OSHA 30 Construction — All Questions

Within the U.S. government, OSHA operates as part of which department?

• a.The Department of Homeland Security
• b.The U.S. Department of Labor✓
• c.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• d.The Environmental Protection Agency

OSHA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Labor, created by the OSH Act of 1970. NIOSH, by contrast, sits under Health and Human Services. Knowing the agency structure clarifies who writes and enforces the 29 CFR 1926 construction standards.OSH Act of 1970

The OSH Act's General Duty Clause is found in which section?

• a.Section 8(f)(1)
• b.Section 18
• c.Section 5(a)(1)✓
• d.Section 11(c)

Section 5(a)(1), the General Duty Clause, requires employers to furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards. Section 5(a)(2) requires compliance with specific standards. It is cited when no specific 29 CFR standard applies.OSH Act Section 5(a)(1)

Under Section 5(b) of the OSH Act, what duty do employees have?

• a.To conduct OSHA inspections of other worksites
• b.To write the company's safety program
• c.To set the permissible exposure limits for chemicals
• d.To comply with OSHA standards and rules that apply to their own conduct✓

Section 5(b) requires each employee to comply with OSHA standards and all rules applicable to their own actions and conduct. OSHA, however, enforces against employers, not workers. Employers remain responsible for a safe workplace and training.OSH Act Section 5(b)

Which serious event must an employer report to OSHA within 24 hours?

• a.An in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye✓
• b.A near miss that caused no injury
• c.A work-related fatality
• d.A first-aid-only minor cut

Under 29 CFR 1904.39, in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye must be reported within 24 hours. Fatalities must be reported within 8 hours. Near misses and first-aid cases are not reportable events.29 CFR 1904.39

During what period must the OSHA Form 300A annual summary be posted each year?

• a.October 1 through December 31
• b.February 1 through April 30✓
• c.January 1 through March 31
• d.The entire twelve-month calendar year

Under 29 CFR 1904.32, the Form 300A summary of the prior year's injuries and illnesses must be posted from February 1 to April 30. It must be certified by a company executive. This lets workers review the site's injury record.29 CFR 1904.32

Which OSHA form records the specific details of an individual injury or illness case?

• a.Form 174, the material safety data sheet index
• b.Form 301, the Injury and Illness Incident Report✓
• c.Form 300, the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses
• d.Form 300A, the posted annual summary of incidents

Under 29 CFR 1904.29, Form 301 is the Incident Report capturing details of each recordable case and must be completed within 7 calendar days. Form 300 is the running log, and 300A is the posted summary. Together they make up the OSHA recordkeeping system.29 CFR 1904.29

How soon after learning of a recordable injury must the OSHA Form 301 incident report be completed?

• a.By the end of the calendar year
• b.Within 30 calendar days of the incident
• c.Within 7 calendar days✓
• d.Within 90 calendar days of the incident

29 CFR 1904.29 requires the Form 301 (or equivalent) to be completed within 7 calendar days of learning that a recordable injury or illness occurred. The 300 Log entry is made in the same period. Prompt entry keeps records accurate.29 CFR 1904.29

Which factor makes an injury 'recordable' on the OSHA 300 Log?

• a.It was treated with a single adhesive bandage
• b.It required medical treatment beyond first aid✓
• c.It happened in the parking lot before the shift
• d.The worker complained about it out loud

Under 29 CFR 1904.7, a case is recordable if it results in death, days away, restricted work, transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, or loss of consciousness. First-aid-only cases such as a simple bandage are not recordable. These general criteria drive the 300 Log.29 CFR 1904.7

Under OSHA recordkeeping rules, which of the following counts as 'first aid' rather than medical treatment?

• a.Using a non-prescription medication at nonprescription strength✓
• b.Applying sutures or staples to close a laceration
• c.Prescribing a prescription medication or a stronger dose
• d.Performing surgical debridement of a wound

29 CFR 1904.7 defines first aid to include non-prescription medicine at nonprescription strength, cleaning minor wounds, and using bandages. Stitches, prescription drugs, and surgery are medical treatment that makes a case recordable. The first-aid list is exhaustive.29 CFR 1904.7

Employers with how many or fewer employees are partially exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury logs?

