AIT Workplace Safety & Compliance 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When must employers conduct a workplace hazard assessment for PPE under 29 CFR 1910.132?
- Annually regardless of workplace changes
- Before requiring employees to use PPE (Correct answer)
- Only after a workplace injury occurs
- When requested by an OSHA compliance officer
Correct answer: Before requiring employees to use PPE
Employers must perform a hazard assessment and certify it in writing before requiring employees to use PPE.
Question 2: The OSHA General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1)) requires employers to:
- Follow all OSHA standards at all times
- Provide a workplace free from recognized serious hazards (Correct answer)
- Conduct monthly safety inspections
- Provide PPE for all job tasks
Correct answer: Provide a workplace free from recognized serious hazards
The General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
Question 3: Which ladder safety rule prohibits standing on the top two rungs of a stepladder?
- It limits the user's reach causing overextension risk
- It exceeds the rated load capacity of the top steps
- The top rungs lack rear support and stability (Correct answer)
- ANSI standards do not allow it for aesthetic reasons
Correct answer: The top rungs lack rear support and stability
The top two rungs of a stepladder lack the lateral bracing of lower rungs, making the ladder unstable and prone to tipping.
Question 4: Under OSHA's bloodborne pathogen standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), the preferred method for preventing needlestick injuries is:
- Recapping needles carefully with one hand
- Using needles with engineering controls like retractable sheaths (Correct answer)
- Disposing of needles in regular waste bins
- Wearing two pairs of latex gloves
Correct answer: Using needles with engineering controls like retractable sheaths
Engineering controls such as needles with retractable sheaths or self-sheathing mechanisms are the preferred method to prevent needlestick injuries.
Question 5: A worker observes a trench that appears to be 6 feet deep with vertical walls and no protective system. The correct action is to:
- Enter carefully and work quickly
- Add spoils pile to reinforce the walls
- Refuse entry until a protective system is installed (Correct answer)
- Check soil type before deciding
Correct answer: Refuse entry until a protective system is installed
OSHA requires a protective system (sloping, shoring, or trench box) for any trench 5 feet or deeper; no one should enter without this protection.
Question 6: What is the purpose of a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) in an apprenticeship workplace?
- To document worker productivity metrics
- To identify and control hazards before a job task begins (Correct answer)
- To satisfy union contract requirements
- To replace the need for safety training
Correct answer: To identify and control hazards before a job task begins
A JHA systematically identifies hazards associated with each job step so controls can be implemented before work begins.
Question 7: Which agency enforces federal workplace safety regulations in the United States?
- EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
- NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
- OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) (Correct answer)
- NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)
Correct answer: OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
OSHA, within the U.S. Department of Labor, is the federal agency responsible for setting and enforcing workplace safety and health standards.
