22 Safety Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. Under the federal law that created OSHA, what basic duty does an employer owe every worker, even when no specific standard covers a particular hazard?

   • A.Provide a workplace free of recognized hazards likely to cause serious harm✓ Answer
   • B.Pay for any injury a worker suffers on the job, whatever its actual cause
   • C.Supply safety equipment once a worker asks for it in a written request
   • D.Follow only the written rules that name the worker's specific industry

   The General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act requires every employer to furnish a place of employment free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. It exists precisely to cover hazards for which no specific standard has been written. Employees have matching duties: follow the safety rules, wear required PPE, and report hazards.

   Source: OSHA — General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health ActReport a problem with this question

2. 2. A production worker reports an unguarded machine to management and later files a safety complaint with OSHA. What protection does federal law give that worker?

   • A.The employer may not fire, demote, or punish the worker for reporting✓ Answer
   • B.Protection applies only if an OSHA inspector later confirms the hazard
   • C.Protection starts only once OSHA has issued a citation to the employer
   • D.Protection lasts only while a union grievance on the issue stays open

   Anti-retaliation (whistleblower) protection attaches to the act of reporting itself, not to whether the complaint is later upheld. Workers also have the right to request an OSHA inspection, to see the log of work-related injuries and illnesses, and to receive safety training in a language they understand.

   Source: OSHA — worker rights and whistleblower anti-retaliation protections under the Occupational Safety and Health ActReport a problem with this question

3. 3. A cleaning booth uses a solvent that gives off harmful vapor. Which action sits highest in the hierarchy of controls?

   • A.Rotating workers so nobody spends a whole shift at the booth
   • B.Issuing air-purifying respirators to everyone who works in the booth
   • C.Installing local exhaust that pulls the vapor away from the operator
   • D.Switching to a water-based cleaner that gives off no harmful vapor✓ Answer

   Substitution replaces the hazardous material with a safer one, so the hazard no longer exists to be controlled; that ranks above engineering controls such as ventilation, above administrative controls such as rotation, and far above PPE. The hierarchy is elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, then PPE.

   Source: NIOSH and OSHA hierarchy of controls; MSSC Certified Production Technician Safety module blueprintReport a problem with this question

4. 4. Why does the hierarchy of controls place personal protective equipment last?

   • A.PPE protects the machine and the product rather than the operator
   • B.PPE costs more than engineering controls in almost every plant
   • C.PPE is regulated by the employer's insurer instead of by safety rules
   • D.PPE leaves the hazard in place and works only if it is worn correctly✓ Answer

   PPE is a barrier placed on the worker; the hazard is still there, so protection fails the moment the equipment is the wrong type, poorly fitted, damaged, or simply not worn. Controls higher in the hierarchy remove or reduce the hazard itself and do not depend on individual behavior, which is why PPE is called the last line of defense.

   Source: NIOSH and OSHA hierarchy of controls; OSHA general industry personal protective equipment requirementsReport a problem with this question

5. 5. An operator will grind metal, throwing off hot chips and sparks. How should a face shield be used?

   • A.Under the brim of a hard hat so the shield does not fog up as fast
   • B.Only when the grinder's own work rest and guard have been removed
   • C.Instead of safety glasses, because the shield already covers the face
   • D.Over safety glasses or goggles, because a shield is secondary protection✓ Answer

   A face shield protects the face and neck from splash and flying particles but is not rated as primary eye protection, because debris can reach the eyes around or under it. Primary eye protection — safety glasses with side shields or goggles — is always worn underneath it.

   Source: OSHA general industry personal protective equipment requirements — eye and face protectionReport a problem with this question

6. 6. Before a worker may wear a tight-fitting respirator for a job, what must be completed first?

   • A.A medical evaluation and a fit test for that model and size✓ Answer
   • B.A signed waiver in which the worker accepts the airborne hazard
   • C.A supervisor's sizing check based on the worker's hard hat size
   • D.One full shift of practice wearing the respirator under observation

   Breathing through a respirator puts extra load on the heart and lungs, so a medical evaluation comes first, and a tight-fitting facepiece only protects if it seals, which a fit test verifies for that specific model and size. Facial hair along the sealing surface defeats the seal no matter how the respirator is adjusted.

