OSHA 10-Hour Construction — All Questions

Which four hazards make up OSHA's 'Focus Four,' the leading causes of construction fatalities?

• a.Fire, flood, noise, and heat
• b.Falls, electrocution, struck-by, and caught-in/between✓
• c.Slips, trips, lifting, and repetitive motion
• d.Chemicals, radiation, dust, and vibration

The Focus Four are Falls, Electrocution, Struck-By, and Caught-In/Between. These four categories account for the majority of construction worker deaths, so OSHA outreach training emphasizes recognizing and controlling them.

In construction, at what height does OSHA generally require fall protection for workers?

• a.10 feet
• b.4 feet
• c.6 feet✓
• d.20 feet

For most construction work, OSHA requires fall protection at heights of 6 feet or more above a lower level. (Note the general industry trigger is 4 feet and scaffolds is 10 feet, but construction's general threshold is 6 feet.) Falls are the number one cause of construction deaths.

A worker is struck by a load swinging from a crane. Which Focus Four hazard category does this fall under?

• a.Struck-by✓
• b.Caught-in/between
• c.Electrocution
• d.Falls

Struck-by hazards occur when a worker is hit by a moving, flying, falling, or swinging object such as a suspended crane load, vehicle, or flying debris. A caught-in/between hazard, by contrast, involves being squeezed, pinched, or crushed between objects.

Which practice best helps prevent electrocution on a construction site?

• a.Using metal ladders near overhead power lines to save time
• b.Removing the grounding prong from a plug so tools fit any outlet
• c.Working on energized circuits without turning off the power
• d.Using ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) and maintaining safe distances from power lines✓

Using GFCIs, keeping a safe clearance from overhead and buried power lines, and following lockout/tagout to de-energize circuits are key ways to prevent electrocution. Removing grounding prongs, using metal ladders near lines, or working live all increase the danger.

A worker enters an unprotected trench that has not been sloped, shored, or shielded. Which Focus Four hazard is the greatest concern?

• a.Struck-by from passing traffic
• b.Caught-in/between from a trench collapse (cave-in)✓
• c.Electrocution from static electricity
• d.Falls from the trench edge

An unprotected trench presents a caught-in/between hazard because a cave-in can bury and crush a worker in seconds. Trenches deeper than 5 feet generally require a protective system such as sloping, shoring, or a trench shield unless made entirely of stable rock.