COSS OSHA Standards and Compliance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An OSHA compliance officer arrives at a worksite without advance notice. Under the OSH Act, what right does an employer have before allowing a walkaround inspection?
- Right to demand a 48-hour advance notice
- Right to require a written warrant if entry is refused (Correct answer)
- Right to limit the inspector to administrative areas only
- Right to record the inspection on video without consent
Correct answer: Right to require a written warrant if entry is refused
Employers may refuse warrantless inspections, requiring OSHA to obtain an administrative search warrant before entry.
Question 2: OSHA penalties are classified by type. Which category of violation carries the highest maximum penalty per violation?
- Other-than-serious
- Serious
- Willful or Repeat (Correct answer)
- De minimis
Correct answer: Willful or Repeat
Willful or repeat violations carry the highest maximum penalties, currently up to $156,259 per violation (indexed annually).
Question 3: Under the OSH Act, employees have the right to request an OSHA inspection without fear of retaliation. Section 11(c) protects workers who exercise this right. How long does an employee have to file a Section 11(c) retaliation complaint?
- 30 days (Correct answer)
- 60 days
- 90 days
- 180 days
Correct answer: 30 days
Employees must file a Section 11(c) retaliation complaint with OSHA within 30 days of the adverse action.
Question 4: OSHA's fall protection standard for general industry (29 CFR 1910.28) requires fall protection when employees are exposed to falls of what minimum height on walking-working surfaces?
- 4 feet (Correct answer)
- 6 feet
- 10 feet
- 8 feet
Correct answer: 4 feet
General industry fall protection is required at 4 feet under 29 CFR 1910.28 for most walking-working surfaces.
Question 5: A chemical's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) must present information in a standardized 16-section format per OSHA's HazCom 2012. Which section covers 'Composition/Information on Ingredients'?
- Section 2
- Section 3 (Correct answer)
- Section 4
- Section 1
Correct answer: Section 3
Section 3 of the GHS-aligned SDS format contains composition and information on ingredients.
Question 6: OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) requires employers to offer hepatitis B vaccination to at-risk employees at no cost within how many days of initial assignment?
- 10 days (Correct answer)
- 30 days
- 90 days
- 6 months
Correct answer: 10 days
Hepatitis B vaccination must be made available within 10 working days of initial assignment to at-risk positions.
Question 7: Which OSHA standard establishes the Hierarchy of Controls for noise, requiring engineering controls before administrative controls or hearing protection?
- 29 CFR 1910.95 (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910.134
- 29 CFR 1910.1200
- 29 CFR 1910.132
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1910.95
29 CFR 1910.95 (Occupational Noise Exposure) mandates engineering controls as the preferred method before hearing protection.
COSS OSHA Standards and Compliance 3
An OSHA compliance officer arrives at a worksite without advance notice.
Under the OSH Act, what right does an employer have before allowing a walkaround inspection?