CSLB C-54 Ceramic and Mosaic Tile (Trade Exam) — All Questions

If a construction employer's Code of Safe Practices is not posted at the job site office, who must have it?

• a.Only Cal/OSHA
• b.Only the owner
• c.Each supervisor✓
• d.Only new hires

The Code is posted at each job site office or provided to each supervisory employee, who keeps it readily available.8 CCR 1509(c)

Under Cal/OSHA's construction orders, who may operate a powered wet saw on a tile job?

• a.Only licensed contractors
• b.Any worker over 16
• c.Only qualified persons✓
• d.Anyone after a demonstration

The employer shall permit only qualified persons to operate equipment and machinery.8 CCR 1510(b)

What is Cal/OSHA's permissible exposure limit for respirable crystalline silica, as an 8-hour TWA?

• a.25 μg/m³
• b.5 μg/m³
• c.100 μg/m³
• d.50 μg/m³✓

The PEL is 50 μg/m³; 25 μg/m³ is the action level.8 CCR 1532.3

What is the silica action level under section 1532.3?

• a.50 μg/m³
• b.10 μg/m³
• c.25 μg/m³✓
• d.2 μg/m³

The action level is 25 μg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA; 2 μg/m³ is the lead action level.8 CCR 1532.3

A handheld wet saw is used outdoors for three hours. What respirator does Table 1 require?

• a.APF 10
• b.None✓
• c.APF 1000
• d.APF 25

Outdoors, handheld saws with integrated water need no respirator for up to four hours; indoors they need APF 10.8 CCR 1532.3 Table 1

What controls does Table 1 require for a handheld drill boring holes in tile or concrete?

• a.Shroud and dust collector✓
• b.No controls under 1 hour
• c.Water only
• d.A fan and dry sweeping

Drills use a shroud or cowling with a dust collection system and a HEPA vacuum to clean holes, with no respirator required.8 CCR 1532.3 Table 1

A worker switches to a different make and model of tight-fitting respirator. What does section 5144 require?

• a.A written note in the file
• b.No new test until the annual date
• c.A medical exam only
• d.A new fit test before use✓

Fit testing is required before initial use, whenever a different facepiece is used, and at least annually.8 CCR 5144(f)

Noise from grinders exceeds Table N-1 limits. What must the employer try first?

• a.Nothing below 100 dBA
• b.Earplugs only
• c.Engineering/admin controls✓
• d.Longer shifts

Feasible administrative or engineering controls come first; hearing protection is provided if they do not bring levels within the table.8 CCR 5096(b)

At what outdoor temperature must shade be present for a tile crew under section 3395?

• a.Above 80°F✓
• b.Above 70°F
• c.Above 95°F
• d.Above 100°F

Shade shall be present when the temperature exceeds 80°F; high-heat procedures begin at 95°F.8 CCR 3395(d)

Within what period does acclimatization to heat peak in most people, according to section 3395?

• a.Four to fourteen days✓
• b.One day
• c.One to two hours
• d.Thirty to sixty days

Acclimatization peaks in most people within four to fourteen days of regular work in the heat.8 CCR 3395(b)

Indoors, the heat index reaches 88°F while employees are present. What does section 3396 require?

• a.Its control measures✓
• b.Nothing below 95°F
• c.Only drinking water
• d.Work must stop

When the temperature or heat index reaches 87°F, the indoor order's assessment and control measures apply.8 CCR 3396(a)(2)

Where must safety data sheets for job-site chemicals be available?

• a.At the main office only
• b.At hand every shift✓
• c.With the supplier
• d.In the owner's files

SDSs must be readily accessible during each work shift to employees in their work areas.8 CCR 5194(g)

What does three points of contact on a ladder mean under section 3276?

• a.One hand and one foot
• b.Both feet and the chest
• c.Two feet and a hand✓
• d.Two hands and a tool belt

Three-point contact is two feet and one hand, or two hands and one foot, supporting the user's weight.8 CCR 3276(e)(15)

When may a worker stand on the step just below a stepladder's topcap?

• a.Never
• b.When the ladder is under 6 feet
• c.When 18 in. below the topcap✓
• d.When someone holds the ladder

Employees may not stand on the topcap or the step below it, except that the step below may be used if it is 18 inches under the topcap.8 CCR 3276(e)(15)

At what fall distance does section 1670 require personal fall protection at an unprotected edge?

