22 Rights & Hazard Recognition Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. A one-person landscaping business has no employees, and the owner works alone at customer sites. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, how does OSHA treat this owner?

   • A.The owner is not covered until the business hires at least ten paid workers.
   • B.The owner is not covered, since the Act places duties on employers toward employees.✓ Answer
   • C.The owner is covered as both employer and employee, and must keep injury records.
   • D.The owner is covered whenever the work is performed on a client's premises.

   Every duty in the Act runs from an employer to its employees, so a self-employed person with no employees has no employment relationship for OSHA to regulate. The ten-employee figure some people recall is only a partial recordkeeping exemption, not a test of coverage.

   Ref QB-RDU7B2Source: Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Sec. 3 (definitions of "employer" and "employee")Report a problem with this question

2. 2. A compliance officer finds a hazard that is recognized in the industry as capable of causing death, but no specific OSHA standard addresses it. Under Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, what may OSHA do?

   • A.Cite both the employer and the exposed workers, since Section 5(b) binds employees too.
   • B.Cite the employer under the nearest related standard, stretching it to cover the hazard.
   • C.Issue only a written warning, because the general duty clause carries no citation authority.
   • D.Cite the employer under the general duty clause, because no specific standard applies.✓ Answer

   Section 5(a)(1) requires each employer to furnish a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm, and it exists precisely to reach hazards that no specific standard covers. Section 5(b) obliges workers to follow the rules, but OSHA issues citations only to the employer.

   Ref QB-AWCQ34Source: OSH Act of 1970, Section 5(a)(1) (general duty clause) and Section 5(b)Report a problem with this question

3. 3. A crew includes workers whose first language is not English. For the safety training that OSHA standards require, what must the employer do?

   • A.Deliver it in a language and vocabulary the workers understand, free of charge.✓ Answer
   • B.Deliver it in English and have each worker sign a form confirming understanding.
   • C.Deliver it in English, and let workers hire their own interpreter if needed.
   • D.Deliver it in any language, as long as a written translation is kept on file.

   Training only satisfies a standard if the worker actually receives the information, so OSHA requires it to be presented in a language and vocabulary the worker understands. The duty and its cost fall on the employer, which is why a signature confirming "understanding" of a class given in a language the worker does not speak proves nothing.

   Ref QB-SD7JG3Source: OSHA, Employer Responsibilities under the OSH Act — training required in a language and vocabulary workers understandReport a problem with this question

4. 4. A worker wants OSHA to inspect a hazard at her plant. Under 29 CFR 1903.11, what makes her request a formal complaint capable of triggering an on-site inspection?

   • A.A phone call to the Area Office giving her name and the plant's full address.
   • B.A signed written notice stating the grounds with reasonable particularity.✓ Answer
   • C.An anonymous email describing the hazard and naming her supervisor.
   • D.A written notice filed only after she reports the hazard to management.

   A formal complaint must be in writing, signed, and set out the grounds with reasonable particularity, because that is what gives OSHA reasonable grounds to believe a violation exists and to justify entering the workplace. Unsigned or telephoned reports are still acted on, but usually through a letter to the employer rather than a site visit, and the complainant's name is withheld from the employer on request.

   Ref QB-7WAQJYSource: 29 CFR 1903.11(a) (complaints by employees) and 1903.11(c)Report a problem with this question

5. 5. An employee asks his employer for a copy of the OSHA 300 Log for his establishment for the current year. Under 29 CFR 1904.35, what must the employer do?

   • A.Provide a copy within four business hours, as it would for a compliance officer.
   • B.Provide a copy within seven calendar days, charging a reasonable copying fee.
   • C.Provide a copy by the end of the next business day, with no charge for it.✓ Answer
   • D.Provide only the annual summary, since the log itself is treated as confidential.

   Access to the log is a worker right, so the rule sets a short, fixed turnaround: the first copy of the relevant 300 Log goes to an employee, former employee or their representative by the end of the next business day at no cost. The four-business-hour deadline is the separate duty to produce records to a government representative.

   Ref QB-PD5JYXSource: 29 CFR 1904.35(b)(2) (employee access to the OSHA 300 Log)Report a problem with this question

6. 6. Two weeks after filing an OSHA complaint, a worker is demoted and told the demotion is because of the complaint. Under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act, what is his remedy and its deadline?

   • A.File a retaliation complaint with OSHA within 15 working days of the demotion.
   • B.File a retaliation complaint with OSHA within 30 days of the demotion.✓ Answer
   • C.File a private lawsuit in federal court within 180 days of the demotion.
   • D.File a grievance with the Review Commission within 6 months of the demotion.