• a.10 or fewer employees at all times during the year✓
• b.100 or fewer employees during the year
• c.250 or fewer employees during the year
• d.50 or fewer employees during the year

Under 29 CFR 1904.1, employers with 10 or fewer employees throughout the year are partially exempt from routine recordkeeping. They must still report fatalities and severe injuries and respond to OSHA surveys. Certain low-hazard industries are also partially exempt.29 CFR 1904.1

A worker requests copies of their own exposure and medical records. What must the employer do?

• a.Provide access, generally within 15 working days✓
• b.Refuse because the records are company property
• c.Charge a large fee to discourage the request
• d.Wait until the worker leaves employment

Under 29 CFR 1910.1020, workers and their representatives have the right to access exposure and medical records, generally within 15 working days. This helps workers monitor the health effects of job exposures. Many such records must be preserved for employment plus 30 years.29 CFR 1910.1020

How many working days does an employer have to contest an OSHA citation and penalty?

• a.There is no opportunity to contest a citation
• b.One full year after the inspection date
• c.15 working days after receiving the citation✓
• d.60 calendar days after receiving the citation

Under Section 10 of the OSH Act, an employer has 15 working days from receipt of a citation to file a notice of contest. If it is not contested, the citation and penalty become a final order. The case may then go before the Review Commission.OSH Act Section 10

How long must an employer post an OSHA citation at or near the location of the violation?

• a.A citation never has to be posted
• b.Thirty minutes after the inspection ends
• c.One hour after it is received
• d.3 working days, or until the violation is corrected, whichever is longer✓

Under 29 CFR 1903.16, a citation must be posted at or near the place of the violation for 3 working days or until the hazard is corrected, whichever is longer. Posting informs workers of the cited hazard. Removing it early is itself a violation.29 CFR 1903.16

How does OSHA define a 'serious' violation?

• a.A minor typo on a posted form
• b.A substantial probability of death or serious harm exists and the employer knew or should have known✓
• c.A condition with no chance of any injury
• d.A hazard nobody could possibly have foreseen

Under Section 17(k) of the OSH Act, a serious violation exists when there is a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard. Serious violations carry mandatory penalties. Most construction citations are serious.OSH Act Section 17(k)

What is a 'repeated' OSHA violation?

• a.A simple paperwork error made twice over
• b.A citation for a substantially similar condition previously cited✓
• c.A violation that recurs on the same workday
• d.Any second inspection of the same worksite

Under Section 17(a) of the OSH Act, a repeated violation occurs when an employer is cited for a violation substantially similar to one for which it was previously cited. Repeated violations carry substantially higher penalties. They signal that earlier corrective action was not sustained.OSH Act Section 17(a)

Which violation is issued when an employer fails to fix a hazard by the abatement date, allowing additional daily penalties?

• a.A courtesy warning with no follow-up
• b.A de minimis notice with no penalty
• c.An other-than-serious documentation error
• d.A failure-to-abate violation✓

Under Section 17(d) of the OSH Act, a failure-to-abate condition arises when a previously cited hazard is not corrected by the abatement date, and additional penalties can accrue for each day it continues. This drives prompt correction. It is tracked separately from the original citation.OSH Act Section 17(d)

What is a 'de minimis' violation under OSHA?

• a.A violation that always carries a large fine
• b.A criminal offense referred for prosecution
• c.The most dangerous category of violation
• d.A technical deviation with no direct or immediate relationship to safety or health✓

Under 29 CFR 1903.14, a de minimis violation is a technical deviation from a standard with no direct or immediate impact on safety or health. It results in no penalty and is not included on the citation. It is documented but not enforced with fines.29 CFR 1903.14

During an inspection, may an employer require OSHA to obtain a warrant before entering?