   Source: OSHA general industry respiratory protection standard — medical evaluation and fit testingReport a problem with this question

7. 7. A full-body harness and lanyard arrested a worker's fall last week. What should be done with that harness?

   • A.Keep using it until the stitching visibly frays or a strap tears
   • B.Return it to the rack once the D-ring and buckles are wiped clean
   • C.Take it out of service, because arrest forces can damage the webbing✓ Answer
   • D.Give it to a lighter worker so the loading stays within its rating

   A personal fall arrest system absorbs very large forces when it stops a fall, and the resulting damage to webbing, stitching, and hardware is often internal and invisible. Any component involved in arresting a fall must be removed from service; all fall protection is also inspected by the user before each use.

   Source: OSHA general industry fall protection requirements for personal fall arrest systemsReport a problem with this question

8. 8. A technician has notified affected employees, shut the machine down, isolated its energy sources, and applied a personal lock and tag. What must happen next?

   • A.Run one production cycle to confirm the machine still operates
   • B.Add a second tag at the operator station and start the repair
   • C.Release stored energy, then verify zero energy at the controls✓ Answer
   • D.Have the operator hold the start button off during the repair

   Isolating the supply does not empty the machine: springs, hydraulic and pneumatic pressure, capacitors, and raised parts hold stored energy that must be relieved, blocked, or bled down. The lockout is then verified by attempting to start the machine and returning the control to the off position before any work begins.

   Source: OSHA general industry standard for the control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)Report a problem with this question

9. 9. Three workers will service the same conveyor during one shift. How should the locks be handled?

   • A.The crew leader applies one lock and takes it off when the job is finished
   • B.A supervisor keeps a master key so any lock can be cleared at shift change
   • C.The first worker locks out and the last worker leaving removes the lock
   • D.Each worker adds a personal lock to a group hasp and removes only that lock✓ Answer

   Group lockout uses a hasp so that every authorized employee's own lock keeps the energy isolation in place for as long as that person is exposed. Only the worker who applied a lock removes it, so no one can be released from protection by someone else who thinks the job is done.

   Source: OSHA general industry standard for the control of hazardous energy — group lockout and lock removalReport a problem with this question

10. 10. A press is being locked out by a maintenance technician for a repair. In lockout/tagout terms, the worker who normally runs that press is:

    • A.an entry supervisor, who signs off before the repair work may begin
    • B.an affected employee, who must be told the machine is being locked out✓ Answer
    • C.a qualified person, who checks that the technician's lock and tag are right
    • D.an authorized employee, because the press is assigned to that operator

    An authorized employee is the one who performs the lockout and the servicing; an affected employee operates the machine or works in the area and must be notified before the lockout is applied and again after it is removed. Affected employees never remove another person's lock or restart the equipment on their own.

    Source: OSHA general industry standard for the control of hazardous energy — authorized and affected employeesReport a problem with this question

11. 11. An operator finds that the guard over a press's point of operation has been taken off so parts load faster. What should the operator do?

    • A.Work at a slower speed and remount the guard at the end of the shift
    • B.Keep running the job but stand farther back from the point of operation
    • C.Finish the run and note the missing guard on the weekly checklist
    • D.Stop the job, keep the press out of use, and notify the supervisor✓ Answer

    Point-of-operation guarding exists to keep any part of the body out of the area where the machine does its work, and a guard that has been bypassed or removed leaves an amputation hazard that distance and slower speed do not control. The correct response is to stop, prevent use of the machine, and report it so the guard is restored through the proper channel.

    Source: OSHA general industry machine guarding requirements; MSSC Certified Production Technician Safety module blueprint on identifying and reporting unsafe conditionsReport a problem with this question

12. 12. A label on an energized electrical panel lists an arc-flash boundary. What does that boundary tell a production worker?

    • A.Inside it an arc flash could cause serious burns without arc-rated PPE✓ Answer
    • B.Inside it the voltage is low enough for ordinary work clothing
    • C.It shows where an insulating mat must be laid for the operator to stand
    • D.It marks how far the panel door swings, so the aisle stays clear

    The arc-flash boundary is the distance at which the energy released by an arcing fault could cause a serious skin burn, so no one crosses it without arc-rated clothing and PPE and only qualified persons work on the equipment. Equipment should be placed in an electrically safe, de-energized condition whenever that is feasible.

