost share of price, and 26% is the profit in thousands of dollars read as a percentage, which matches no division.Estimating arithmetic (markup and margin)

A crew installs 24 sprinklers at 0.9 hours each, 90 feet of pipe at 0.2 hours per foot, and 10 hangers at 0.3 hours each. At $100 per hour, what is labor?

• a.$2,460
• b.$4,260✓
• c.$10,560
• d.$3,960

Hours = 21.6 + 18 + 3 = 42.6, and 42.6 × 100 = $4,260. Leaving out the hangers gives 39.6 hours and $3,960, leaving out the pipe gives 24.6 hours and $2,460, and charging every foot of pipe at the sprinkler's 0.9 hours gives 105.6 hours and $10,560.Estimating arithmetic (labor)

Pipe takeoff reads 318 feet and the estimator adds 8% for waste and cuts. How much is bought?

• a.343.4 feet✓
• b.292.6 feet
• c.349.8 feet
• d.326 feet

318 × 1.08 = 343.4 feet. Subtracting 8% gives 292.6, adding only 8 feet gives 326, and adding 10% gives 349.8.Estimating arithmetic (waste allowance)

What flow does the checklist give for flushing a 12-inch lead-in at 10 feet per second?

• a.2,440 gpm
• b.880 gpm
• c.3,520 gpm✓
• d.1,560 gpm

The checklists give 3,520 gpm for 12 inch pipe, 2,440 for 10 inch, 1,560 for 8 inch and 880 for 6 inch pipe.Idaho and Mercer Island acceptance checklists

A flush needs drainage for five minutes of flow per 100 feet of pipe at 1,560 gpm. For 300 feet of pipe, what volume must the drainage accept?

• a.468,000 gallons
• b.1,560 gallons
• c.7,800 gallons
• d.23,400 gallons✓

Five minutes of flow per 100 feet is 7,800 gallons, and 300 feet is three times that, 23,400 gallons. The figure 7,800 is only the first 100 feet, 468,000 is a mix-up of minutes and seconds, and 1,560 is one minute of flow.Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District FPS 9

Which tests should an estimate for a new dry system carry, beyond the overhead hydrostatic test?

• a.The elevator shunt trip test
• b.The 40 psi, 24-hour air test and the trip test✓
• c.The 24-hour hydrostatic test at 100 psi on the whole system
• d.A yearly repeat of the underground flush

Dry and double-interlock systems add a 40 psi air test for 24 hours and a trip test of the dry-pipe valve to the hydrostatic test. A 24-hour water test at 100 psi, an annual repeat of the flush and the elevator test are not part of acceptance.Idaho acceptance checklist and George Mason inspection guide

A tenant improvement will relocate 21 sprinklers on a wet system. What does the estimate add compared with moving 18?

• a.Shop drawings, calculations, and an isolated 200 psi test✓
• b.A replacement of the riser and its check valve
• c.A new fire department connection and signage
• d.A second underground flush with a new certificate and a replaced check valve

More than 20 sprinklers modified brings drawings, calculations and an isolated hydrostatic test, while 20 or fewer does not. A new riser, a new FDC and a second flush are not triggered by the count.UFC 3-600-01 and George Mason inspection guide

Which line item belongs in an underground estimate for a ductile iron main?

• a.Sprinkler escutcheons
• b.Preaction releasing panel
• c.Polyethylene encasement✓
• d.Air compressor and dryer

Ductile iron pipe and fittings are encased in polyethylene under the Sacramento standard, so encasement is a cost item. Escutcheons, a compressor and a releasing panel belong to the overhead system.Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District FPS 9

An estimator adds a locator wire line item. When is it needed?

• a.On every run of non-metallic underground pipe✓
• b.On each run of ductile iron underground pipe
• c.On pipe passing under a building
• d.On the short runs inside valve boxes

The locator wire is required on every run of non-metallic water pipe and stubbed up inside each valve box. It is not required on iron pipe, and it is not limited to under buildings or valve boxes.Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District FPS 9

A crew's flush must discharge to an approved location. Who obtains the approvals for release of water to the environment, according to the Sacramento standard?

• a.The applicant✓
• b.The water supplier
• c.The pipe manufacturer
• d.The fire department

The standard makes it the applicant's responsibility to obtain all necessary approvals before releasing water to the environment. The fire district, the water supplier and the pipe manufacturer are not assigned that duty.Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District FPS 9

A person must descend into a trench 5 feet 2 inches deep. What does Cal/OSHA require before work begins?