• a.More than 15 feet
• b.More than 7-1/2 feet✓
• c.More than 30 feet
• d.More than 4 feet

Personal fall arrest, restraint or positioning systems are required for falls in excess of 7-1/2 feet at unprotected sides and edges.8 CCR 1670(a)

Which temporary receptacles on a construction site must have GFCI protection under section 2405.4?

• a.Only permanent wiring
• b.None if cords are new
• c.120 V, 15/20 A temporary✓
• d.Only 240 V receptacles

All 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles not part of permanent wiring and in use by employees need GFCIs (or an assured grounding program).8 CCR 2405.4

What airborne lead level is Cal/OSHA's construction permissible exposure limit since January 1, 2025?

• a.10 μg/m³✓
• b.30 μg/m³
• c.2 μg/m³
• d.50 μg/m³

The amended 1532.1 sets a PEL of 10 μg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA and an action level of 2 μg/m³.8 CCR 1532.1

Where may a portable ladder's base be placed under section 3276?

• a.On secure, level footing✓
• b.On a stack of tile boxes
• c.On a barrel for height
• d.On wet mortar

The base goes on secure and level footing; ladders are not placed on boxes, barrels or other unstable bases to gain height.8 CCR 3276(e)(7)

What compliance credit does section 1532.3 give an employer who fully and properly implements Table 1 controls and respiratory protection?

• a.It is excused from the written exposure plan
• b.It is excused from the medical surveillance duty
• c.It may then allow dry sweeping of silica dust
• d.It is treated as complying with the exposure limit✓

Section 1532.3 treats full and proper use of Table 1 as compliance with the exposure limit subsection. The written plan and medical surveillance remain required, and dry sweeping stays barred.8 CCR 1532.3

What must a walk-behind saw have under Table 1 of section 1532.3?

• a.A bag-type dust catcher alone
• b.A cowling over the blade
• c.An integrated water delivery system✓
• d.A fan blowing dust away

Table 1 requires a walk-behind saw with an integrated water delivery system. A bag catcher, a cowling alone and a fan do not suppress the dust the way water does.8 CCR 1532.3 Table 1

What is the shortest period an employer with fewer than 10 employees may elect to keep records of scheduled inspections under the IIPP rule?

• a.For one year after each inspection
• b.Only until the hazard is corrected✓
• c.For three years after each inspection
• d.For the life of the contractor license

Section 3203 sets one year for inspection records in general, but an employer with fewer than 10 employees may elect to keep them only until the hazard is corrected, which is the shortest period allowed. One year is the general rule, not the shortest option, and three years or the life of the license are longer than the rule requires.8 CCR 3203

How often are silica medical exams repeated, unless the licensed health care professional recommends sooner?

• a.Every year, without exception
• b.At least every three years✓
• c.Every five years, at the latest
• d.Every ten years, at the latest

Exams are repeated at least every three years, or more often if the professional recommends it. Annual exams are more frequent than the rule requires, and five and ten years are longer.8 CCR 1532.3

How must personal protective equipment be selected so it works for each worker?

• a.One size for the whole crew to keep stock simple
• b.By lowest price from the cheapest supplier
• c.To ensure it properly fits each affected employee✓
• d.In the order that items appear in the catalog

Section 1514 requires PPE to be selected to ensure that it properly fits each affected employee. One size for all, lowest price and catalog order ignore fit.8 CCR 1514

What must an employer's respiratory protection program be, under section 5144?

• a.Verbal, covering new hires
• b.Written, with worksite-specific procedures✓
• c.A manufacturer's leaflet kept in the truck
• d.A sign posted at the job site

Section 5144 requires a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures, covering medical evaluations and fit testing. A verbal policy, a leaflet or a sign is not a program.8 CCR 5144

For employees whose noise exposure equals or exceeds the action level, what must the employer make available?

• a.Hearing aids
• b.A single yearly noise survey
• c.Audiometric testing✓
• d.A noise dosimeter for each employee

Section 5097 requires an audiometric testing program to be available to employees whose exposures equal or exceed the action level. Hearing aids treat loss rather than test for it, and a survey or dosimeter measures noise, not hearing.8 CCR 5097

In construction, who provides hearing protection and who sees that it is worn?

