CSLB Landscaping (C-27) Trade — All Questions

What is the safest way to feed brush into a chipper?

• a.Feed butt end first, release it, and step to the side✓
• b.Feed several small pieces at once so the rollers grip quickly
• c.Push the last portion in with a foot to keep hands clear
• d.Stand directly in front of the chute to guide material straight in

Feeding butt first, letting go, and standing to the side keeps the worker out of the path of both the material and any kickback. Using a foot puts a limb near the rollers. Handfuls of small material encourage reaching in. Standing directly in front of the chute is the position most exposed to material thrown back.

A compact tractor with a rollover protective structure is used on a sloped property. What must the operator do for the structure to work?

• a.Add wheel weights matched to the slope of the property
• b.Fold the structure down when working under low branches
• c.Operate only in the lowest gear range available
• d.Wear the seat belt so the operator stays within the protected zone✓

A rollover structure protects the operator only if the seat belt keeps them in the seat during a rollover, which is why the two are treated as one system. Folding the structure removes the protection. Wheel weights improve traction but do not substitute for restraint. Gear selection matters for control but not for the protective structure.

How should a walk-behind mower be operated on a slope, and how does that differ from a riding mower?

• a.A walk-behind mows across the slope while a rider goes up and down✓
• b.A walk-behind mows up and down while a rider goes across the slope
• c.Both are operated across the slope to keep the deck level
• d.Both are operated up and down the slope for maximum traction

A walk-behind is mowed across the face so the operator is not in line with a machine that could roll back, while a rider is driven up and down because it is more likely to tip sideways. Applying one rule to both machines misses that the hazards are different, and reversing them puts the operator in the path of the specific failure each machine has.

A string trimmer is being used along a driveway where cars are parked. What control best reduces the risk of thrown objects?

• a.Removing the debris shield so cut material falls straight down
• b.Keep the guard on, wear eye protection, and aim discharge away✓
• c.Trimming toward the vehicles so debris is caught by the tires
• d.Reducing engine speed and moving more quickly along the edge

The guard, eye protection, and controlling the direction of discharge together address both the operator and the property. Slower engine speed still throws material and reducing time near the hazard does not remove it. Removing the guard eliminates the primary control. Directing debris toward vehicles guarantees the damage the question is about.

A gas can is being used to refuel a hot backpack blower at the end of a run. What is the correct practice?

• a.Shut down the engine, let it cool, and refuel away from ignition✓
• b.Refuel with the engine running but the throttle at minimum
• c.Refuel quickly while the engine idles so the fuel line stays primed
• d.Refuel on the truck bed so spills fall away from the work area

Gasoline vapor ignites readily on hot surfaces, so the engine is shut off, allowed to cool, and refueled on stable ground away from ignition sources. Refueling a running engine at any throttle setting is a fire risk. A truck bed lined with plastic can build static and is a poor refueling surface.

At what sound level does an employer generally need to implement hearing conservation measures for landscape crews?

• a.Only when equipment lacks a factory muffler
• b.An eight-hour average of about 65 decibels
• c.An eight-hour average of about 85 decibels✓
• d.Any level at which conversation is possible at three feet

Hearing conservation is triggered near an eight-hour average of 85 decibels, which mowers, blowers, and chainsaws routinely exceed. Sixty-five decibels is closer to normal conversation. A conversation test is a rough field indicator rather than the regulatory trigger. Muffler condition affects the level but does not define the requirement.

A crew is wet-cutting concrete pavers with a masonry saw. What hazard is that method controlling?

• a.Respirable crystalline silica dust generated by cutting✓
• b.Static charge accumulating on the saw housing
• c.Blade fracture caused by heat buildup in the cut
• d.Noise transmitted through the blade to the operator

Cutting concrete releases respirable crystalline silica, and water at the blade is the primary engineering control that keeps it out of the air. Cooling does extend blade life but is not the regulated hazard. Water does not reduce noise, which still requires hearing protection. Static is not a meaningful hazard on a masonry saw.

Extension cords are being run to power tools on a landscape job. What is required for the temporary electrical setup?