• a.No; warrants are never permitted for OSHA
• b.Yes; an employer may require a compliance officer to present an inspection warrant✓
• c.Only if the site is a private residence
• d.Only after a citation has been issued

Employers have a constitutional right to require OSHA to obtain an inspection warrant before entering, as established in Marshall v. Barlow's. Many employers nonetheless consent to inspection. Requiring a warrant does not stop the inspection, only delays it.OSH Act Section 8

What is the purpose of the walkaround right during an OSHA inspection?

• a.It requires all work to stop for the day
• b.It lets an employer and an employee representative accompany the compliance officer✓
• c.It lets customers tour the site during work
• d.It gives the inspector authority to fire workers

Under Section 8(e) of the OSH Act, an employer representative and an authorized employee representative may accompany the compliance officer during the physical inspection. This walkaround right promotes transparency. Employees may also speak privately with the inspector.OSH Act Section 8(e)

Under Section 11(c), how many days does a worker have to file a retaliation complaint with OSHA?

• a.30 days from the retaliatory action✓
• b.1 year from the retaliatory action
• c.6 months from the retaliatory action
• d.There is no filing deadline at all

Section 11(c) of the OSH Act gives a worker 30 days to file a complaint after experiencing retaliation for exercising safety rights. OSHA investigates and can seek reinstatement and back pay. Prompt filing preserves the worker's remedy.OSH Act Section 11(c)

Who is generally NOT covered by federal OSHA?

• a.Electricians working for a private company
• b.Carpenters hired by a private homebuilder
• c.Self-employed individuals who have no employees✓
• d.Construction laborers employed by a private contractor

Under Section 3 of the OSH Act, federal OSHA covers most private-sector employers and their workers but does not cover the self-employed, immediate family on family farms, or hazards regulated by another federal agency. Public workers are covered only in State Plan states. Private construction employers are covered.OSH Act Section 3(5)

Before selecting PPE, what must an employer do under the construction PPE requirements?

• a.Post a sign telling workers to be careful
• b.Ask each worker to buy their own equipment
• c.Wait until an injury actually occurs
• d.Assess the workplace to determine what hazards are present✓

Under 29 CFR 1926.28 and Subpart E, employers must assess workplace hazards and provide appropriate PPE where hazards exist. The assessment drives correct selection. PPE is the last line of defense after other controls.29 CFR 1926 Subpart E

Eye and face protection used in construction must meet which consensus standard?

• a.ANSI Z359 for fall-arrest connectors
• b.ANSI A14 for portable ladders
• c.NFPA 70E for arc-flash boundaries
• d.ANSI Z87.1✓

Under 29 CFR 1926.102, eye and face protective equipment must meet ANSI Z87.1. Safety glasses, goggles, and face shields are selected based on the hazard. Z359 addresses fall protection, not eye protection.29 CFR 1926.102

When is head protection (a hard hat) required on a construction site?

• a.Only on high-rise construction projects
• b.Only when a supervisor is watching
• c.Where there is a possible danger of head injury from impact, falling objects, or shock✓
• d.Only during the first hour of the shift

Under 29 CFR 1926.100, head protection is required wherever there is a possible danger of head injury from impact, falling or flying objects, or electrical shock and burns. Hard hats must meet ANSI Z89.1. The class must match any electrical exposure.29 CFR 1926.100

Under GHS-aligned HazCom, which signal word indicates the more severe hazard on a chemical label?

• a.Danger✓
• b.Caution
• c.Warning
• d.Notice

Under 29 CFR 1910.1200, the signal word Danger is used for more severe hazards and Warning for less severe ones. Only one signal word appears on a label, reflecting the most severe hazard. Signal words help workers gauge severity at a glance.29 CFR 1910.1200

Which of these is a required element on a GHS-compliant chemical label?

• a.The company's stock ticker symbol
• b.A pictogram, a signal word, and a hazard statement✓
• c.The employee's home mailing address
• d.The purchase price and vendor discount

Under 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), labels must include the product identifier, signal word, hazard statement(s), precautionary statement(s), pictogram(s), and supplier information. These standardized elements make hazards recognizable. Pricing and personal data are not label elements.29 CFR 1910.1200(f)

How many pictograms are used in the GHS hazard communication label system?

