22 Construction (Focus Four) Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. Under 29 CFR 1926.501, a worker on a construction walking/working surface with an unprotected side or edge must be protected from falling once the drop to the lower level reaches what height?

   • A.15 feet, the height that triggers fall protection during structural steel erection work
   • B.4 feet, the same trigger the general industry standard applies to unprotected sides and edges
   • C.6 feet, the general trigger set by the construction fall protection standard for unprotected edges✓ Answer
   • D.10 feet, the height that triggers fall protection for workers on a scaffold platform

   The construction fall protection standard sets a single general trigger of 6 feet to a lower level, because a fall of that height can kill. The 4-foot figure belongs to general industry, 10 feet to scaffolds and 15 feet to steel erection, so blending the four is the classic error.

   Ref QB-99YTWPSource: 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1)Report a problem with this question

2. 2. Under 29 CFR 1926.502, which item may NOT be used as a component of a personal fall arrest system on a construction site?

   • A.A lanyard with a deceleration device that limits the arresting force on the worker
   • B.A full body harness with the D-ring set at the center of the back near shoulder level
   • C.A vertical lifeline rigged so the worker cannot free fall more than the permitted distance
   • D.A body belt worn at the waist, which has been barred from arrest systems since 1998✓ Answer

   A body belt concentrates the entire arresting force on the abdomen and can cause internal injury or let the worker slip out, so the standard stopped accepting it in arrest systems effective January 1, 1998. A body belt is still allowed in a positioning device system, which is a different application.

   Ref QB-SR5ZGQSource: 29 CFR 1926.502(d), opening paragraphReport a problem with this question

3. 3. A crew rigs personal fall arrest systems on a construction project. Under 29 CFR 1926.502, how must the anchorage for that equipment be selected?

   • A.It may share the anchorage that supports the suspended platform if the platform is rated for it
   • B.It must be independent of any anchorage supporting a platform and hold 5,000 lb per worker✓ Answer
   • C.It may be any point a supervisor judges strong enough, because the lanyard absorbs the impact
   • D.It must be the nearest structural steel member, since bolted steel is stronger than any anchor

   If the anchorage also holds up the platform the worker is standing on, one failure takes away both the work surface and the fall protection at the same instant. That is why the standard demands an independent anchorage, and it sets 5,000 lb per attached worker unless a qualified person designs the system to a 2-to-1 safety factor.

   Ref QB-A9B64RSource: 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(15)Report a problem with this question

4. 4. A construction crew cuts several floor openings and covers them with plywood. Under 29 CFR 1926.502, what does the standard require of those covers?

   • A.They must be removed at the end of each shift so the openings stay visible to the next crew
   • B.They must be secured against displacement and marked "HOLE" or "COVER" or color coded✓ Answer
   • C.They must be painted safety yellow and replaced with a permanent guardrail within 24 hours
   • D.They must be nailed down only where vehicles cross, since foot traffic cannot displace them

   An unmarked loose cover is more dangerous than an open hole, because a worker trusts it and steps on it. The standard therefore requires the cover to be secured against wind, equipment and foot traffic, and to be color coded or marked so anyone walking by knows what is underneath.

   Ref QB-PR3ZYKSource: 29 CFR 1926.502(i)Report a problem with this question

5. 5. Under 29 CFR 1926.503, what must an employer do after a competent person trains workers to recognize and minimize fall hazards?

   • A.Issue each trained worker a wallet card that stays valid for five years from the class date
   • B.Send a copy of the training roster to the nearest OSHA Area Office before the work begins
   • C.Post the trainer's credentials at the jobsite entrance for the duration of the project work
   • D.Prepare a written certification record naming the worker, the training date, and the trainer✓ Answer

   The rule makes the employer prove the training happened, not merely claim it, so the verification is a written certification record carrying the worker's identity, the date or dates of training, and the signature of the trainer or the employer. Nothing in the standard calls for filing with OSHA or issuing a card.

   Ref QB-7996KMSource: 29 CFR 1926.503(b)(1)Report a problem with this question

6. 6. OSHA's Construction Focus Four training draws a line between struck-by and caught-in or -between injuries. Which statement states that rule correctly?

   • A.If the impact alone caused the injury it is struck-by; if crushing between objects did, it is caught-in✓ Answer
   • B.If the object was moving it is struck-by; if the object was stationary at rest, it is caught-in or -between
   • C.If the worker was on foot it is struck-by; if the worker was operating equipment, it is caught-in or -between
   • D.If the injury came from above it is struck-by; if it came from below grade, it is caught-in or -between

   The instructor guide keys the classification to the mechanism of harm rather than to the setting: impact alone means struck-by, while injury arising mainly from being crushed between objects means caught-in or -between. Motion, the worker's position and the direction the hazard came from do not decide it.