• a.A permit when 8 feet or deeper
• b.A permit within 10 feet of a roadway
• c.No permit when a shield is used
• d.A permit, since the trench is 5 feet or deeper✓

Title 8 section 341 requires a permit for trenches 5 feet or deeper that a person must descend into. The 8-foot and roadway conditions are not in the rule, and a shield is a protective system rather than a replacement for the permit.Title 8 section 341

Before excavation commences, what must the excavator have received from known owner-operators of subsurface installations?

• a.A written bid
• b.A positive response✓
• c.A signed work order
• d.A site map of their vaults

Excavation shall not commence until the area is marked and the excavator has received a positive response from all known owner-operators. A bid, a work order and a vault map are not what the rule requires.Title 8 section 1541

A soil has an unconfined compressive strength of 1.2 tsf and is not fissured or vibrated. How is it classified?

• a.Stable rock
• b.Type C
• c.Type B✓
• d.Type A

Type B is cohesive soil with strength greater than 0.5 but less than 1.5 tsf, so 1.2 tsf is Type B. Type A needs 1.5 tsf or more, Type C is 0.5 tsf or less, and stable rock is solid mineral material.Title 8 section 1541.1 Appendix A

A soil is cohesive with 0.4 tsf strength. How is it classified?

• a.Stable rock
• b.Type B
• c.Type A
• d.Type C✓

Type C is cohesive soil of 0.5 tsf or less. Type B needs more than 0.5 tsf, Type A needs 1.5 tsf or more, and stable rock is not soil.Title 8 section 1541.1 Appendix A

What is the maximum allowable slope, and its angle, for Type A soil in Appendix B?

• a.Vertical, 90 degrees
• b.3/4:1, 53 degrees✓
• c.1-1/2:1, 34 degrees
• d.1:1, 45 degrees

Appendix B gives 3/4:1 (53 degrees) for Type A, 1:1 (45 degrees) for Type B, 1-1/2:1 (34 degrees) for Type C and vertical for stable rock.Title 8 section 1541.1 Appendix B

A trench shield used in a compound excavation must extend how far above the vertical walls?

• a.At least 12 inches
• b.At least 18 inches✓
• c.At least 30 inches
• d.At least 6 inches

Title 8 section 1541.1 requires shield sides on compound excavations to extend a minimum of 18 inches above the vertical walls. The other figures are not the requirement.Title 8 section 1541.1(g)

Where does removal of a shoring system begin?

• a.At the top, progressing downward
• b.At either end, progressing inward
• c.At the middle, progressing outward
• d.At the bottom, progressing upward✓

Removal begins at, and progresses from, the bottom of the excavation, with backfilling progressing together, so the upper members keep supporting the walls while the lower ones come out. Starting at the top removes the support the lower members depend on. Starting at the ends and working inward leaves the middle of the run unsupported while the ends are open. Starting at the middle and working outward does the same to the sections beyond it.Title 8 section 1541.1(e)

At what interval does the Title 8 inspection rule require a competent person to inspect a trench?

• a.When a worker raises a concern
• b.Daily, and after every rain storm✓
• c.Weekly, and after each rain storm
• d.Monthly, and after rainfall over an inch

Inspections of excavations, adjacent areas and protective systems are made daily before work starts and as needed, and again after every rain storm or other hazard-increasing event. Inspecting only when a worker raises a concern leaves the check to chance, because the rule is not triggered by complaints. Weekly is too infrequent, even though it keeps the rain-storm trigger. Monthly with an inch-of-rain threshold invents both the interval and the rainfall figure.Title 8 section 1541(k)

What does a thrust block resist?

• a.Water hammer inside the fitting body
• b.Frost heave under the pipe in winter
• c.Pressure thrust at a bend, tee or dead end✓
• d.Settlement of the trench backfill over time

A thrust block resists the force of pressure acting on a fitting where the pipe changes direction or ends, equal to pressure times area. It is not for settlement, water hammer or frost heave.Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District FPS 9

Against what must a thrust block bear?