• a.Employees buy their own and decide when to wear it
• b.The employer provides it, but wearing it is optional
• c.The employer provides it and requires employees to wear it✓
• d.The tool supplier provides it with each saw

Section 1521 says ear protection is provided by the employer, who must require employees to wear it. Employee-bought or optional use leaves the duty with the worker, and a tool supplier is not the responsible party.8 CCR 1521

What must an employer do to determine whether personal protective equipment is needed?

• a.Wait until an employee reports an injury or close call
• b.Assess hazards and certify the assessment in writing✓
• c.Ask the PPE supplier to decide what the crew needs
• d.Issue gloves to everyone and skip the assessment

Section 3380 requires the employer to assess the workplace for hazards that call for PPE and to confirm the assessment through a written certification. Waiting for an injury is reactive, a supplier does not know the site, and blanket gloves ignore other hazards.8 CCR 3380

What are employees allowed and encouraged to do under the heat illness standard when they feel the need to avoid overheating?

• a.Take a preventative cool-down rest in the shade✓
• b.Keep working until the next scheduled break
• c.Leave the site without telling anyone
• d.Wait for a supervisor to schedule one

Section 3395 says employees shall be allowed and encouraged to take a preventative cool-down rest in the shade when they feel the need. Working through, leaving unannounced, or waiting for a schedule is not what the standard describes.8 CCR 3395

At what temperature must an employer implement high-heat procedures under the outdoor heat standard?

• a.95 degrees F or higher✓
• b.80 degrees F or higher
• c.85 degrees F or higher
• d.105 degrees F or higher

High-heat procedures begin when the temperature equals or exceeds 95 degrees F. 80 degrees F is the point at which shade must be present, and 85 and 105 degrees F are not trigger values.8 CCR 3395

What is Cal/OSHA's construction lead action level since January 1, 2025?

• a.10 micrograms per cubic meter of air
• b.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air✓
• c.25 micrograms per cubic meter of air
• d.50 micrograms per cubic meter of air

The action level is 2 micrograms per cubic meter, and the permissible exposure limit is 10. 10 is the PEL rather than the action level, and 25 and 50 are the silica action level and PEL.8 CCR 1532.1

Which element must a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program include?

• a.A list of preferred tool brands for the crew
• b.A pledge that licensed qualifiers alone may stop work
• c.Procedures for scheduled periodic inspections✓
• d.A requirement for monthly mandatory overtime

Section 3203 requires a written program with procedures for identifying and evaluating hazards, including scheduled periodic inspections, and for investigating injuries and illnesses. Tool brands, a qualifier-only stop-work rule and overtime are not elements.8 CCR 3203

What must every construction employer adopt in writing that relates to its operations?

• a.A purchasing policy
• b.A subcontractor price list
• c.A Code of Safe Practices✓
• d.A material takeoff form

Section 1509 requires every employer to adopt a written Code of Safe Practices related to its operations. A purchasing policy, a price list and a takeoff form are business documents, not safety rules.8 CCR 1509

How must personal protective equipment be used under the construction orders?

• a.As the manufacturer's instructions direct✓
• b.However the crew finds it most comfortable
• c.Only on days when inspections are expected
• d.Only when the worker is alone on a job

Section 1514 says PPE shall be used according to the manufacturer's instructions. Comfort, inspection days and solo work are not the standard.8 CCR 1514

How must employees learn what to do in case of injury or illness?

• a.They read the instructions printed on the first-aid kit lid
• b.The employer informs all employees of the procedure✓
• c.Only supervisors are told, and they relay it if asked
• d.They are told after the first incident on the project

Section 1512 requires each employer to inform all employees of the procedure in case of injury or illness. A kit label is not the procedure, telling only supervisors leaves the crew unprepared, and waiting for an incident is too late.8 CCR 1512

May a plank be laid across the top step of a stepladder as a work platform?

• a.Yes, if the plank is a full 2 x 10 scaffold plank
• b.Yes, if a second person holds the plank steady
• c.No, not on the top step or the topcap✓
• d.Yes, if the plank is under six feet in length

Section 3276 says planks shall not be used on the top step or topcap of step ladders. Plank size, a helper and plank length do not change that.8 CCR 3276

Which exposure must metal ladders avoid?