    Source: NFPA standard for electrical safety in the workplace — arc-flash boundary and equipment labelingReport a problem with this question

13. 13. A worker is about to use a chemical from a new supplier and needs to know which gloves are required and what the first-aid steps are. What is true of the safety data sheet?

    • A.It is needed only after an exposure or a spill has actually happened
    • B.It is kept by the plant manager and shown on a written request
    • C.It must be readily available during the shift without asking permission✓ Answer
    • D.It is replaced by the shipping papers that arrived with the container

    Hazard communication requires safety data sheets to be readily accessible to employees in their work areas on every shift, with no barrier such as asking a manager for the key. The sheet follows a standardized section order, so first-aid measures, handling and storage, and required PPE are always found in the same places.

    Source: OSHA hazard communication standard — safety data sheet access and standardized formatReport a problem with this question

14. 14. A worker fills a spray bottle with solvent from a labeled drum and leaves the bottle at the workstation for other workers to use. What does hazard communication require?

    • A.A label is needed only if the bottle is stored overnight in the shop
    • B.The bottle must show the product identity and its hazard information✓ Answer
    • C.The worker's initials and the date on the bottle satisfy the rule
    • D.Nothing, as long as the bottle stays inside the same department

    A workplace container must carry the product identifier and hazard information so that anyone who picks it up knows what is inside and how it can hurt them. The narrow exception is a portable container used immediately and emptied within the shift by the same person who filled it, which does not apply once the bottle is left for others.

    Source: OSHA hazard communication standard — workplace and secondary container labelingReport a problem with this question

15. 15. A drum of flammable solvent and a drum of oxidizer are both kept in the storage room. How should they be stored?

    • A.Side by side, so one spill kit covers both drums at the same time
    • B.In separate areas, because an oxidizer can feed a solvent fire✓ Answer
    • C.Stacked on the same pallet inside the flammable storage cabinet
    • D.Together inside a diked area, since both need secondary containment

    Incompatible chemicals are segregated so that a leak, a spill, or a fire in one cannot react with the other. An oxidizer supplies oxygen that makes a flammable-liquid fire burn far more intensely, so the two are kept in separate areas; the handling and storage section of each safety data sheet lists the incompatibilities.

    Source: OSHA hazard communication and flammable liquid storage requirements; safety data sheet handling and storage informationReport a problem with this question

16. 16. A fire starts inside an energized electrical control cabinet. Which extinguisher choice is correct?

    • A.A unit rated for Class C, such as carbon dioxide or dry chemical✓ Answer
    • B.A Class A unit, because the burning material is wire insulation
    • C.A water extinguisher, because water cools the cabinet the fastest
    • D.A Class D unit, because the cabinet contains many metal parts

    A Class C rating means the extinguishing agent is non-conductive, which is what matters while the equipment is still energized; water conducts electricity and can shock the person holding the hose. Class D agents are for combustible metals such as magnesium, and once the circuit is de-energized the fire is fought by the class of the burning material.

    Source: OSHA portable fire extinguisher requirements; NFPA fire classification of extinguishersReport a problem with this question

17. 17. A worker trained to fight a small incipient fire uses the PASS method. Where is the extinguisher aimed?

    • A.At the top of the flames, so the agent drops down through the fire
    • B.At the base of the flames, sweeping side to side from a safe distance✓ Answer
    • C.At the middle of the flames, moving the nozzle in a circular pattern
    • D.At the ceiling above the fire, to cool the smoke layer that formed

    PASS stands for Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep, and the agent has to reach the burning fuel itself, which is at the base of the flames; spraying the flame tips wastes the charge without smothering anything. Fight only a small fire, keep an exit at your back, and if it does not go out at once, evacuate and sound the alarm.

    Source: OSHA portable fire extinguisher training requirements; standard PASS extinguisher techniqueReport a problem with this question

18. 18. A pallet slips off a rack and lands in an aisle where nobody happened to be standing. No one is hurt and nothing is damaged. What should the worker do?

