C33 Safety 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When setting up a pump-jack scaffold for exterior painting, which safety feature is required at every platform level?
- Guardrail system with a top rail, mid-rail, and toe board on all open sides and ends (Correct answer)
- Only a top rail on the outward-facing side
- Safety nets below the platform
- Personal fall arrest system instead of guardrails
Correct answer: Guardrail system with a top rail, mid-rail, and toe board on all open sides and ends
Pump-jack scaffold platforms require a full guardrail system—top rail, mid-rail, and toe board—on all open sides and ends per Cal/OSHA scaffold regulations.
Question 2: Under the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act (Prop 65), what must a painting contractor do before using a product containing a listed chemical on a commercial property?
- Provide a clear and reasonable warning to persons who may be exposed prior to exposure (Correct answer)
- File a report with the California EPA
- Obtain a special chemical use permit from DTSC
- Post warning only after work is completed
Correct answer: Provide a clear and reasonable warning to persons who may be exposed prior to exposure
Prop 65 requires contractors to provide clear and reasonable warnings before exposing anyone to listed chemicals, including lead and certain solvents in paints.
Question 3: What is the required minimum distance from an energized overhead power line when using a metal extension ladder for exterior painting?
- 10 feet (Correct answer)
- 3 feet
- 6 feet
- 5 feet
Correct answer: 10 feet
Cal/OSHA requires maintaining at least 10 feet of clearance from energized power lines up to 50 kV when working with conductive equipment like metal ladders.
Question 4: Which type of glove material provides the best protection when handling aromatic solvent-based paints and strippers?
- Nitrile rubber gloves (at least 8 mil thickness) (Correct answer)
- Latex rubber gloves
- Cotton work gloves
- Polyethylene disposable gloves
Correct answer: Nitrile rubber gloves (at least 8 mil thickness)
Nitrile rubber gloves resist penetration by aromatic solvents such as xylene and toluene, which are commonly found in solvent-based paints and strippers.
Question 5: A painting employee slips and falls on wet paint on a scaffold plank, resulting in a lost-time injury. Within how many hours must the California employer report the serious injury to Cal/OSHA?
- 8 hours (Correct answer)
- 24 hours
- 72 hours
- 5 business days
Correct answer: 8 hours
Cal/OSHA requires employers to report any serious injury, illness, or death to the nearest Cal/OSHA district office within 8 hours of the incident.
Question 6: What is the minimum safe angle (from horizontal) at which a straight or extension ladder must be positioned against a wall?
- 75 degrees (4:1 ratio — one foot out for every four feet of rise) (Correct answer)
- 60 degrees (1:1 ratio)
- 45 degrees (1:1 ratio)
- 90 degrees (vertical)
Correct answer: 75 degrees (4:1 ratio — one foot out for every four feet of rise)
The 4:1 rule places the ladder base one foot out for every four feet of vertical rise, achieving approximately 75 degrees — the safe working angle.
Question 7: Which personal protective equipment (PPE) is required when a painter is sanding or scraping surfaces suspected to contain asbestos-containing material (ACM)?
- Full-face supplied-air respirator and disposable coveralls (Correct answer)
- N95 respirator and safety glasses only
- Half-face respirator with P100 filters and standard work clothes
- No PPE is needed if working outdoors
Correct answer: Full-face supplied-air respirator and disposable coveralls
Asbestos abatement tasks require supplied-air or PAPR respirators at minimum and full disposable coveralls to prevent skin contamination and fiber transport.
C33 Safety 4
When setting up a pump-jack scaffold for exterior painting, which safety feature is required at every platform level?