• a.Sixteen pictograms inside green squares
• b.One universal pictogram for all chemicals
• c.Three pictograms inside blue circles
• d.Nine pictograms, each with a red diamond border✓

The GHS system used under 29 CFR 1910.1200 has nine pictograms, each a red-bordered diamond, such as the flame, skull-and-crossbones, and health-hazard symbols. Workers must be trained to recognize them. They convey hazard type quickly.29 CFR 1910.1200

How does OSHA distinguish a 'qualified person' from a 'competent person'?

• a.A qualified person has recognized expertise; a competent person can spot hazards and correct them✓
• b.A competent person needs no training at all
• c.A qualified person is always the site owner
• d.They are two names for exactly the same role

Under 29 CFR 1926.32, a competent person can identify hazards and is authorized to take prompt corrective action, while a qualified person has a recognized degree, certificate, or extensive knowledge to solve the problem. Some tasks require one, some the other. Both are defined in Subpart C.29 CFR 1926.32

For which of the following does OSHA specifically require a competent person on construction sites?

• a.Inspecting excavations and scaffolds✓
• b.Ordering the crew's office supplies
• c.Setting the company's dress code
• d.Approving employee vacation requests

OSHA requires a competent person for many activities, including daily excavation inspections (1926.651) and scaffold inspections (1926.451). The competent person can identify hazards and has authority to correct them. This requirement runs throughout the 1926 standards.29 CFR 1926.651

On a multi-employer site, which employer can be cited for creating a hazard even if none of its own workers are exposed?

• a.Only OSHA itself bears responsibility
• b.No employer can be cited in that case
• c.The creating employer✓
• d.Only the exposing employer can be cited

Under OSHA's multi-employer citation policy, the creating, exposing, controlling, and correcting employers can each bear responsibility. A creating employer may be cited for a hazard it made even if only other firms' workers are exposed. This is common on general-contractor sites.OSHA multi-employer policy CPL 02-00-124

The OSHA 30-hour Construction course is primarily intended for which audience?

• a.Only executives who never visit jobsites
• b.Supervisors and workers with some safety responsibility✓
• c.Members of the public with no jobsite role
• d.OSHA compliance officers exclusively

The 30-hour Outreach Training Program provides a broad variety of safety topics for supervisors and workers with some safety responsibility. The 10-hour course targets entry-level workers. Neither course fulfills the employer's duty to provide job-specific training.OSHA Outreach Training Program

Does completing the OSHA 30-hour card satisfy the employer's duty to train workers on jobsite-specific hazards?

• a.Yes; it replaces all fall-protection training
• b.No; site- and task-specific training is still required✓
• c.Yes; no other training is ever needed
• d.Yes; it exempts the employer from OSHA standards

The OSHA Outreach (10/30-hour) program provides general awareness but does not replace employer-provided training required by specific 1926 standards. Employers must still train workers on the actual hazards and equipment they use. Outreach training supplements required training.OSHA Outreach Training Program

In what language must an employer provide required safety training?

• a.Whatever language is cheapest to produce
• b.English only, regardless of the workforce
• c.Any language the trainer happens to prefer
• d.A language and vocabulary the workers can understand✓

OSHA requires that training be presented in a language and at a literacy level workers understand. This principle applies across the 1926 standards, including HazCom and fall protection. Training that workers cannot understand does not meet the requirement.OSHA training policy STD 01-00-001

How must Safety Data Sheets be maintained for workers?

• a.Provided only after an injury occurs
• b.Kept only at company headquarters
• c.Readily accessible to employees on each work shift✓
• d.Locked in a manager's office off site

Under 29 CFR 1910.1200(g), SDSs must be readily accessible to employees in their work areas during each shift. Electronic access is allowed if there are no barriers. Quick access matters most during a spill or exposure.29 CFR 1910.1200(g)

What is the purpose of OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)?