   Ref QB-QREB6NSource: OSHA Construction Focus Four Training, Caught-In or -Between Hazards instructor guideReport a problem with this question

7. 7. A trench is being dug in Type B soil on a federal-jurisdiction construction site. Under 29 CFR 1926.652, at what depth must a cave-in protective system be in place?

   • A.4 feet, the same depth at which the standard requires a ladder or ramp for exiting a trench
   • B.5 feet, unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock or a competent person rules out a cave-in✓ Answer
   • C.6 feet, the same depth at which fall protection is required at the edge of an open excavation
   • D.20 feet, below which a registered professional engineer must design the protective system

   A cubic yard of soil weighs about as much as a car, so burial becomes lethal well before a trench is head-high; the standard therefore starts protective systems at 5 feet. The 6-foot figure is the fall protection trigger at the excavation edge, and confusing the two is the most common error on this topic.

   Ref QB-89MGRNSource: 29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1)Report a problem with this question

8. 8. Under 29 CFR 1926.651, how often must a competent person inspect an excavation where workers will be exposed to cave-in hazards?

   • A.Daily before the shift starts, as conditions require during the shift, and after every rainstorm✓ Answer
   • B.Weekly, plus any time the general contractor changes the crew assigned to the excavation work
   • C.Monthly, matching the interval used for documented inspections of hoisting and rigging gear
   • D.Once when the excavation is opened, and again on the day the protective system is removed

   Soil conditions are not static: water, vibration and time all degrade a trench wall, and a rainstorm can turn a stable face into a slough overnight. The standard therefore ties inspection to those changes, requiring a look before each shift, more often as conditions demand, and after any hazard-increasing event.

   Ref QB-VR7ZZTSource: 29 CFR 1926.651(k)(1)Report a problem with this question

9. 9. A rigged load being hoisted by a crane twists and swings sideways, knocking a worker off a landing. Into which of OSHA's four struck-by categories does this event fall?

   • A.Struck-by a falling object, the category covering items released from an elevated position
   • B.Struck-by a rolling object, the category covering vehicles and equipment moving on the ground
   • C.Struck-by a swinging object, the category covering loads that swing or twist while suspended✓ Answer
   • D.Struck-by a flying object, the category covering particles thrown from a tool under power

   The load never left the hook, so nothing fell and nothing was thrown; the hazard is the lateral motion of a suspended load, which is the swinging category. Loads swing because the hoist is not plumb over the pick or because wind and momentum act on them, which is why tag lines and a cleared swing zone are the controls.

   Ref QB-D9D6MUSource: OSHA Construction Focus Four Training, Struck-By Hazards instructor guideReport a problem with this question

10. 10. An excavator is loading spoil into a dump truck beside an open trench. Under 29 CFR 1926.651, which practice is required to protect workers from struck-by hazards at that operation?

    • A.Pile spoil directly against the trench lip so it forms a berm that stops material rolling in
    • B.Allow workers under the bucket only when the operator holds a certified rigger qualification
    • C.Let workers stand beside the truck being loaded as long as they wear high-visibility clothing
    • D.Keep spoil and equipment at least 2 feet from the edge and keep workers out from under loads✓ Answer

    Spoil stacked at the lip both surcharges the trench wall and gives loose material a straight path back into the cut onto the people below, so the standard sets a 2-foot setback or an equivalent retaining device. The same section flatly bars anyone from standing underneath a load handled by lifting or digging equipment.

    Ref QB-KSF3TMSource: 29 CFR 1926.651(i) and (j)Report a problem with this question

11. 11. Under 29 CFR 1926.404, what must an employer provide to protect construction workers using temporary 120-volt receptacle outlets on a jobsite?

    • A.Either ground-fault circuit interrupters or an assured equipment grounding conductor program✓ Answer
    • B.A double-insulated tool policy, which the standard accepts in place of either of those programs
    • C.Both ground-fault circuit interrupters and an assured equipment grounding conductor program
    • D.A monthly continuity test of every cord set, which the standard accepts as the sole protection

    The standard opens by telling the employer to use one route or the other, so it is a genuine either/or choice rather than a stacked requirement. Both routes exist because temporary site wiring gets dragged, wetted and damaged, and either a tripping device or a documented inspection and test program can catch that.

    Ref QB-3AAW7MSource: 29 CFR 1926.404(b)(1)(i)Report a problem with this question

12. 12. A carpenter plugs a saw into a GFCI-protected temporary outlet and contacts an energized part. What protection does the GFCI actually provide?