• a.Ground fault protection at the receptacle or on the cord✓
• b.Cords may be spliced with tape if the conductors are fully covered
• c.Cords may be run through a doorway if the door is padded at the edge
• d.Cords rated for indoor use may be used if they are kept off wet ground

Temporary power on construction and outdoor work requires ground fault protection, since damp conditions and damaged cords are the usual electrocution path. Indoor-rated cords are not suitable outdoors. Taped splices are not permitted repairs. Running cords through doors and windows creates exactly the damage the protection is meant to catch.

A skid steer is being loaded onto a trailer using ramps. Which practice is correct?

• a.Load heavy end uphill, on level ground, with the trailer secured✓
• b.Load with the heavy end downhill so the machine settles onto the deck
• c.Load with a spotter standing on the ramp to guide the operator
• d.Load quickly to reduce the time the machine is on the ramps

Keeping the heavy end uphill maintains stability on the incline, and level ground with the trailer hitched and secured keeps it from shifting. Loading heavy end down invites a tip. A spotter on the ramp is standing in the crush zone. Speed increases rather than reduces the chance of a loss of control.

Equipment is being backed out of a driveway across a public sidewalk. What is the appropriate control?

• a.Backing slowly with the window down to listen for pedestrians
• b.Sounding the horn twice before starting to back up
• c.A trained spotter in view of the operator plus a backup alarm✓
• d.A mirror added to the machine to eliminate the blind spot

Backing incidents happen in blind areas, so a spotter positioned where the operator can see them, combined with a working alarm, addresses both the machine and the pedestrians. A mirror reduces but does not eliminate blind areas. Listening is not a reliable substitute for seeing. A horn warns without confirming the path is clear.

A crew works from a truck parked on a residential street with equipment staged behind it. What traffic control is appropriate?

• a.High-visibility apparel plus cones or signs delineating the work area✓
• b.Working only during daylight, which removes the need for delineation
• c.A single cone at the rear bumper to mark the vehicle
• d.Parking with hazard lights on, which is sufficient on a residential street

Drivers need advance warning of the work area, and workers need to be conspicuous, so both delineation and high-visibility apparel apply. Hazard lights alone do not define a work zone. One cone marks the truck rather than the area where people are working. Daylight improves visibility but does not create a marked work zone.

Two workers must move a 300-pound boulder from a truck to a bed 40 feet away. What is the correct approach?

• a.Slide it down a plank and walk it with pry bars
• b.Use mechanical equipment or rigging rated for the load✓
• c.Lift together using a two-person carry with straps
• d.Roll it end over end across a sheet of plywood

A load of that weight belongs on a machine or in rigging rated for it, because manual handling exposes workers to crushing injuries that no lifting technique prevents. A two-person carry is far over safe manual limits. Rolling and prying keep hands and feet in the path of the load throughout the move.

What lifting technique reduces back injury when handling bagged soil amendments?

• a.Bend at the waist and lift with a smooth continuous motion
• b.Twist toward the destination while the load is rising
• c.Keep the load close, lift with the legs, and turn the feet✓
• d.Hold the bag at arm's length to keep it away from clothing

Keeping the load close, using leg muscles, and pivoting with the feet keeps the spine aligned and reduces both compression and twisting. Bending at the waist loads the lower back directly. Twisting while lifting is the motion most associated with disc injury. Holding a load at arm's length multiplies the force on the spine.

A worker will be pruning from an elevated work platform 12 feet above grade. What is required?

• a.A ground worker holding the platform base while it is elevated
• b.A guardrail on three sides with the fourth open for tool access
• c.A hard hat and safety glasses, which are sufficient at that height
• d.A body harness with a lanyard attached to the platform anchor✓

Occupants of an elevated work platform are tied off to the anchor provided on the platform, so a fall or a sudden movement cannot eject them. Leaving one side open removes the protection guardrails provide. A worker at the base cannot arrest a fall. Head and eye protection are required but do not address falls.

A tree crew climber is working aloft on rope. What is the essential fall protection principle?

• a.The climber remains tied in on a properly rigged system at all times aloft✓
• b.The climbing line alone is sufficient once the climber is above the first crotch
• c.A ground worker tending the rope substitutes for a second attachment
• d.Spurs provide the primary attachment while pruning a live tree

A climber stays tied in on a correctly rigged climbing system for the entire time aloft, including while repositioning. Height above the first crotch changes nothing. Spurs are for removals rather than pruning live trees and are not fall protection. A ground worker cannot replace the climber's own attachment.