   Section 11(c) bars discharge or discrimination against a worker for filing a complaint or otherwise exercising rights under the Act, and it is enforced by OSHA itself rather than by a private suit. The worker has 30 days from the retaliatory act to notify OSHA; no particular form is needed, but that clock is strict.

   Ref QB-8WN2RZSource: OSH Act of 1970, Section 11(c); 29 CFR 1977.15(d) (30-day filing period)Report a problem with this question

7. 7. An OSHA Area Office has four matters pending the same morning: a scheduled programmed inspection, a report that a worker was killed the night before, a signed employee complaint, and a condition reported as an imminent danger. Which is handled first?

   • A.The programmed inspection, because it was scheduled before the others arose.
   • B.The fatality report, because a worker has already died at the workplace.
   • C.The employee complaint, because a signed complaint compels an on-site visit.
   • D.The imminent danger, because workers face a risk of death or serious harm now.✓ Answer

   OSHA ranks inspections by how much harm can still be prevented: imminent danger first, then fatalities and catastrophes, then complaints and referrals, then programmed inspections, then follow-ups. A fatality has already occurred and cannot be prevented, while an imminent danger threatens death or serious harm before normal enforcement could act.

   Ref QB-QDGV5ZSource: OSHA Field Operations Manual, inspection priority system; 29 CFR 1903.13 (imminent danger)Report a problem with this question

8. 8. A plant manager asks whether OSHA will call ahead before inspecting. Under 29 CFR 1903.6, what is the rule on advance notice?

   • A.Advance notice is generally prohibited and is allowed only in limited situations.✓ Answer
   • B.Advance notice of at least 24 hours must be given before every inspection.
   • C.Advance notice is required whenever the employer has a written safety program.
   • D.Advance notice is optional and left entirely to the compliance officer's judgment.

   Advance notice would let an employer stage the workplace, so the rule forbids it except in narrow situations approved by the Area Director, such as an imminent danger, work that can only be observed after hours, or a need to ensure the right people are present. Giving unauthorized advance notice of an OSHA inspection is a federal crime, and separately the employer may still insist that the officer obtain a warrant.

   Ref QB-DWEQK7Source: 29 CFR 1903.6 (advance notice of inspections); OSH Act Section 17(f)Report a problem with this question

9. 9. An OSHA compliance officer inspects a plant. Which statement about the opening and closing conferences correctly describes them under 29 CFR 1903?

   • A.Credentials are shown at the closing; the opening is used to collect the records.
   • B.Credentials and scope come at the opening; apparent violations at the closing.✓ Answer
   • C.Both conferences are optional and take place only when the employer requests them.
   • D.Citations and penalty amounts are issued to the employer at the closing conference.

   The inspection opens with the officer presenting credentials and explaining the nature, purpose and scope of the visit, and it ends with a closing conference discussing the apparent violations and what the employer must do about them. No citation issues on the spot: the Area Director decides and the citation is sent later, in writing.

   Ref QB-VD9JZ6Source: 29 CFR 1903.7 (conduct of inspections, opening and closing conferences)Report a problem with this question

10. 10. A walkaround inspection is under way at a plant with no union and no authorized employee representative. What does 29 CFR 1903.8 require of the compliance officer?

    • A.Postpone the walkaround until the workers elect a representative for it.
    • B.Ask the employer to designate an employee to accompany the whole walkaround.
    • C.Conduct the walkaround alone, since employee participation needs a union.
    • D.Consult a reasonable number of employees about safety and health conditions.✓ Answer

    Employee input is part of a proper inspection, so where no authorized employee representative exists the officer must consult a reasonable number of employees about conditions at the site. Letting the employer pick the employee escort would defeat the purpose, and workers may also speak with the officer privately.

    Ref QB-F8FKXFSource: 29 CFR 1903.8 (representatives of employers and employees)Report a problem with this question

11. 11. A manufacturer operates in a state that runs its own OSHA-approved occupational safety and health program. Under Section 18 of the OSH Act, what must that state program be?

    • A.At least as effective as the federal program in protecting workers on the job.✓ Answer
    • B.Identical to the federal program, word for word, in every standard it adopts.
    • C.Limited to hazards for which federal OSHA has not already issued a standard.
    • D.Voluntary for employers, who may instead elect coverage by federal OSHA rules.

    Section 18 lets a state take over enforcement only if its plan is at least as effective as the federal program, which sets a floor rather than a ceiling. A state plan may therefore adopt standards that are stricter than or different from the federal ones, and employers in the state are covered by the state program, not by choice.