    • A.It blocks the shock entirely, so no current can pass through the worker's body at any point
    • B.It senses the ground fault and opens the circuit, cutting how long the shock current flows✓ Answer
    • C.It grounds the tool frame, which makes a damaged cord safe to keep using until the shift ends
    • D.It reduces the voltage at the outlet to a level below the threshold that a person can feel

    The device compares current out with current back and trips when the difference shows that current is leaking to ground, which can only happen after the leakage has begun. The worker still feels the shock; what the device limits is its duration, and duration is what decides whether the shock is survivable.

    Ref QB-JS4RMKSource: 29 CFR 1926.404(b)(1)(ii); OSHA Construction Focus Four Training, Electrocution Hazards instructor guideReport a problem with this question

13. 13. A worker sets a portable extension ladder to reach a second-floor landing. Under 29 CFR 1926.1053, what does the standard require where the ladder meets that landing?

    • A.The side rails extend at least 7 feet above the landing to give a full-height handhold at the top
    • B.The side rails extend at least 3 feet above the landing, or the top is tied off with a grab device✓ Answer
    • C.The side rails stop level with the landing so the ladder does not obstruct the walking surface
    • D.The top rung rests on the landing edge, since the rung bears the load better than the rails do

    The dangerous moment on a ladder is the transfer on and off at the top, when the climber has nothing to hold. Rails that run 3 feet past the landing give a handhold through that transfer; where the ladder is too short for that, the standard accepts securing the top to a rigid support plus a grabrail.

    Ref QB-2AXJ2KSource: 29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1)Report a problem with this question

14. 14. A non-self-supporting ladder rests against a wall with 16 feet of working length between its feet and its top support. Under the 4-to-1 rule in 29 CFR 1926.1053, how far from the wall should the feet sit?

    • A.About 2 feet, one eighth of the working length as used for job-made wood ladders
    • B.About 8 feet, one half of the working length, giving the widest and most stable base
    • C.About 11 feet, which sets the ladder at a 45 degree angle against the face of the wall
    • D.About 4 feet, one quarter of the working length measured along the ladder rails✓ Answer

    The rule sets the base out approximately one quarter of the working length, so 16 divided by 4 gives 4 feet and an angle near 75 degrees. Too steep and the ladder tips backward as the climber leans out; too shallow and the feet slide away, which is why the ratio is fixed rather than left to judgment.

    Ref QB-HSRDFJSource: 29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(5)(i)Report a problem with this question

15. 15. Under 29 CFR 1926.451, at what height above a lower level must an employee working on a scaffold platform be protected from falling?

    • A.More than 10 feet, a trigger the scaffold standard sets separately from the general 6-foot rule✓ Answer
    • B.More than 6 feet, the same trigger the construction fall protection standard sets for all work
    • C.More than 4 feet, the trigger carried over from the general industry walking-working surfaces rule
    • D.More than 15 feet, the trigger used for connectors and deckers during steel erection activity

    Scaffolds are governed by their own subpart, and that subpart sets its own fall protection trigger of more than 10 feet above a lower level rather than borrowing the 6-foot figure from the fall protection subpart. Candidates who memorize a single height for all construction work get this one wrong.

    Ref QB-Z9K8VHSource: 29 CFR 1926.451(g)(1)Report a problem with this question

16. 16. Which statement about erecting, accessing, and inspecting a supported scaffold under 29 CFR 1926.451 is NOT correct?

    • A.Erection and dismantling happen only under the supervision of a competent person qualified in it
    • B.Each scaffold component must support its own weight plus 4 times the maximum intended load
    • C.Crossbraces are an acceptable means of climbing onto a platform set 4 feet above the ground✓ Answer
    • D.A competent person must inspect the scaffold for visible defects before each work shift begins

    Crossbraces are expressly barred as a means of access because they are diagonal, widely spaced and never designed to carry a climber, so the standard requires a ladder, stair tower, ramp or integral access once a platform sits more than 2 feet above or below the access point. The other three statements restate the standard correctly.

    Ref QB-GSD3AHSource: 29 CFR 1926.451(e)(1); 1926.451(f)(3); 1926.451(f)(7); 1926.451(a)(1)Report a problem with this question

17. 17. 29 CFR 1926.95(c) sets two conditions that all construction PPE must meet. Besides being of safe design and construction for the work, what must the employer ensure?