A crew must work in a landscape area with visible poison oak. What is the appropriate precaution?

• a.Burn the cut material on site so the oil is destroyed
• b.Rely on prior exposure, since sensitivity decreases with repeated contact
• c.Apply a barrier cream and work in short sleeves for ventilation
• d.Cover the skin, use disposable gloves, and wash afterward✓

The plant oil transfers from clothing, tools, and skin long after contact, so covering up, using disposable gloves, and washing everything afterward is the practical control. Burning the material puts the oil into smoke that can be inhaled with severe consequences. Short sleeves expose skin. Sensitivity commonly increases with repeated exposure rather than decreasing.

A worker is stung by wasps disturbed while trimming a hedge and begins wheezing with swelling of the face. What is the correct response?

• a.Apply ice and let the worker rest in the shade for 30 minutes
• b.Call 911 immediately, since these signs suggest a severe allergic reaction✓
• c.Give an over-the-counter antihistamine and continue observing
• d.Move the worker to the truck and drive to a clinic when the crew finishes

Wheezing and facial swelling indicate a systemic allergic reaction that can progress to airway closure within minutes, so emergency services are called at once. Ice and rest treat a local reaction only. An oral antihistamine acts too slowly. Waiting for the crew to finish delays care during the most dangerous window.

What is the practical purpose of a tailgate safety meeting before a landscape crew starts work?

• a.To document that the crew arrived on site at the scheduled time
• b.To assign production targets for the day to each crew member
• c.To satisfy the recordkeeping requirement of the workers' compensation carrier
• d.To review the specific hazards of that site and the controls for them✓

A tailgate meeting connects the day's actual hazards, such as a trench, a slope, or overhead lines, to the controls the crew will use. Insurance recordkeeping is a byproduct rather than the purpose. Production assignments are a scheduling matter. Arrival documentation is a payroll function.

A hand-dug pothole exposes a fiber optic conduit that was not marked. What should the crew do?

• a.Move the conduit aside carefully and continue machine excavation
• b.Continue trenching but hand dig within a foot of the conduit
• c.Stop work there and notify the center and the operator✓
• d.Backfill over the conduit and proceed on the opposite side of the yard

An unmarked facility means the marking was incomplete, so work stops in that area and the center and operator are notified before excavation resumes. Continuing to trench nearby risks a strike on a line whose route is unknown. Moving a facility is never the excavator's to do. Covering it and moving elsewhere leaves the hazard for the next pass.

An irrigation valve vault is deep, has limited access, and has been closed for months. What should the crew consider before entry?

• a.Whether the vault is a confined space requiring testing✓
• b.Whether a ladder can reach the bottom of the vault
• c.Whether the valve can be reached with an extension tool
• d.Whether the vault lid is heavy enough to require two workers to lift

A vault with limited entry that is not designed for continuous occupancy can be a confined space where oxygen deficiency or accumulated gas is possible, so atmospheric testing and a written program come first. Ladder reach, tool reach, and lid weight are practical details that do not address the atmosphere inside.

A landscape crew works around a residential swimming pool during an installation. What safety issue should be addressed in planning?

• a.Whether the pool chemistry will damage nearby plantings
• b.Whether the pool surface can support staged materials
• c.Whether barriers and access control the drowning hazard✓
• d.Whether pool equipment noise requires hearing protection

An open pool near a work area is a drowning hazard, and keeping barriers functional and access controlled is the planning issue. Water chemistry affects plants rather than worker safety. Equipment noise at a residential pool is well below the hearing conservation threshold. Staging materials on a pool cover is not a legitimate option to evaluate.

A crew member reports a near miss when a rock was thrown from a mower toward a bystander. How should this be handled?

• a.Investigate it and correct the cause before it repeats✓
• b.Note it informally, since no one was injured and no report is required
• c.Discipline the operator so the behavior is not repeated
• d.Record it in the injury log as a first aid case

Near misses reveal the same failures that produce injuries, so the value is in investigating and correcting the cause, whether that is a missing discharge chute, debris on the lawn, or the mowing direction. Treating it informally discards the warning. Discipline addresses the person rather than the condition. Injury logs record injuries, not near misses.

A worker will use a respirator for a dusty demolition task. What must happen before the respirator is worn?