    Ref QB-YQMRHGSource: OSH Act of 1970, Section 18(c)(2) (State Plans "at least as effective")Report a problem with this question

12. 12. Under Section 9 of the OSH Act and 29 CFR 1903.14, what must a citation contain, and how soon after the violation must it be issued?

    • A.A general description of the hazard and a written abatement plan, within one year.
    • B.A particular description of the violation and a proposed fine, within thirty days.
    • C.A particular description of the violation and a fixed abatement time, within six months.✓ Answer
    • D.A general description of the hazard and a written repeat warning, within ninety days.

    A citation must describe the violation with particularity, name the provision violated, and fix a reasonable time for abatement, so the employer knows exactly what is wrong and by when it must be fixed. The Act also bars any citation issued more than six months after the occurrence of the violation.

    Ref QB-G8TW4HSource: OSH Act of 1970, Section 9(a) and 9(c); 29 CFR 1903.14(a)Report a problem with this question

13. 13. OSHA classifies a violation as serious under the OSH Act when which condition is met?

    • A.There is proof that the employer acted with intentional disregard or plain indifference.
    • B.There is any violation of a standard, whatever the likely injury, if workers were exposed.
    • C.There is a repeat of a hazard cited at one of the employer's other sites within five years.
    • D.There is a substantial probability of serious harm and the employer knew or should have known.✓ Answer

    A serious violation turns on two things together: a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, and employer knowledge, actual or through reasonable diligence. Intentional disregard describes a willful violation, and a substantially similar violation previously cited and final describes a repeated one.

    Ref QB-ZQY3QHSource: OSH Act of 1970, Section 17(k) (definition of a serious violation)Report a problem with this question

14. 14. An employer receives a citation for a serious violation and intends to contest it. Under 29 CFR 1903.16, what must the employer do with the citation document?

    • A.Post it on the employee bulletin board for thirty calendar days, then file it away.
    • B.Post it in the main company office once the Commission has decided the contest case.
    • C.Post it at or near the place of the violation until abatement or three working days.✓ Answer
    • D.Post a summary of it, together with the employer's response, until abatement is done.

    The posting exists so exposed workers learn what OSHA found, so the unedited citation goes up immediately at or near the place the violation occurred and stays up until the violation is abated or for three working days, whichever is later. Filing a notice of contest does not suspend that duty.

    Ref QB-D8RWKDSource: 29 CFR 1903.16 (posting of citations)Report a problem with this question

15. 15. An employer receives a citation and notice of proposed penalty and asks the Area Director for an informal conference. Under 29 CFR 1903.17 and 1903.20, what is the effect on the time to contest?

    • A.The 15 working days to contest keep running, since the conference does not stay them.✓ Answer
    • B.The 15 working days are suspended until the informal conference has been held.
    • C.The 15 working days restart from the date the informal conference concludes.
    • D.The 15 working days are replaced by 30 calendar days once a conference is asked for.

    The contest period runs 15 working days from receipt of the notice of proposed penalty and nothing but a timely written notice of contest stops it; if it lapses, the citation and penalty become a final order not subject to review. An informal conference is a useful chance to discuss the case, but it is not a filing and does not stay or extend that clock.

    Ref QB-WQW37ESource: 29 CFR 1903.17(a) (notice of contest) and 29 CFR 1903.20 (informal conferences)Report a problem with this question

16. 16. Employees at a cited worksite believe the abatement date OSHA allowed is too far away. Under 29 CFR 1903.17, what may they contest?

    • A.Any part of the citation, on the same terms available to the employer.
    • B.Only the classification given to the violation by the Area Director.
    • C.Both the proposed penalty amount and the classification of the violation.
    • D.Only the reasonableness of the period allowed for abating the violation.✓ Answer

    Employees and their representatives are given a narrow contest right: they may challenge only whether the abatement period is reasonable, because that is the part of the citation that directly affects how long they stay exposed. Classification and penalty are matters between OSHA and the employer, and the employee notice must be filed within the same 15 working days.

    Ref QB-E849SESource: 29 CFR 1903.17(b) (notice of contest by employees)Report a problem with this question

17. 17. A cited employer corrects a serious violation on the abatement date set in the citation. Under 29 CFR 1903.19, what must the employer then do?

    • A.Wait for OSHA to return for a follow-up inspection before taking any further step.
    • B.Certify the correction to OSHA within 10 calendar days and inform employees.✓ Answer
    • C.Send OSHA a dated photograph of the corrected condition within 30 calendar days.
    • D.Record the correction in its own files, which OSHA may review at the next visit.

    Abatement is a duty the employer must prove, not something OSHA has to come back and discover, so the employer certifies the correction to the Area Director within 10 calendar days after the abatement date. For serious, willful and repeated violations, supporting abatement documentation is also required, and affected employees must be told what was done.

