19 Safety & Utility Locates Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. A crew is being trained on chemical container labels. How many hazard pictograms does OSHA require under its Hazard Communication Standard, and why does that number differ from the international total?

   • A.Eight are required; the environment pictogram is not mandated, as those hazards lie outside OSHA's remit.✓ Answer
   • B.Ten are required; OSHA added a workplace biohazard pictogram on top of the GHS set of symbols.
   • C.Nine are required; OSHA adopted the entire GHS set, including the environment pictogram, for all shipments.
   • D.Six are required; OSHA dropped three pictograms that duplicated older workplace warning symbols.

   The international GHS system defines nine pictograms, but OSHA mandates only eight. The environment pictogram is expressly non-mandatory because OSHA's jurisdiction covers worker safety and health, not environmental protection, so it may appear voluntarily but is never required.

   Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200 Appendix C; OSHA Hazard Communication Standard Pictogram QuickCardReport a problem with this question

2. 2. A jug in the chemical locker carries a red-bordered diamond showing a flame burning above a circle. What hazard does that pictogram warn about?

   • A.An oxidizer, which supplies oxygen and can intensify or start a fire in other materials.✓ Answer
   • B.A gas under pressure, stored in a cylinder that can rupture violently if it is heated.
   • C.A self-reactive material, which can explode from shock, friction or sudden heating.
   • D.A flammable liquid, whose vapors ignite readily when a spark or open flame is nearby.

   The flame-over-circle pictogram is reserved for oxidizers. The plain flame marks flammables, self-heating and pyrophoric materials; the circle underneath signifies that the substance releases oxygen, which is why oxidizers must be stored away from fuels and organic materials.

   Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200 Appendix C, GHS hazard pictogramsReport a problem with this question

3. 3. A supplier's container of herbicide arrives bearing the product identifier, a signal word, hazard statements, pictograms and precautionary statements. Which remaining element must appear for the shipped label to be complete?

   • A.The name, U.S. address and telephone number of the manufacturer or responsible party.✓ Answer
   • B.The date the container was opened and the initials of the employee who opened it.
   • C.The National Fire Protection Association rating diamond with its four colored fields.
   • D.The sixteen-section safety data sheet reprinted on the reverse face of the label.

   A shipped container label must carry exactly six elements, and the sixth is contact information for the manufacturer, importer or other responsible party. That contact detail exists so a user or emergency responder can reach a person who knows the product; the safety data sheet is a separate document, not part of the label.

   Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(1)Report a problem with this question

4. 4. A technician notices one jug labeled "Danger" and another labeled "Warning". What is the correct understanding of signal words on these labels?

   • A.The pair appears together on severe products so the reader sees the full range of risk.
   • B."Warning" outranks "Danger", which is reserved for products that are only mild irritants.
   • C.The pair is the complete set, "Danger" outranks "Warning", and a label carries just one.✓ Answer
   • D.The employer picks the word, so any cautionary term may be added to a workplace label.

   Only two signal words exist in the system, and they are ranked: "Danger" is used for the more severe hazard categories and "Warning" for the less severe. Because the word signals the severity of the worst hazard on that product, a label that qualifies for "Danger" must not also print "Warning".

   Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200 Appendix C, allocation of signal wordsReport a problem with this question

5. 5. A technician pours fungicide concentrate from a labeled drum into a small jug, then leaves for lunch planning to have another crew member finish the spraying. What does the standard require for that jug?

   • A.It must be labeled only when the product is a restricted-use pesticide rather than a fungicide.
   • B.It may stay unlabeled if the crew member is told verbally what the jug holds before spraying.
   • C.It must be labeled, because the exemption covers only immediate use by the person who poured it.✓ Answer
   • D.It may stay unlabeled all day, because the drum it came from is labeled and stays on the truck.

   The portable-container exemption is narrow: it applies only when the chemical is transferred from a labeled container and used immediately by the same employee who made the transfer. Once the jug is set down for a break or handed to someone else, that condition fails and the container must be labeled.

   Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(8)Report a problem with this question

6. 6. Before mixing a concentrate, a crew leader needs to know which gloves and eye protection the product calls for. Which section of the safety data sheet holds that information?

   • A.Section 8, exposure controls and personal protection, which lists limits and required gear.✓ Answer
   • B.Section 9, physical and chemical properties, which lists appearance, odor and boiling point.
   • C.Section 11, toxicological information, which lists routes of exposure and health effect data.
   • D.Section 2, hazard identification, which lists the hazard classes and the label elements used.

   The safety data sheet uses a fixed sixteen-section order so any worker finds the same information in the same place. Section 8 is where exposure limits and the specific personal protective equipment for the product are listed, which is why a crew checks it before mixing or applying.

   Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(2), SDS Section 8Report a problem with this question

7. 7. A crew works out of a truck at scattered sites all day. How must the employer make safety data sheets available for the chemicals carried on that truck?

   • A.Readily accessible in the work area on every shift, with no need to ask anyone for a key.✓ Answer
   • B.Filed in the office manager's locked cabinet, to be copied on request during business hours.
   • C.Kept by the supervisor alone, who reads the relevant sheet aloud whenever a crew asks for it.
   • D.Mailed to each employee once a year, since annual distribution satisfies the access requirement.

   Data sheets must be readily accessible to employees in their work area during each work shift, and any barrier defeats that requirement. A locked cabinet, a gatekeeper who must be asked, or a once-a-year mailing all delay access at the moment of a spill or exposure, which is exactly when the sheet is needed.

   Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8)Report a problem with this question

8. 8. A technician sees that sections 12 through 15 of a safety data sheet, covering ecological, disposal, transport and regulatory information, are filled in. What is true about those sections?

   • A.They must appear in their fixed numbered order, though OSHA does not enforce their content.✓ Answer
   • B.The employer completes them, since the manufacturer cannot know the final disposal site.
   • C.They replace the older material safety data sheet, which used a different set of headings.
   • D.They are optional extras that a manufacturer may leave out or renumber to suit the product.

   The sixteen headings and their order are mandatory so the format is predictable everywhere, and sections 12 through 15 must be present. Their subject matter, however, falls under other agencies rather than OSHA, so OSHA requires the headings but does not police what is written under them.

   Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(2), Note 2 to paragraph (g)(2)Report a problem with this question

9. 9. A locator has painted purple lines across a lawn where the crew plans to trench. What do purple markings identify?

   • A.Electric power conduit and the low-voltage cable serving site lighting.
   • B.Sewer and storm drainage lines carrying waste away from the structure.
   • C.Potable drinking water mains feeding the building and its outside spigots.
   • D.Reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines running under the marked path.✓ Answer

   Under the uniform color code, purple is reserved for reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines, while blue means potable water only and green means sewer and drainage. Landscape crews confuse purple with blue more than any other pair, which matters because an irrigation main and a drinking water main are marked differently on purpose.

   Source: APWA Uniform Color Code for temporary marking of underground facilitiesReport a problem with this question

10. 10. Before a locate ticket is worked, someone paints the outer limits of the planned excavation in white. Who makes that marking and what does it mean?

    • A.The locator marks it to show where the crew has permission to run equipment.
    • B.The surveyor marks it to show the property boundary the crew must stay inside.
    • C.The excavator marks it to show locators the outer limits of the planned dig.✓ Answer
    • D.The utility owner marks it to show an unidentified line of unknown ownership.

    White is the pre-marking color, and it is the one color the excavator applies rather than the utility owner. Outlining the proposed dig area in white tells the locator exactly where to search, which reduces both over-marking and the chance that a line inside the work area gets missed.

    Source: APWA Uniform Color Code; Common Ground Alliance Best Practices, pre-markingReport a problem with this question

11. 11. A yard has been marked after an 811 ticket. The plan calls for trenching across a lawn that also holds a private irrigation main, landscape lighting cable and a gas line running to a pool heater. What should the crew expect?

    • A.Those private lines carry no risk, because private systems run at low pressure and voltage.
    • B.Those private lines are not covered by the ticket and need a private locate before digging.✓ Answer
    • C.Those private lines are covered by the ticket, since the locator sweeps the whole property.
    • D.Those private lines are the homeowner's problem, so damage to them is not the crew's concern.