• a.The pipe barrel alone
• b.Loose backfill
• c.Undisturbed earth✓
• d.Compacted gravel bedding

Thrust blocks are placed between undisturbed earth and the fitting to be restrained. Loose backfill and bedding gravel do not provide the bearing, and the pipe barrel cannot resist the thrust.Moreno Valley Fire Department guideline

What pressure and soil bearing values does the Moreno Valley guideline use for thrust block tables?

• a.200 psi and 1,500 pounds per square foot✓
• b.150 psi and 3,000 pounds per square foot
• c.100 psi and 1,000 pounds per square foot
• d.250 psi and 2,000 pounds per square foot

The tables are calculated on 200 psi water pressure and 1,500 pounds per square foot soil bearing, unless a stamped soils report supports a different value. 150 psi and 3,000 pounds per square foot understate the test pressure and overstate the soil. 100 psi and 1,000 pounds per square foot understate the test pressure and treat the soil as weaker. 250 psi and 2,000 pounds per square foot are not the basis for either value.Moreno Valley Fire Department guideline

At 200 psi, what is the thrust at a dead end of a pipe with a 4-inch inside diameter?

• a.800 pounds
• b.2,513 pounds✓
• c.5,026 pounds
• d.12,566 pounds

Area = pi / 4 x 4 squared = 12.57 square inches, and 200 x 12.57 = 2,513 pounds. Eight hundred pounds multiplies pressure by the diameter, 200 x 4. Five thousand twenty-six pounds doubles the thrust. Twelve thousand five hundred sixty-six pounds uses 1,000 psi instead of 200 psi.Statics of pressure thrust

A 90-degree bend on a pipe with a 6.0-inch inside diameter is tested at 200 psi. What is the thrust?

• a.About 7,996 pounds✓
• b.About 4,326 pounds
• c.About 11,310 pounds
• d.About 5,655 pounds

Dead-end thrust is 200 × 28.27 = 5,655 pounds, and a 90-degree bend is 1.414 times that, 7,996 pounds. The 5,655 figure is the dead end, 4,326 is a 45-degree bend, and 11,310 doubles the dead-end value.Statics of pressure thrust

What test pressure applies to an underground main with a static pressure of 140 psi, under the Moreno Valley guideline?

• a.140 psi for 1 hour
• b.190 psi for 2 hours
• c.200 psi for 2 hours✓
• d.250 psi for 2 hours

The test is 200 psi or 50 psi above static, whichever is greater, for 2 hours, so at 140 psi static the second figure is 190 psi and 200 psi governs. Testing at 140 psi for 1 hour is only the static pressure and half the duration. 190 psi for 2 hours applies the plus-50 rule alone and ignores the 200 psi floor. 250 psi for 2 hours adds 110 psi to static, which the rule does not call for.Moreno Valley Fire Department guideline

What does the Sacramento standard say to use for a flush discharge?

• a.A full-diameter discharge with burlap strainers✓
• b.A closed-end test cap with a gauge on it
• c.A reducer to a 1-inch hose on the outlet
• d.A half-diameter nozzle left open to the street

The flush uses a full pipe diameter discharge with burlap sacks or equivalent to strain the hose outlets, until no foreign objects are found and the water is clear. A closed-end test cap with a gauge holds pressure and moves no water, so it cannot carry debris out. A reducer to a 1-inch hose cuts the flow far below flushing velocity. A half-diameter nozzle left open to the street also restricts the flow and sends unstrained debris onto the pavement.Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District FPS 9

How many appurtenances may be affected by shutting down any single point of a main, under the Moreno Valley guideline?

• a.Not more than 5✓
• b.Not more than 20
• c.Not more than 10
• d.Not more than 2

Sectional control valves are provided so that no more than 5 appurtenances are affected by a shutdown at any single point, counting each hydrant, riser and standpipe separately. Two would require far more valves than the rule asks for. Ten and 20 allow more of the system to be out of service than the guideline accepts.Moreno Valley Fire Department guideline

How many fire hydrants may be on one service lateral, in the federal criteria document?

• a.Not more than two✓
• b.Not more than six
• c.No limit
• d.Not more than four

The document allows not more than two fire hydrants on a service lateral. Four and six are more than the limit, and no limit at all would let one lateral serve many hydrants and leave all of them out of service in a single break.UFC 3-600-01 section 9-3

What is the clear space the fire code requires around a hydrant?

