COSS Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield COSS facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which of the following work-related conditions is always recordable regardless of treatment received? → A needle stick or sharps injury contaminated with another person's blood
2. Silica dust in the respirable fraction is categorized under which class of industrial hygiene particulates? → Respirable crystalline silica
3. When must employers retrain employees on PPE use according to OSHA? → When the employee does not demonstrate understanding or proper use
4. Which of the following is regarded as an indirect cost of an accident? → Loss of earning power
5. After a personal fall arrest system has arrested a fall, what must happen before it is returned to service? → Remove it from service and have it inspected by the manufacturer or a qualified person
6. A self-closing gate at a ladder-way floor opening must swing in which direction? → Away from the stair side, over the opening
7. When is a COSS authorized to serve as a lookout? → Never
8. Who will be in charge of implementing the corrective measures into action? → The management
9. According to OSHA, which of the following is a leading indicator of workplace safety performance? → Number of near-miss reports submitted
10. An employee is working on a roof with a slope of 4:12. Under OSHA 1926.502, which fall protection method is NOT acceptable for this slope? → Warning line system used alone without other protection
11. A company's Severity Rate (SR) is calculated as: → (Lost workdays × 200,000) ÷ total hours worked
12. A company's TCIR dropped from 5.0 to 2.5 year over year while hours worked doubled. The most accurate interpretation is: → The injury rate improved even if absolute cases stayed the same
13. Who is required to maintain records of workplace injuries and illnesses according to CFR 1904? → Employers with eleven or more employees
14. An employee is injured at a client's facility while working under the direction of the host employer. Which employer is responsible for recording the injury? → The employee's own (sending) employer
15. Which OSHA standard specifically addresses scaffolding in general industry and temporary work platforms? → 29 CFR 1926.451
16. A construction company employs 9 workers year-round. Is it required to maintain an OSHA 300 Log? → No, employers with 10 or fewer employees are partially exempt from routine recordkeeping
17. Which type of ladder must NOT be used near electrical equipment or energized conductors? → Metal (aluminum or steel) ladders
18. When conducting a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), which step comes FIRST? → Select the job to be analyzed
19. An employee with a pre-existing back condition re-injures the back while performing routine job duties. How should the employer treat this for recordkeeping? → Recordable if work activities significantly aggravated the pre-existing condition
20. Under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, when is a protective system (sloping, shoring, or shielding) required for excavations? → Excavations 5 feet deep or greater
21. Which scenario BEST illustrates the benefit of including experienced workers in a JSA review? → They can identify non-routine hazards that occur only under specific conditions
22. Which risk control method involves substituting a hazardous chemical with a less hazardous one? → Substitution
23. An employer implements a lockout/tagout program. Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147, how often must periodic inspections of energy control procedures be conducted? → Annually
24. Which of the following is a key advantage of using simulations or virtual reality in safety training? → They allow trainees to practice responding to hazardous scenarios without real-world risk
25. A company consistently has high accident rates despite investigating each incident individually. This pattern MOST likely indicates: → A systemic management system failure not identified by single-incident analysis
26. An employer with 250 employees (all full-time, 2,000 hours/year) had 4 recordable cases. What is the TCIR? → 3.2
27. Which ionizing radiation type has the GREATEST penetrating power and requires the most shielding? → Gamma rays
28. Which OSHA standard governs permit-required confined space entry in general industry? → 29 CFR 1910.146
29. What does the term 'double protection' mean in the context of hearing conservation? → Wearing both earplugs and earmuffs together
30. What is the PRIMARY advantage of using a safety management system (SMS) over a compliance-only approach? → It provides a proactive, systematic framework for continuous improvement