• a.Acid or alkali materials✓
• b.Direct sunlight during the workday
• c.Rainwater from a short shower
• d.Cold weather in the winter

Section 3276 says metal ladders shall not be exposed to acid or alkali materials, which corrode the metal. Sunlight, rain and cold are not the stated concern.8 CCR 3276

On a single or extension ladder, where may an employee not stand and work without a firm handhold or fall protection?

• a.On the top 3 rungs✓
• b.On the bottom 3 rungs
• c.On the middle rungs
• d.On a rung above 6 feet

The restriction is on the top 3 rungs, where balance and reach are hardest to control. The lower and middle rungs are not restricted by that rule, and 6 feet is not the trigger.8 CCR 3276

What must a ladder be free of before use?

• a.Any manufacturer label printed on the rail
• b.Rubber feet at the bottom of the rails
• c.Oil, grease and other slippery material✓
• d.Paint of any kind, even a thin coat

Section 3276 requires ladders to be free of oil, grease or slippery materials. Labels are required to be legible, rubber feet help traction, and paint is not the hazard named.8 CCR 3276

Where should a worker's body be positioned when climbing or working on a ladder?

• a.Near the middle of the step or rung, not overreaching✓
• b.Leaning out to one side to reach farther
• c.At the outer edge of the rung for better balance
• d.Pressed against the rail with one hand free

Section 3276 says the employee climbs or works with the body near the middle of the step or rung and does not overreach from that position. Leaning out, working at the edge or hugging a rail shifts weight off center.8 CCR 3276

What lumber size must solid sawn scaffold planking be equivalent to?

• a.2 x 4 nominal, construction grade
• b.1 x 8 nominal, any grade
• c.2 x 6 nominal, any grade
• d.2 x 10 nominal, scaffold grade✓

Solid sawn planking must be at least equivalent to 2 inch by 10 inch nominal lumber selected for scaffold grade plank. The smaller or lower-grade sizes would not carry the loads.8 CCR 1637

When work is done from trusses, beams, purlins or plates 4 inches nominal or wider, at what height above ground does section 1669 require personal fall protection if temporary guardrails are impracticable?

• a.Elevations exceeding 4 feet
• b.Elevations exceeding 7 feet
• c.Elevations exceeding 15 feet✓
• d.Elevations exceeding 30 feet

Section 1669 requires an approved personal fall protection system above 15 feet where guardrails are impracticable. 4 and 7 feet are lower than that section's trigger, and 30 feet is higher.8 CCR 1669

What minimum tensile load must self-retracting lifelines that limit free fall to 2 feet or less sustain?

• a.3,000 pounds✓
• b.500 pounds
• c.1,500 pounds
• d.5,000 pounds

Section 1670 sets 3,000 pounds for those self-retracting lifelines and lanyards. 5,000 pounds is the breaking strength for ordinary lanyards and vertical lifelines, and 500 and 1,500 pounds are too low.8 CCR 1670

Which device has not been permitted as part of a personal fall arrest system since January 1, 1998, except where the section allows it?

• a.A full body harness
• b.A body belt✓
• c.A self-retracting lifeline
• d.A shock-absorbing lanyard

Section 1670 bars body belts in a personal fall arrest system, apart from narrow exceptions. A full harness, a self-retracting lifeline and a shock-absorbing lanyard are acceptable components.8 CCR 1670

Instead of ground-fault circuit interrupters, what may an employer use to protect against ground faults at temporary power?

• a.A surge-protected power strip on the cord set
• b.A tag on each cord stating that the cord is safe to use
• c.An assured equipment grounding conductor program✓
• d.A weekly visual check of the tools by themselves

Section 2405 allows GFCIs, an assured equipment grounding conductor program, or both. A surge strip protects equipment, not people, a tag is not a test, and a weekly look alone is not the required program.8 CCR 2405

At what maximum interval must cord sets and receptacles be tested under an assured equipment grounding conductor program?

• a.Every week on the job
• b.Not exceeding three months✓
• c.Once a year at least
• d.Every five years at most

Tests are at intervals not exceeding three months, except fixed cord sets and receptacles not exposed to damage, which may be tested at intervals not exceeding six months. Weekly is more often than required, and yearly or five-yearly is too infrequent.8 CCR 2405