BCM Construction Safety and OSHA Compliance 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: OSHA's Construction Standards are contained in which part of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)?
- 29 CFR Part 1926 (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR Part 1910
- 29 CFR Part 1904
- 29 CFR Part 1915
Correct answer: 29 CFR Part 1926
29 CFR Part 1926 contains OSHA's safety and health regulations specifically applicable to the construction industry.
Question 2: The OSHA 'Fatal Four' in construction refers to the four leading causes of worker fatalities, which are:
- Falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, and electrocution (Correct answer)
- Falls, fire, chemical exposure, and equipment rollover
- Electrocution, falls, heat stroke, and trench collapse
- Struck-by, fire, chemical burns, and falls from ladders only
Correct answer: Falls, struck-by, caught-in/between, and electrocution
OSHA identifies falls, struck-by objects, caught-in/between hazards, and electrocution as the Fatal Four, responsible for the majority of construction deaths.
Question 3: OSHA requires fall protection for construction workers at unprotected edges when working at heights of:
- 6 feet or more above a lower level (Correct answer)
- 4 feet or more above a lower level
- 10 feet or more above a lower level
- 8 feet or more above a lower level
Correct answer: 6 feet or more above a lower level
29 CFR 1926.502 requires fall protection (guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems) for construction work at 6 feet or more above a lower level.
Question 4: A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) provides workers with information about:
- Hazardous chemical properties, health risks, safe handling, and emergency procedures (Correct answer)
- Excavation shoring requirements for different soil types
- Crane lift calculations and rigging specifications
- Personal protective equipment sizing and selection
Correct answer: Hazardous chemical properties, health risks, safe handling, and emergency procedures
SDS (formerly MSDS) sheets provide comprehensive hazard information for chemicals as required by OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom).
Question 5: OSHA's Excavation Standard (29 CFR 1926 Subpart P) requires a 'competent person' to classify soil and inspect excavations. A competent person is defined as someone who:
- Can identify existing and predictable hazards and has authority to take prompt corrective action (Correct answer)
- Holds a Professional Engineer (PE) license in geotechnical engineering
- Has completed OSHA 30-hour construction training
- Is employed by an independent safety consulting firm
Correct answer: Can identify existing and predictable hazards and has authority to take prompt corrective action
OSHA defines a competent person as someone capable of identifying hazards and authorized to eliminate them, which is a higher standard than simply having training.
Question 6: Which OSHA standard requires that trenches 5 feet or deeper have a protective system unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock?
- 29 CFR 1926.652 (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1926.502
- 29 CFR 1926.1400
- 29 CFR 1926.403
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1926.652
29 CFR 1926.652 mandates protective systems (sloping, shoring, or trench boxes) for excavations 5 feet or deeper to prevent cave-in fatalities.
BCM Construction Safety and OSHA Compliance 1
OSHA's Construction Standards are contained in which part of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)?