CHST CHST - Construction Health and Safety Technician Safety Training and Communication Questions and Answers 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A construction company wants to improve near-miss reporting. Which strategy has been shown to be MOST effective?
- Establishing a non-punitive, anonymous reporting system with feedback to reporters (Correct answer)
- Disciplining workers who fail to report near-misses immediately
- Requiring supervisors to investigate and keep findings confidential from workers
- Limiting reports to incidents that caused at least minor injury
Correct answer: Establishing a non-punitive, anonymous reporting system with feedback to reporters
Non-punitive, confidential systems remove fear of blame, which is the primary barrier to near-miss reporting.
Question 2: During a pre-task planning (PTP) meeting, workers identify a trench excavation that may have unstable soil. The FIRST action should be to:
- Stop work and assess soil classification before excavation begins (Correct answer)
- Proceed carefully and monitor the trench walls during digging
- Notify OSHA immediately before doing anything else
- Request a written variance from the project owner
Correct answer: Stop work and assess soil classification before excavation begins
OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P requires soil classification before selecting an excavation protective system; work must not begin until this is determined.
Question 3: The primary purpose of a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) is to:
- Identify hazards associated with specific job steps before work begins and determine controls (Correct answer)
- Document all injuries that occurred during a task for OSHA recordkeeping
- Assign blame to workers when an accident happens on a job step
- Replace the need for personal protective equipment on a job site
Correct answer: Identify hazards associated with specific job steps before work begins and determine controls
A JHA breaks a job into steps, identifies hazards in each step, and recommends controls to eliminate or reduce those hazards proactively.
Question 4: Which hierarchy of controls level offers the MOST reliable protection from a recognized construction hazard?
- Elimination — physically removing the hazard from the workplace (Correct answer)
- Administrative controls — changing worker schedules or procedures
- Personal protective equipment — providing respirators and gloves
- Engineering controls — installing guards or ventilation systems
Correct answer: Elimination — physically removing the hazard from the workplace
Elimination removes the hazard entirely, making exposure impossible and providing the highest level of protection in the hierarchy.
Question 5: A safety manager notices workers consistently bypass a machine guard. According to behavior-based safety (BBS) principles, the BEST response is to:
- Observe the task, identify the antecedents driving the behavior, and redesign the consequence system to reinforce safe behavior (Correct answer)
- Issue written warnings to all workers observed bypassing the guard
- Remove the guard and trust workers to self-regulate
- Immediately terminate workers who bypass guards as a deterrent
Correct answer: Observe the task, identify the antecedents driving the behavior, and redesign the consequence system to reinforce safe behavior
BBS focuses on antecedents and consequences (ABC model) to understand and change behaviors rather than purely punitive responses.
Question 6: According to OSHA 29 CFR 1926.503, fall protection training for construction workers must be conducted by:
- A competent person qualified in fall protection (Correct answer)
- Any experienced co-worker on the crew
- A third-party OSHA-authorized trainer only
- The general contractor's HR department
Correct answer: A competent person qualified in fall protection
OSHA 1926.503 requires that fall protection training be provided by a competent person with knowledge and ability in the subject.
Question 7: When communicating an urgent safety alert about a newly identified site-wide hazard, which communication channel is MOST appropriate?
- An immediate all-hands safety stand-down meeting supplemented by posted notices (Correct answer)
- A monthly safety newsletter sent via email
- A note placed in individual paychecks at the end of the week
- An update to the company's intranet posted after business hours
Correct answer: An immediate all-hands safety stand-down meeting supplemented by posted notices
Urgent hazard information requires immediate face-to-face communication to ensure all workers receive and understand the message before continuing work.
CHST CHST - Construction Health and Safety Technician Safety Training and Communication Questions and Answers 4
A construction company wants to improve near-miss reporting.
Which strategy has been shown to be MOST effective?