    Ref QB-XQ9ECFSource: 29 CFR 1903.19 (abatement certification, documentation and employee notification)Report a problem with this question

18. 18. A worker faints for a few seconds after inhaling fumes at his workstation, comes to on his own, and finishes the shift with no treatment. Under 29 CFR 1904.7, how is this handled?

    • A.It is not recordable, because he received no treatment and missed no work time.
    • B.It is not recordable, because the worker lost consciousness for under one minute.
    • C.It is recordable, because any work-related loss of consciousness meets the criteria.✓ Answer
    • D.It is recordable only if a physician later confirms an exposure-related illness.

    Loss of consciousness is one of the general recording criteria in its own right, and the rule sets no minimum duration, because even a brief blackout signals a serious exposure or condition. A work-related case that meets any one general criterion is recorded even if there was no treatment and no lost time.

    Ref QB-B8299BSource: 29 CFR 1904.7(b)(1) (general recording criteria, loss of consciousness)Report a problem with this question

19. 19. A worker cuts her forearm at work. At the clinic the wound is closed with sutures, she is given a tetanus shot, and she returns to full duty the same day. Under 29 CFR 1904.7, how is the case treated?

    • A.Not recordable, because she returned to full duty on the day of injury.
    • B.Recordable, because sutures are medical treatment beyond first aid.✓ Answer
    • C.Not recordable, because the tetanus shot and wound care are both first aid.
    • D.Recordable, but only because a licensed professional provided the care.

    The first-aid list in the recordkeeping rule is closed and exclusive: wound coverings, butterfly bandages and a tetanus immunization are on it, but closing a wound with sutures, staples or glue is not, so it counts as medical treatment and makes the case recordable. Who provided the care is irrelevant, since first aid given by a doctor is still first aid.

    Ref QB-UQ7EUBSource: 29 CFR 1904.7(b)(5) (medical treatment beyond first aid; exclusive first-aid list)Report a problem with this question

20. 20. After a back strain at work, a worker's doctor says she may work her full shift but must not lift more than 20 pounds, a task she normally performs several times a day. Under 29 CFR 1904.7, how is this classified?

    • A.A restricted work case, since she cannot perform a routine job function.✓ Answer
    • B.A days-away case, since a lifting limit removes her from her regular job.
    • C.An other-recordable case, since she works her full shift every day.
    • D.Not a recordable case, since she lost no work time and needs no treatment.

    Restricted work exists whenever a worker is kept from performing one or more routine job functions, meaning activities she does at least once a week, or from working her full shift. Lifting is a routine function here, so the case is recorded as restricted work even though she loses no time, and days of restriction are counted in their own column.

    Ref QB-AGG4SMSource: 29 CFR 1904.7(b)(4) (restricted work and job transfer)Report a problem with this question

21. 21. A worker is injured Monday morning, and that afternoon the employer learns she has been formally admitted to the hospital as an inpatient. Under 29 CFR 1904.39, what must the employer do?

    • A.Report the hospitalization to OSHA within 24 hours of learning of it.✓ Answer
    • B.Report the hospitalization to OSHA within 8 hours of learning of it.
    • C.Record it on the 300 Log only; inpatient admissions need not be reported.
    • D.Report it to OSHA only if she is still hospitalized after seven days.

    Severe-event reporting splits the clock: a work-related fatality must be reported within 8 hours, while an inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye must be reported within 24 hours, timed from when the employer learns of the event. Reporting is separate from recording, and even employers partially exempt from keeping the 300 Log owe this report.

    Ref QB-SYAX6MSource: 29 CFR 1904.39 (reporting fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations and losses of an eye)Report a problem with this question

22. 22. At the close of the calendar year an employer prepares the OSHA Form 300-A annual summary. Under 29 CFR 1904.32, what does the rule require?

    • A.The plant nurse certifies it, and it is mailed to OSHA instead of being posted.
    • B.The safety manager certifies it, and it is posted only in years with recorded cases.
    • C.A company executive certifies it, and it is posted where notices to employees are kept.✓ Answer
    • D.Any supervisor certifies it, and it is kept on file for employees who ask to see it.

    The rule puts accountability at the top: only a company executive, meaning an owner of a sole proprietorship or partnership, a corporate officer, the highest-ranking company official at the establishment, or that person's immediate supervisor, may certify that the summary is correct and complete. The certified 300-A must then be posted where employee notices are normally placed, for the posting period the rule sets, and it is posted even in a year with no recordable cases.

    Ref QB-BGUEXNSource: 29 CFR 1904.32 (annual summary; certification by a company executive and posting)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 →