    The one-call system locates facilities owned by its member utilities, generally up to the meter or point of service. Anything downstream of that point, including irrigation mains, lighting cable, sewer laterals and gas piping to a pool heater or grill, belongs to the property owner and must be found by a private locate.

    Source: Common Ground Alliance Best Practices, scope of one-call locating and private facilitiesReport a problem with this question

12. 12. Two weeks into a job, rain and traffic have washed most of the locate marks off the site and the remaining paint is unclear. What should the crew do?

    • A.Continue digging, since the original ticket stays valid until the job is finished.
    • B.Probe with a steel bar along the old paint line to find the line, then proceed.
    • C.Stop excavation and request a re-mark before any more ground is disturbed.✓ Answer
    • D.Dig from memory of where the marks ran, keeping the machine bucket shallow.

    Locate tickets have a limited life and marks that become faded, disturbed or destroyed no longer identify anything reliably. Work in the area must stop and a re-mark be requested, because digging from memory removes the only evidence of where the facility actually runs.

    Source: Common Ground Alliance Best Practices, ticket life and re-markingReport a problem with this question

13. 13. A trencher nicks a plastic gas line and the crew hears hissing. What is the correct response?

    • A.Backfill the trench over the damaged pipe to smother the escaping gas, then call the owner.
    • B.Evacuate the area upwind, call 911 from a safe distance, then notify the utility owner.✓ Answer
    • C.Move the trencher clear, finish the remaining run, and report the damage at the end of the day.
    • D.Pinch or wrap the split line to slow the leak, then telephone the utility owner's office.

    Escaping gas can find an ignition source well away from the trench, so people leave first and the call is made from a safe distance. Attempting a repair or backfilling over the break traps gas underground where it can migrate into a building, and no repair may be made by anyone other than the facility owner.

    Source: Common Ground Alliance Best Practices, damage and emergency responseReport a problem with this question

14. 14. A crew leader says OSHA sets a 50-pound limit on what one worker may lift. Is that correct?

    • A.Yes, for outdoor work; the 50-pound cap applies whenever a load is carried over uneven ground.
    • B.Yes; the 50-pound limit is written into the general industry standards and applies to all lifting.
    • C.No; OSHA sets no maximum lifting weight, and such hazards fall under the General Duty Clause.✓ Answer
    • D.No; the limit is 51 pounds, which OSHA adopted from the NIOSH equation as an enforceable rule.

    No OSHA standard sets a maximum weight one person may lift; the agency has said so directly, and lifting hazards are addressed instead through the General Duty Clause. The 51-pound figure comes from the NIOSH lifting equation, where it is the load constant for ideal conditions and is a voluntary guideline rather than a rule.

    Source: OSHA Standard Interpretation on lifting weight limits; OSH Act Section 5(a)(1); NIOSH Revised Lifting EquationReport a problem with this question

15. 15. A technician must move a heavy balled-and-burlapped shrub from the truck bed to a hole several feet to one side. What is the correct way to change direction while holding the load?

    • A.Twist at the waist while the feet stay planted, so the load never swings out from the body.
    • B.Lock the knees and rotate from the hips, letting the back muscles carry the turning effort.
    • C.Swing the load out at arm's length while turning, so it clears the knees during the turn.
    • D.Pivot the feet to face the new direction, keeping the load close and the shoulders square.✓ Answer

    Twisting under load combines rotation with compression on the spine and sharply raises disc injury risk, which is why the feet do the turning. Holding the load close also matters because the further a weight sits from the body, the greater the leverage acting on the low back for the same number of pounds.

    Source: NIOSH Revised Lifting Equation (asymmetry and horizontal multipliers); OSHA materials handling guidanceReport a problem with this question

16. 16. Two technicians must move stacked wall block a long distance across a finished lawn. Which approach follows accepted manual handling practice?