    • A.That the equipment is issued in a single universal size so any crew member can grab it fast
    • B.That the equipment is inspected by an outside safety consultant before each shift it is used
    • C.That the equipment carries a manufacturer date stamp no more than five years old at issue
    • D.That the equipment is selected to properly fit each affected employee who has to wear it✓ Answer

    Protective equipment only works when it sits on the body as designed: a harness that rides loose, gloves that slip and eyewear that gaps all leave the hazard reaching the worker. The construction rule was amended to state the fit duty explicitly, matching the wording already used in general industry.

    Ref QB-Y98WPGSource: 29 CFR 1926.95(c)(2)Report a problem with this question

18. 18. Under 29 CFR 1926.95, who pays for the personal protective equipment a construction worker must wear to comply with Part 1926?

    • A.The worker, who is then reimbursed through a payroll deduction at the end of the job
    • B.The general contractor's insurance carrier, which is billed directly by the PPE supplier
    • C.The employer, except for narrow carve-outs such as non-specialty safety-toe footwear✓ Answer
    • D.The employer for hard hats only; all other protective equipment is the worker's expense

    Charging workers for required protection would push them to skip it or buy whatever is cheapest, so the standard puts the cost on the employer at no charge to the employee. The exceptions are deliberately narrow, covering mainly non-specialty safety-toe shoes and prescription eyewear the worker may take off site.

    Ref QB-FS2R4GSource: 29 CFR 1926.95(d)(1)Report a problem with this question

19. 19. A construction site has a recognized hazard that no specific 29 CFR 1926 standard addresses. Which statement about the OSH Act correctly describes what happens?

    • A.Section 5(a)(1) obliges the employer to furnish a workplace free of recognized hazards✓ Answer
    • B.No citation is possible, because OSHA may only enforce the specific published standards
    • C.The hazard must be referred to NIOSH, the only agency permitted to issue a citation
    • D.Section 5(b) lets OSHA cite the exposed worker directly for not following safe practice

    The General Duty Clause exists precisely because no rulebook can name every hazard, so it makes the employer responsible for recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm even where no standard applies. Section 5(b) binds workers to the standards but gives OSHA no power to cite an employee.

    Ref QB-X9VJHFSource: Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Section 5(a)(1) and Section 5(b)Report a problem with this question

20. 20. Under 29 CFR 1904.39, how quickly must an employer report a work-related fatality and a work-related in-patient hospitalization to OSHA?

    • A.8 hours for the fatality and 24 hours for the in-patient hospitalization of a worker✓ Answer
    • B.24 hours for the fatality and 72 hours for the in-patient hospitalization of a worker
    • C.30 days for both, matching the deadline for entering the case on the OSHA 300 log
    • D.8 hours for both events, since each of them counts as a catastrophic reportable event

    The reporting clock is set by how quickly the agency needs to reach a scene before it changes: a fatality gets the short 8-hour window so an inspector can see the conditions, while a hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye gets 24 hours. Recording the case on the log is a separate duty with its own deadline.

    Ref QB-8WG9KJSource: 29 CFR 1904.39(a)(1) and (a)(2)Report a problem with this question

21. 21. 29 CFR 1926.32 defines both 'competent person' and 'qualified person.' What separates the competent person from the qualified person?

    • A.The competent person is appointed by the OSHA Area Director rather than by the employer
    • B.The competent person works only for the prime contractor, never for a subcontractor tier
    • C.The competent person is authorized to take prompt corrective action to eliminate hazards✓ Answer
    • D.The competent person holds a recognized engineering degree in the subject matter at issue

    Both definitions require knowledge, so knowledge is not the dividing line; what the competent person adds is authority, the power to stop the work and fix the hazard on the spot. The qualified person is defined by demonstrated expertise from degree, certificate, standing or experience, with no authority attached.

    Ref QB-RDPE6KSource: 29 CFR 1926.32(f) and 1926.32(m)Report a problem with this question

22. 22. Under 29 CFR 1926.20, what must an employer's accident prevention program on a construction site provide for?

    • A.Quarterly inspections carried out by an outside consultant retained by the prime contractor
    • B.Frequent and regular inspections of the jobsite, its materials, and equipment by competent persons✓ Answer
    • C.Annual inspections by the OSHA Area Office, scheduled in advance by the general contractor
    • D.Voluntary inspections by any interested worker, performed whenever the schedule allows it

    A construction site changes daily, so the rule ties the program to inspections that are both frequent and regular and puts them in the hands of competent persons the employer designates, because only someone with authority can act on what the walk finds. The same section requires unsafe tools and machinery to be tagged or removed from service.

    Ref QB-7W5XDHSource: 29 CFR 1926.20(b)(2) and 1926.20(b)(3)Report 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 →