16 Construction (Focus Four) Practice Questions & Answers

Every Construction (Focus Four) practice question from the OSHA 10 / 30 Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.

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1. Which hazard category causes the most construction worker deaths and is the first of OSHA's 'Focus Four' hazards?
- A.Falls✓ Answer
- B.Heat stress
- C.Fires
- D.Noise exposure
Falls are the leading cause of death in construction, which is why OSHA lists them first among the Focus Four (falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, electrocution); most fall fatalities involve unprotected edges or floor openings above 6 feet.
Source: OSHA Construction Focus Four; 29 CFR 1926 Subpart MReport a problem with this question
2. In general construction work (Subpart M), at what height above a lower level does OSHA require fall protection?
- A.10 feet
- B.4 feet
- C.15 feet
- D.6 feet✓ Answer
29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1) requires fall protection for workers on walking/working surfaces with an unprotected edge 6 feet or more above a lower level; the 4-foot trigger applies to general industry, not construction.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1)Report a problem with this question
3. A personal fall arrest system (PFAS) consists of which three basic components?
- A.Ladder, scaffold, and aerial lift
- B.Guardrail, toeboard, and warning line
- C.Hard hat, safety glasses, and gloves
- D.Anchorage, body harness, and connector (lanyard/lifeline)✓ Answer
Under 29 CFR 1926.502(d), a compliant PFAS is built from an anchorage, a full-body harness, and a connecting device such as a lanyard or lifeline, which together limit arresting forces and stop a fall before the worker contacts a lower level.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.502(d)Report a problem with this question
4. What is the required top-edge height of a guardrail system's top rail above the walking/working surface?
- A.50 inches
- B.36 inches
- C.42 inches (plus or minus 3 inches)✓ Answer
- D.30 inches
29 CFR 1926.502(b)(1) sets the guardrail top rail at 42 inches plus or minus 3 inches (a 39-to-45-inch range) above the working surface so it can arrest a worker leaning or falling toward the edge.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.502(b)(1)Report a problem with this question
5. On a supported scaffold, at what height above a lower level must fall protection be provided for workers?
- A.10 feet✓ Answer
- B.6 feet
- C.8 feet
- D.20 feet
29 CFR 1926.451(g)(1) requires fall protection for each employee on a scaffold more than 10 feet above a lower level; scaffolds have their own 10-foot trigger, distinct from the 6-foot rule for general construction surfaces.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.451(g)(1)Report a problem with this question
6. A scaffold and its components must be able to support at least how many times the maximum intended load?
- A.2 times
- B.3 times
- C.4 times✓ Answer
- D.6 times
29 CFR 1926.451(a)(1) requires each scaffold and its components to support, without failure, its own weight plus at least 4 times the maximum intended load; this safety factor guards against overloading and material defects.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.451(a)(1)Report a problem with this question
7. How far above the upper landing surface must a portable ladder's side rails extend when used for access?
- A.1 foot
- B.2 feet
- C.3 feet✓ Answer
- D.5 feet
29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1) requires the side rails to extend at least 3 feet above the upper landing surface so the worker has a secure handhold when stepping on or off the ladder.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1)Report a problem with this question
8. What is the correct setup angle for a non-self-supporting (leaning) portable ladder?
- A.Vertical, straight up against the wall
- B.The base 1 foot out for every 8 feet of working length
- C.The base 1 foot out for every 4 feet of working length (4-to-1)✓ Answer
- D.The base 1 foot out for every 2 feet of working length
29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(5)(i) requires non-self-supporting ladders to be set at a 4-to-1 ratio—the base placed one-quarter of the ladder's working length away from the wall—so the ladder is neither so steep it tips back nor so flat it slides out.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(5)(i)Report a problem with this question
9. At what excavation depth does OSHA generally require a protective system (sloping, shoring, or shielding), unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock?
- A.12 feet
- B.3 feet
- C.5 feet✓ Answer
- D.8 feet
29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1) requires a protective system in any excavation 5 feet or more deep unless it is entirely in stable rock, because unprotected walls at that depth can collapse and bury a worker in seconds.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1)Report a problem with this question
10. For an excavation deeper than 20 feet, how must the protective system be designed?
- A.No protective system is required beyond 20 feet
- B.By any competent person on site
- C.By the equipment operator
- D.By a registered professional engineer✓ Answer
Under 29 CFR 1926.652(b) and (c), protective systems for excavations deeper than 20 feet must be designed by a registered professional engineer, because standard slope tables and tabulated data no longer apply at those depths.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.652(b) and (c); Subpart P App FReport a problem with this question
11. How far from the edge of an excavation must excavated soil (spoil) and other materials be kept?
- A.At least 6 inches
- B.At least 2 feet✓ Answer
- C.At least 10 feet
- D.Directly at the edge is acceptable
29 CFR 1926.651(j)(2) requires spoil piles, equipment, and materials to be kept at least 2 feet from the excavation edge (or retained by a barrier) so their weight does not surcharge the wall and their contents cannot roll back into the trench.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.651(j)(2)Report a problem with this question
12. Who must inspect excavations for hazards such as possible cave-ins, and how often?
- A.Any worker, once per week
- B.A competent person, daily and as conditions change✓ Answer
- C.The safety director, once per month
- D.An engineer, only at project start
29 CFR 1926.651(k)(1) requires a competent person—someone able to identify hazards and authorized to correct them—to inspect excavations daily before work begins and as conditions change, since soil stability, water, and weather can shift rapidly.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.651(k)(1)Report a problem with this question
13. Which two methods does OSHA accept for protecting workers from electrocution when using cord- and plug-connected tools on construction sites?
- A.Ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) or an assured equipment grounding conductor program✓ Answer
- B.Wearing rubber-soled shoes or standing on a wooden pallet
- C.Taping over the ground prong or using a longer cord
- D.Working only in dry weather or only during daylight
29 CFR 1926.404(b)(1) requires either GFCI protection—which cuts power within milliseconds when it senses current leaking to ground—or a documented assured equipment grounding conductor program, to prevent electrocution from faulty tools and cords.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.404(b)(1)Report a problem with this question
14. To reduce struck-by hazards, what PPE must workers exposed to public vehicular traffic or moving equipment wear?
- A.Hearing protection
- B.A dust mask
- C.Steel-toed boots only
- D.High-visibility warning garments✓ Answer
29 CFR 1926.201(a) (referencing the MUTCD) and 1926.651(d) require flaggers and workers exposed to vehicular traffic or moving equipment to wear high-visibility warning garments so operators can see them in time to avoid a struck-by incident.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.201(a); 1926.651(d)Report a problem with this question
15. In construction work under 29 CFR 1926, at what height above a lower level must an employer generally protect employees working on a walking/working surface with an unprotected side or edge?
- A.6 feet✓ Answer
- B.4 feet
- C.15 feet
- D.10 feet
Under 1926.501(b)(1), construction employees on a walking/working surface with an unprotected side or edge 6 feet or more above a lower level must be protected by guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems. The 6-foot trigger is specific to the construction standard (1926), whereas general industry (1910) uses a 4-foot trigger.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1)Report a problem with this question
16. OSHA's "Focus Four" identifies the hazards responsible for most construction worker deaths. Which of the Focus Four is the single leading cause of fatalities in construction?
- A.Falls✓ Answer
- B.Struck-by hazards
- C.Caught-in/between hazards
- D.Electrocution
OSHA's Focus Four are falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, and electrocution. Falls are consistently the leading cause of death in construction, which is why fall protection is emphasized first in Outreach (OSHA 10/30) construction training; eliminating fall hazards prevents the largest share of construction fatalities.
Source: OSHA Outreach Training Program (Construction Focus Four); 29 CFR 1926 Subpart MReport a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the OSHA Outreach standards (29 CFR 1926 / 1910). Not affiliated with OSHA and not a substitute for the official course or the DOL card. About OSHA training →