• a.3 feet around the circumference✓
• b.1 foot on the street side
• c.6 feet around the circumference
• d.10 feet in front of the large outlet

A 3-foot clear space shall be maintained around the circumference of fire hydrants. One foot on the street side only leaves the other sides blocked. Six feet around the circumference is wider than the code requires. Ten feet in front of the large outlet describes one direction only and is not the stated clearance.2025 CFC 507.5.5

How far from a hydrant may a portion of a building be before on-site hydrants and mains may be required, as measured along the access route?

• a.More than 800 feet
• b.More than 100 feet
• c.More than 150 feet
• d.More than 400 feet✓

Where a portion of the building is more than 400 feet from a hydrant on a fire apparatus access road, measured along an approved route around the exterior, on-site hydrants and mains are provided where required; 600 feet applies to sprinklered R-3 and U. Eight hundred feet is double the trigger. One hundred and 150 feet are much shorter than the trigger and would put on-site hydrants on nearly every building.2025 CFC 507.5.1

What height above grade does a Moreno Valley detail allow for the inlet of an FDC?

• a.36 to 72 inches
• b.24 to 30 inches
• c.18 to 48 inches✓
• d.6 to 12 inches

The detail says the connection's inlet height is no less than 18 inches or more than 48 inches above grade, matching the acceptance checklist range. The other ranges are not stated.Moreno Valley Fire Department guideline

What does a check valve on the FDC line prevent?

• a.Pumped water flowing back out through the supply✓
• b.Freezing from forming inside the connection
• c.Hose threads from loosening under load
• d.Air from entering the sprinkler piping

The check valve ensures water pumped in through the FDC goes into the system rather than back out the supply pipe. It does not address air, freezing or hose threads.Idaho State Fire Marshal acceptance checklist

Where does the FDC connect on a wet system with several risers?

• a.Before the main system shutoff valve
• b.After the main system shutoff valve✓
• c.On the discharge side of the fire pump
• d.Directly to each sprinkler branch line

For a wet multi-riser system the FDC connects after the main system shutoff valve, so the shutoff valve cannot cut off the water pumped in, and for a single wet riser it connects on the system side. Connecting before the shutoff valve would let closing that valve block the FDC supply. The discharge side of the fire pump is a pump connection, not an FDC connection. Connecting to each branch line would bypass the riser and its valves and alarms.Idaho State Fire Marshal acceptance checklist

What does the fire code require on every FDC serving sprinklers, standpipes or pump connections?

• a.A flashing blue beacon mounted on a pole
• b.A metal sign with raised letters 1 inch high✓
• c.A locked box with a spare key inside it
• d.A painted number on the pavement beside it

A metal sign with raised letters not less than 1 inch in size naming the system is mounted on FDCs. A beacon, a pavement number and a lock box are not required by that section.2025 CFC 912.5

How far from the curb must a Sacramento FDC be, unless on a building?

• a.At least 30 feet back from the curb
• b.Within 2 feet of the curb or back of walkway✓
• c.Within 12 feet of the curb or walkway
• d.Within 50 feet of the curb or walkway

The Sacramento standard places the FDC within 2 feet of the curb or back of walkway adjacent to a public street or fire lane, with an exception for FDCs on buildings. The other distances are not the rule.Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District FPS 1

A sprinkler's glass bulb has lost its liquid but is not visibly cracked. What does the manufacturer say?

• a.Do not install it, since liquid loss is a defect✓
• b.Install it, but in light hazard areas
• c.Install it, since an intact-looking bulb is acceptable
• d.Install it once the bulb has been dried off

The manufacturer says not to install a bulb-type sprinkler if the bulb is cracked or has lost liquid, and a small air bubble should be present when it is held horizontally. Installing it in light hazard areas only does not change that, because hazard class has no bearing on the defect. An intact-looking bulb is not enough when liquid is gone. Drying the bulb does not restore lost liquid.Manufacturer data sheet (Tyco TFP690)

What size air bubble should a good glass-bulb sprinkler show when held horizontally?

• a.Half the length of the bulb
• b.No bubble is present
• c.About 1/4 inch across✓
• d.About 1 inch across

A good bulb shows a small air bubble of approximately 1/4 inch when held horizontally. Half the length of the bulb is far larger than a normal bubble. No bubble means liquid has been lost, so it indicates a defect. One inch across is larger than the bulb's normal bubble.Manufacturer data sheet (Tyco TFP690)

A painted sprinkler is found at final inspection. What is the correct action?