• a.To provide unemployment benefits to workers
• b.To recognize worksites with exemplary safety and health management systems✓
• c.To replace the need for any OSHA standards
• d.To collect extra penalties from employers

VPP recognizes employers and workers who implement effective safety and health management systems and keep injury rates below industry averages. Participation is voluntary and cooperative. VPP sites are generally exempt from programmed inspections.OSHA VPP

Which is an example of an employer responsibility under OSHA?

• a.Guaranteeing every worker a yearly promotion
• b.Providing and maintaining tools and equipment that are safe✓
• c.Paying for all workers' commuting costs
• d.Providing free housing to every employee

Employers must provide a safe workplace, safe tools and equipment, training, required PPE, and hazard information. These duties flow from Section 5(a) and the 1926 standards. Wages and benefits such as housing are not OSHA matters.OSH Act Section 5(a)

Which record do workers and their representatives have the right to review?

• a.The payroll records of company executives
• b.The OSHA 300 Log of work-related injuries and illnesses✓
• c.A competitor's confidential bid documents
• d.The company's private federal tax filings

Under 29 CFR 1904.35, employees and their representatives have the right to access the OSHA 300 Log and related records. This transparency helps workers understand jobsite hazards. Employers must provide copies by the end of the next business day.29 CFR 1904.35

What is the goal of the 'worker participation' element of a safety and health program?

• a.To reduce workers' pay for safety costs
• b.To keep workers out of safety decisions
• c.To shift all legal liability onto workers
• d.To involve workers in finding and solving safety problems✓

Worker participation is a core element of OSHA's Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs. Workers know the hazards of their jobs and help identify and fix them. Genuine participation improves hazard recognition and buy-in.OSHA Recommended Practices

Which best describes the correct order of the OSHA inspection process?

• a.Penalty issued first, then an opening conference
• b.Opening conference, walkaround, then closing conference✓
• c.Walkaround only, with no conferences held
• d.Closing conference first, then the walkaround

Under the inspection procedures of 29 CFR 1903, an OSHA inspection generally proceeds from an opening conference, through a walkaround inspection, to a closing conference. Citations, if any, are issued later by mail. Understanding the sequence helps employers prepare.29 CFR 1903

Protective footwear worn on construction sites should meet which type of standard?

• a.A standard written for household slippers
• b.A fashion-industry shoe-sizing standard
• c.No standard is needed for foot protection
• d.An ASTM/ANSI standard for protective footwear✓

Under 29 CFR 1926.96, safety-toe footwear must meet the applicable ASTM (formerly ANSI Z41) protective footwear standard. It guards against impact and compression injuries. Proper footwear is basic PPE on most sites.29 CFR 1926.96

Which item may an employer generally NOT be required to pay for under the PPE payment rule?

• a.A hard hat required to be worn on the site
• b.Voltage-rated insulating gloves for electrical work for the majority of standard tasks
• c.A full-body harness used for fall arrest
• d.Ordinary safety-toe footwear allowed to be worn off the jobsite✓

Under 29 CFR 1926.95(d), employers must pay for most required PPE, but narrow exceptions exist such as ordinary safety-toe footwear and prescription safety eyewear that may be worn off the job. Specialty PPE like harnesses and insulating gloves must be employer-paid. The default is employer-paid PPE.29 CFR 1926.95(d)

What must an employer do when no specific OSHA standard covers a recognized serious hazard?

• a.Address it under the General Duty Clause✓
• b.Charge the workers for their exposure
• c.Wait for a new standard to be written
• d.Ignore the hazard entirely until cited based on the project's own schedule

When no specific 1926 standard applies, the General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1), requires the employer to protect workers from recognized serious hazards. This gap-filling clause keeps the duty broad. Employers still must abate feasible, recognized hazards.OSH Act Section 5(a)(1)

What does NIOSH-approved status on a respirator certify?