    • A.Skip the report, since only injuries belong in the safety records
    • B.Restack the load and mention it only if the supervisor asks later
    • C.Report the near miss so the cause can be found and corrected✓ Answer
    • D.Wait to see whether the same rack drops another load first

    A near miss has exactly the same causes as an injury and differs only in luck, which makes it a leading indicator that lets the cause be fixed before someone is hurt. The frontline worker's job is to report it through the company procedure, document it, and follow up until corrective action is actually completed.

    Source: MSSC Certified Production Technician Safety module blueprint — identify, report and monitor potential hazards until corrective action is takenReport a problem with this question

19. 19. An entrant working inside a permit-required confined space collapses. What should the attendant stationed outside do?

    • A.Enter right away and drag the entrant out to fresh air
    • B.Enter under the hot work permit already posted at the space
    • C.Shut off the ventilation blower and go find a supervisor
    • D.Call the rescue team and stay outside the space✓ Answer

    The attendant's duties are to stay outside, keep track of the entrants, keep unauthorized people away, and summon trained rescue — the attendant never enters. A large share of confined-space deaths are would-be rescuers overcome by the same atmosphere, and a hot work permit authorizes spark-producing work, not entry or rescue.

    Source: OSHA general industry permit-required confined spaces standard — attendant duties and rescueReport a problem with this question

20. 20. Workers lift a heavy carton from floor level onto a bench several hundred times a shift and report back strain. What is the best corrective action?

    • A.Post a sign at the station warning about the lifting hazard
    • B.Raise the cartons to waist height so nobody lifts from the floor✓ Answer
    • C.Do nothing, since each carton weighs well under the limit
    • D.Remind the workers to lift with their legs and to be more careful

    Bringing the work up to a comfortable height engineers the awkward bend out of the task, so the hazard is reduced for every worker on every lift regardless of technique or attention. Reminders and warning signs are administrative controls that leave the hazard in place, and with a few hundred repetitions per shift the frequency and posture matter as much as the weight.

    Source: NIOSH and OSHA ergonomics guidance on manual material handling; MSSC Certified Production Technician Safety module blueprint on the ergonomic impact of work techniquesReport a problem with this question

21. 21. Which situation at a workstation is most likely to produce a cumulative trauma disorder such as carpal tunnel syndrome?

    • A.One heavy lift performed once at the start of every shift
    • B.Standing on an anti-fatigue mat through a full production run
    • C.Rotating among three jobs that use different muscle groups
    • D.Repeating a forceful motion with bent wrists for long periods✓ Answer

    Musculoskeletal disorders build up from repetition, force, awkward or static posture, vibration, and contact stress acting on the same tissue over time, and bent wrists under load combine several of those factors at once. A single lift can cause an acute injury but not a cumulative one, and mats and job rotation are among the measures that reduce the risk.

    Source: NIOSH and OSHA ergonomics guidance on musculoskeletal disorder risk factorsReport a problem with this question

22. 22. Rags soaked with used solvent are collected at a parts-cleaning station. How should they be handled?

    • A.Rinsed in the sink so the solvent goes down the floor drain
    • B.Placed in the general trash once they have dried on a rack
    • C.Put in a labeled, closed container kept for that waste stream✓ Answer
    • D.Stored loose in an open bin next to the parts washer

    Solvent-soaked rags are a regulated waste and a fire hazard, because vapor keeps coming off them and some oils generate their own heat as they oxidize. A labeled, closed container for that waste stream keeps the vapor contained and keeps the waste segregated for proper disposal; pouring solvent to a drain sends it into the water system and is prohibited.

    Source: EPA hazardous waste management requirements under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; OSHA housekeeping practice for flammable wasteReport a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the MSSC Production Standards and the published content of the Certified Production Technician modules, together with federal OSHA general-industry requirements and standard manufacturing practice. MSSC and CPT are marks of the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council; this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by MSSC. Questions here never depend on recalling a regulatory limit, a citation number or a machine specification — always follow your own facility's written programs and the manufacturer's documentation for the equipment you run, and confirm current requirements before testing. About the CPT certification →