• a.Scrape the paint off and keep it in service
• b.Replace it; sprinklers must not be painted✓
• c.Leave it; the bulb still works through paint
• d.Cover it with an escutcheon to hide the paint

Sprinklers must never be painted, plated, coated or otherwise altered after leaving the factory, and the checklist says heads are not painted or covered, so a painted one is replaced. Scraping the paint off risks damaging the bulb or frame and leaves a sprinkler no longer factory-original. Leaving it because the bulb still works ignores that paint can delay or prevent operation. Covering it with an escutcheon hides the paint without fixing it.Manufacturer data sheet and Idaho acceptance checklist

What is the correct sequence for threading a sprinkler into its fitting?

• a.Thread sealant, hand-tighten, then wrench on the wrenching area✓
• b.Thread sealant, then tighten with a pipe wrench
• c.Wrench first, then thread sealant on the sprinkler body
• d.Hand-tighten without sealant, then wrench on the deflector

The steps are to apply sealant to the pipe threads, hand-tighten, then finish with the correct sprinkler wrench on the wrenching area. A pipe wrench can crush the frame and distort the body. Wrenching first puts the sealant on after the joint is already tight, so it cannot seal. Tightening on the deflector bends it and works against the no-sealant error of leaving the threads unsealed.Manufacturer data sheet (Tyco TFP690)

What torque range does a manufacturer give for a leak-tight 3/4 inch NPT sprinkler joint?

• a.25 to 35 lb-ft
• b.10 to 20 lb-ft✓
• c.7 to 14 lb-ft
• d.2 to 8 lb-ft

The data sheet gives 10 to 20 lb-ft for a 3/4 inch NPT joint and 7 to 14 lb-ft for a 1/2 inch NPT joint. The other ranges are not given.Manufacturer data sheet (Tyco TFP690)

What does a sprinkler wrench slip that damages a sprinkler require?

• a.Replacing the sprinkler✓
• b.Painting the frame
• c.Reinstalling it upside down
• d.Re-tightening it by hand

Sprinklers damaged by dropping, striking or wrench twist or slippage must be replaced. Painting the frame is itself prohibited and hides damage. Reinstalling it upside down changes the discharge pattern and does not repair the damage. Re-tightening by hand does not undo damage already done to the frame or bulb.Manufacturer data sheet (Tyco TFP690)

How far from a wall must sprinklers be, at minimum, under the acceptance checklists?

• a.4 inches✓
• b.24 inches
• c.12 inches
• d.1 inch

The checklists require sprinklers at least 4 inches from the wall and properly spaced. One inch is too close and 12 and 24 inches are not the minimum.Idaho and Mercer Island acceptance checklists

What does the checklist say about hangers near upright sprinklers?

• a.Hangers are not used on branch line pipe
• b.Hangers must be within 12 inches of each head
• c.Hangers stay at least 3 inches from uprights✓
• d.Hangers must touch the frame of each sprinkler

Hangers are not within 3 inches of upright sprinklers, so the hanger does not obstruct the spray. A rule that hangers must touch the frame has it backward. A requirement to be within 12 inches of each head is not stated, because spacing is set by pipe size and distance from the end sprinkler. Banning hangers on branch lines contradicts the one-hanger-per-section rule.Idaho State Fire Marshal acceptance checklist

Where may sprinklers that are subject to damage need a guard?

• a.Where they could be struck or grabbed✓
• b.Inside stairwells and exit passages
• c.In areas above 20 feet in height
• d.In dry pipe systems

The checklist says sprinkler heads have a guard if subject to damage, and the federal criteria apply guards to sprinklers low in unfinished areas or that can be grabbed. Stairwells and exit passages have no guard rule of their own, since a guard depends on exposure to damage. Height above 20 feet does not matter, because a high sprinkler is harder to strike. Dry pipe systems have no guard rule, because system type does not create the exposure.Idaho acceptance checklist and UFC 3-600-01

What does the federal criteria document say about changes of pipe size?

• a.Through tapered reducing pipe fittings✓
• b.Through plain couplings of the same size
• c.Through nipples cut to length in the field
• d.Through bushings instead of reducers

Changes in pipe sizes must be made through tapered reducing pipe fittings. Bushings, plain couplings and field-cut nipples are not the stated method.UFC 3-600-01 section 9-7