COSS - Certified Occupational Safety Specialist OSHA Standards and Compliance Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An employer has a piece of machinery with an exposed rotating shaft. There is no specific OSHA standard that addresses this particular type of machine. Under which provision can OSHA still cite the employer for this hazard?
- The General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) (Correct answer)
- The specific industry standard for machine guarding
- The recordkeeping standard, 29 CFR 1904
- The personal protective equipment standard, 29 CFR 1910.132
Correct answer: The General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1)
The General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, requires employers to provide a workplace "free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm." It is used to cite employers for serious hazards when no specific standard applies.
Question 2: A work-related incident occurs at 10:00 AM on a Monday, resulting in the immediate amputation of a worker's finger. The employer learns of the incident at 10:15 AM the same day. By what deadline must the employer report this event to OSHA?
- Within 8 hours of the incident
- Within 24 hours of the employer learning of the incident (Correct answer)
- By the end of the next business day
- Within 30 days of the incident
Correct answer: Within 24 hours of the employer learning of the incident
According to OSHA standard 29 CFR 1904.39, an employer must report any work-related in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye within 24 hours of learning about it. The 8-hour reporting requirement is for fatalities.
Question 3: A manufacturing facility uses a solvent that emits hazardous vapors. According to the hierarchy of controls, which of the following actions would be considered the MOST effective method for protecting workers?
- Installing a local exhaust ventilation system to capture vapors at the source.
- Requiring all employees in the area to wear respirators.
- Replacing the hazardous solvent with a non-toxic, water-based cleaner. (Correct answer)
- Implementing a written procedure that limits the time workers can spend in the area.
Correct answer: Replacing the hazardous solvent with a non-toxic, water-based cleaner.
The hierarchy of controls ranks methods from most to least effective: Elimination, Substitution, Engineering Controls, Administrative Controls, and PPE. Substituting the hazardous solvent with a safer alternative is a higher-level control than engineering controls (ventilation), administrative controls (time limits), or PPE (respirators), and is therefore considered the most effective option presented.
Question 4: Which of the following situations would receive the HIGHEST priority for an OSHA inspection?
- A scheduled, programmed inspection in a high-hazard industry.
- A formal, written complaint from an employee about a non-serious hazard.
- A follow-up inspection to verify abatement of a previous citation.
- A media report of a trench collapse with a worker trapped inside. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A media report of a trench collapse with a worker trapped inside.
OSHA prioritizes its inspections. The highest priority is given to situations of imminent danger, where there is a reasonable certainty that a danger exists that could cause death or serious physical harm immediately. A trench collapse with a trapped worker clearly falls into this category.
Question 5: Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200), an employer is required to develop a written program that includes several key elements. Which of the following is a required component of this written program?
- A list of approved vendors for purchasing chemicals.
- A schedule for annual medical surveillance for all employees.
- Procedures for providing employees with access to Safety Data Sheets (SDSs). (Correct answer)
- The designated location for storing company financial records.
Correct answer: Procedures for providing employees with access to Safety Data Sheets (SDSs).
The Hazard Communication Standard requires employers to develop, implement, and maintain a written program that describes how they will meet the requirements for labels, Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), and employee training. Ensuring employees have access to SDSs for the hazardous chemicals they work with is a fundamental part of the standard.
Question 6: An employee at a construction site believes their employer is not providing the required fall protection for work being performed at a height of 15 feet. Under the OSH Act, which of the following is a right the employee has?
- The right to refuse to work and immediately leave the job site without notifying the employer.
- The right to file a complaint with OSHA and have their name kept confidential upon request. (Correct answer)
- The right to personally purchase and use their own fall protection equipment without employer approval.
- The right to conduct their own official safety inspection of the entire worksite.
Correct answer: The right to file a complaint with OSHA and have their name kept confidential upon request.
The OSH Act grants employees the right to file a complaint with OSHA to request an inspection if they believe a violation of a safety or health standard exists. Employees may request that their names not be revealed to their employers.
COSS - Certified Occupational Safety Specialist OSHA Standards and Compliance Questions and Answers
An employer has a piece of machinery with an exposed rotating shaft.
There is no specific OSHA standard that addresses this particular type of machine.
Under which provision can OSHA still cite the employer for this hazard?