    • A.Fit both technicians with back support belts, which allow heavier loads to be carried by hand.
    • B.Have the stronger technician carry the whole stack alone while the other spots for obstacles.
    • C.Use a cart to eliminate the carry, and if lifting by hand, lift and lower on one person's count.✓ Answer
    • D.Split the load into single blocks and carry them at arm's length so each trip stays light.

    The hierarchy of controls prefers eliminating the manual lift over relying on technique, so a wheelbarrow, cart or dolly is the first choice. When hands are unavoidable, one person calls the commands so both partners lift and lower together; back belts are not recognized as effective protective equipment and do not raise safe load limits.

    Source: NIOSH position on back belts; NALP Landscape Industry Certified Technician Common Core, safe lifting and manual material handlingReport a problem with this question

17. 17. A technician will spend the afternoon running a backpack blower on a commercial parking lot near moving traffic. Which combination of protection fits the hazards of that task?

    • A.A dust mask, tinted sunglasses and a cotton work shirt in the company's usual colors.
    • B.A hard hat, a full-face respirator and cut-resistant gloves rated for chainsaw work.
    • C.Hearing protection, impact-rated eye protection and a high-visibility outer garment.✓ Answer
    • D.Chemical-resistant gloves, a full face shield and steel-toe boots with a rubber upper.

    Protective equipment is selected hazard by hazard. A blower produces sustained high noise and throws grit and debris toward the eyes, and working where vehicles move means the operator must be seen, so hearing protection, impact-rated eye protection and high-visibility clothing each answer a specific hazard of this task.

    Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 (occupational noise), 1910.132 and 1910.133 (personal protective equipment and eye protection)Report a problem with this question

18. 18. On a hot afternoon a technician stops sweating, becomes confused and has hot, dry skin. What is happening and what comes first?

    • A.Heat cramps; give an electrolyte drink and let the worker stretch the cramping muscles.
    • B.Heat stroke; call 911 and begin cooling the worker immediately while help is on the way.✓ Answer
    • C.Dehydration alone; have the worker drink water and return to light duty after a break.
    • D.Heat exhaustion; move the worker to shade and let them rest until the symptoms pass.

    Confusion together with hot, dry skin and the loss of sweating means the body's cooling system has failed, which marks heat stroke rather than the milder heat exhaustion. It is a life-threatening emergency, so emergency services are called and active cooling begins at once instead of simply resting the worker in shade.

    Source: OSHA-NIOSH heat illness prevention guidance for outdoor workersReport a problem with this question

19. 19. While planting, a crew finds that trees must be set with a boom under an energized overhead power line, and no one on the crew is trained for work near energized conductors. What should the crew do?

    • A.Stop the task and refer it to the supervisor so qualified help and clearances are arranged.✓ Answer
    • B.Proceed slowly with a spotter watching the boom tip, since a spotter satisfies the requirement.
    • C.Ask the homeowner whether the line is insulated, and continue if the answer is yes.
    • D.Proceed if the boom is kept below the wire, since contact only matters when the boom is raised.

    Work that brings equipment near energized overhead conductors requires trained personnel and a minimum approach distance established with the utility, and a crew without that training is outside its competence. Recognizing that boundary and stopping to refer the job upward is the required action, because overhead lines are rarely insulated and contact is often fatal.

    Source: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.333 (selection and use of work practices near energized lines); NALP Landscape Industry Certified Technician Common Core, safetyReport a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the published content areas of the National Association of Landscape Professionals' Landscape Industry Certified Technician (Exterior) programme — the universal safety and hazard-communication elements every candidate takes, plus the plan reading, horticultural principles and calculation content behind the installation and maintenance specialties — together with standard horticulture, soils, turfgrass and hardscape construction references. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Association of Landscape Professionals. This bank covers written knowledge only; where a certification programme also assesses hands-on skill, that part is judged in the field and cannot be practised on a screen. Irrigation system design and troubleshooting, and arboriculture, are covered by our separate irrigation and arborist banks rather than here. Landscape work is governed by pesticide, licensing, water-use and vehicle rules that vary by state and locality — confirm what applies where you work, and confirm current certification requirements with NALP before testing. About NALP certification →