1. Which hazard category causes the most construction worker deaths and is the first of OSHA's 'Focus Four' hazards?

2. In general construction work (Subpart M), at what height above a lower level does OSHA require fall protection?

3. A personal fall arrest system (PFAS) consists of which three basic components?

4. What is the required top-edge height of a guardrail system's top rail above the walking/working surface?

5. On a supported scaffold, at what height above a lower level must fall protection be provided for workers?

6. A scaffold and its components must be able to support at least how many times the maximum intended load?

7. How far above the upper landing surface must a portable ladder's side rails extend when used for access?

8. What is the correct setup angle for a non-self-supporting (leaning) portable ladder?

9. At what excavation depth does OSHA generally require a protective system (sloping, shoring, or shielding), unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock?

10. For an excavation deeper than 20 feet, how must the protective system be designed?

11. How far from the edge of an excavation must excavated soil (spoil) and other materials be kept?

12. Who must inspect excavations for hazards such as possible cave-ins, and how often?

13. Which two methods does OSHA accept for protecting workers from electrocution when using cord- and plug-connected tools on construction sites?

14. To reduce struck-by hazards, what PPE must workers exposed to public vehicular traffic or moving equipment wear?

15. In construction work under 29 CFR 1926, at what height above a lower level must an employer generally protect employees working on a walking/working surface with an unprotected side or edge?

16. OSHA's "Focus Four" identifies the hazards responsible for most construction worker deaths. Which of the Focus Four is the single leading cause of fatalities in construction?