• a.That the respirator never needs replacement in the absence of a written program
• b.That the respirator meets performance and safety requirements✓
• c.That the worker is exempt from fit testing
• d.That the respirator is the cheapest option

NIOSH tests and approves respirators for performance; only NIOSH-approved respirators may be used under 29 CFR 1926.103. Approval does not remove the need for fit testing, medical evaluation, and training. The approval label identifies the respirator's rating.29 CFR 1926.103

Which agency writes and enforces the construction safety standards found in 29 CFR 1926?

• a.The FAA, an aviation agency
• b.OSHA✓
• c.NIOSH, which only conducts research
• d.The EPA, an environmental agency

OSHA promulgates and enforces the construction standards in 29 CFR Part 1926. NIOSH conducts research and makes recommendations but does not enforce. Knowing the difference clarifies who inspects and cites jobsites.29 CFR 1926

What is the employer's duty after workers report an unsafe condition?

• a.Discipline the worker for reporting it
• b.Charge the worker for the needed repair
• c.Wait for an OSHA inspection before acting where the foreman signs off on it
• d.Investigate and correct hazards within their control✓

Employers must respond to reported hazards by investigating and correcting those within their control, consistent with Section 5(a) and the anti-retaliation protections of Section 11(c). Punishing a worker for reporting is illegal retaliation. Prompt correction prevents injuries.OSH Act Section 11(c)

Struck-by hazards are commonly divided into four categories. Which set correctly lists them?

• a.Chemical, biological, radioactive, and electrical
• b.Flying, falling, swinging, and rolling objects✓
• c.Hot, cold, wet, and dry surfaces
• d.Loud, bright, sharp, and heavy items

OSHA's Focus Four training groups struck-by hazards into flying, falling, swinging, and rolling objects. Examples include nail-gun projectiles, dropped tools, crane loads, and vehicles. Recognizing the type guides the right control under the 29 CFR 1926 standards.OSHA Focus Four (struck-by)

What is the key difference between a 'struck-by' and a 'caught-in/between' injury?

• a.Struck-by comes from impact alone; caught-in/between involves being crushed or compressed✓
• b.Struck-by injuries only ever happen indoors
• c.There is no real difference between the two for typical light-duty operations for most residential-scale jobs
• d.Caught-in injuries only involve electricity

In a struck-by injury the impact of an object causes the harm, while in a caught-in/between injury the worker is crushed, caught, or compressed between objects. A swinging load is struck-by; a worker pinned between equipment and a wall is caught-between. OSHA uses this distinction in Focus Four training.OSHA Focus Four

Which tool is a common source of struck-by injuries from flying fasteners?

• a.A powder-actuated or pneumatic nail gun✓
• b.A hand-held tape measure
• c.A chalk line reel
• d.A carpenter's marking pencil when working away from the edge

Powder-actuated tools and pneumatic nailers can drive or ricochet fasteners at high speed, a serious flying-object struck-by hazard. Under 29 CFR 1926.302, only trained operators may use powder-actuated tools. Eye and face protection is required.29 CFR 1926.302

To protect against flying particles when grinding or cutting, a worker must primarily use what?

• a.A standard baseball cap
• b.Eye and face protection meeting ANSI Z87.1✓
• c.A cloth face covering
• d.A pair of ordinary reading glasses provided the weather stays clear

Flying particles from grinding, cutting, and chipping are a struck-by hazard controlled by ANSI Z87.1 eye and face protection under 29 CFR 1926.102. Face shields are worn over primary eye protection for heavy operations. Ordinary glasses do not qualify.29 CFR 1926.102

Freshly built concrete masonry walls under construction must be braced to prevent which hazard?

• a.Collapse that could strike workers (a struck-by hazard)✓
• b.Excessive water evaporation during the earlier phases of work
• c.Gradual color fading
• d.Slower curing of the mortar

Under 29 CFR 1926.706, a limited access zone must be established and masonry walls over 8 feet must be adequately braced until permanent supports are in place. This prevents a wall collapse from striking workers. Unbraced walls have caused fatal struck-by incidents.29 CFR 1926.706