• a.The worker signs a form acknowledging the dust hazard
• b.The employer supplies a disposable respirator of any rating
• c.The worker is trained by the equipment supplier at the point of sale
• d.Medical evaluation, fit testing, and training under a written program✓

Required respirator use triggers a written program with medical evaluation, fit testing, and training, because a poorly fitted respirator gives a false sense of protection. A signed acknowledgment does not establish that the worker can safely wear one. Any disposable model is not equivalent, and supplier instruction does not replace the program.

A grinding wheel guard on a shop tool interferes with a cut and a worker suggests removing it. What is the correct response?

• a.Remove it and mark the tool as modified for that purpose
• b.Keep the guard in place and use a tool suited to the cut✓
• c.Remove it and require a face shield in place of the guard
• d.Remove it for the cut and reinstall it immediately afterward

Machine guards are the primary control and stay in place, so the answer is to select a tool that performs the cut with the guard installed. Temporary removal exposes the worker during exactly the moment of highest risk. Marking a tool as modified does not restore protection. A face shield is added protection rather than a substitute for a guard.

What is the main purpose of lockout and tagout procedures on landscape equipment?

• a.To document which employee last serviced each machine
• b.To prevent theft of equipment left overnight on a job site
• c.To keep equipment from starting or releasing energy during service✓
• d.To keep unauthorized workers from operating company machines

Lockout and tagout control hazardous energy so a machine cannot start or release stored energy while someone is working on it. Restricting who may operate equipment is a training and authorization matter. Service records are maintenance documentation. Overnight security is unrelated to energy control.

A hose is stretched across a walkway that clients use to reach the front door. What should the crew do?

• a.Set a cone at each end of the hose and leave it in place
• b.Flatten the hose against the pavement with weights
• c.Reroute it or ramp over it so the walkway stays clear✓
• d.Post a warning sign at the entry to the walkway

The trip hazard is the hose lying in the path, so removing it from the path or ramping over it addresses the cause. Cones mark a hazard without removing it. Weights hold the hose down but leave the same obstruction. Signage relies on people reading and reacting rather than eliminating the condition.

A landscape crew loads brush into a dump trailer for hauling. What securement is required on public roads?

• a.The load must be covered and secured so material cannot escape✓
• b.Securement applies only on freeways and not on local streets
• c.Only loads over one ton require covering on public roads
• d.Loose loading is acceptable if the sides of the trailer are high

A load that can blow or fall out must be covered and secured regardless of trailer height, weight, or which road is being used. Tall sides do not stop light debris from lifting out. Weight thresholds do not exempt a load from spilling. Local streets carry the same obligation as highways.

A worker cuts a hand on a shovel blade and the wound needs cleaning and a bandage. What should the employer do?

• a.Provide first aid from a stocked kit and review the cause✓
• b.Take no action unless the worker requests medical treatment
• c.Send the worker home for the day and record it as lost time
• d.Record the injury and wait to see whether it becomes infected

A stocked first aid kit and prompt care are required, and looking at how the injury happened is what prevents the next one. Waiting for the worker to ask fails the duty to provide care. Sending the worker home is neither necessary nor an accurate lost time classification. Waiting for infection delays both treatment and correction.

A crew works alone on a large rural property with no cell coverage in part of the site. What planning step matters most?

• a.Scheduling work only during business hours at the property
• b.Issuing each worker a whistle for signaling across the property
• c.Establishing an emergency communication and response plan for the site✓
• d.Limiting work to areas within sight of the access road

Emergency response depends on being able to summon help and direct it to a location, so a site-specific plan covering communication, meeting points, and addresses is the controlling step. A whistle helps within earshot only. Restricting work areas limits the job rather than solving the problem. Business hours do not restore coverage.

A landscape company reviews its injury records and finds most claims involve strains from handling materials. What is the most effective response?

• a.Post reminders about proper lifting technique in the shop
• b.Require back belts for all field employees on every job
• c.Increase the deductible on the workers' compensation policy
• d.Change how materials are handled, using equipment and carts✓

Engineering the hazard out, by using carts, machines, and smaller unit loads, is more effective than depending on workers to lift correctly under production pressure. Posters do not change the load. Back belts have not been shown to prevent injury and can create false confidence. Changing the deductible affects cost rather than injuries.