COSS Safety Skills 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to OSHA, which of the following is a leading indicator of workplace safety performance?
- Total recordable incident rate (TRIR)
- Number of near-miss reports submitted (Correct answer)
- Days away from work rate
- Workers' compensation costs
Correct answer: Number of near-miss reports submitted
Near-miss reports are a leading indicator because they measure proactive safety engagement before injuries occur, unlike lagging indicators that measure outcomes.
Question 2: The NIOSH lifting equation is used to calculate the Recommended Weight Limit (RWL). If the Lifting Index (LI) is greater than 1.0, this indicates:
- The lift is within safe ergonomic limits
- The lift poses an increased risk of musculoskeletal injury (Correct answer)
- No additional assessment is needed
- The task is prohibited under OSHA standards
Correct answer: The lift poses an increased risk of musculoskeletal injury
A Lifting Index greater than 1.0 means the lifting task exceeds the recommended weight limit and poses an increased risk of lower back injury.
Question 3: Under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, when is a protective system (sloping, shoring, or shielding) required for excavations?
- All excavations regardless of depth
- Excavations 4 feet deep or greater
- Excavations 5 feet deep or greater (Correct answer)
- Only when water is present
Correct answer: Excavations 5 feet deep or greater
OSHA requires a protective system for all excavations 5 feet or deeper, unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock.
Question 4: A safety professional implementing a Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) program should focus observations primarily on:
- Identifying at-risk employees for disciplinary action
- Critical behaviors that are most likely to lead to injury if done incorrectly (Correct answer)
- Compliance with all written procedures equally
- Management commitment metrics
Correct answer: Critical behaviors that are most likely to lead to injury if done incorrectly
BBS focuses observations on critical behaviors with the highest potential to cause injury, using data to prioritize interventions.
Question 5: Which OSHA standard requires employers to communicate information about hazardous chemicals to employees through labels and Safety Data Sheets?
- 29 CFR 1910.132 – PPE standard
- 29 CFR 1910.147 – Lockout/Tagout standard
- 29 CFR 1910.1200 – Hazard Communication standard (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910.119 – PSM standard
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1910.1200 – Hazard Communication standard
29 CFR 1910.1200, the Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom), requires chemical hazard information to be conveyed via labels and SDSs.
Question 6: When a fall arrest system is triggered and a worker is suspended in a harness, what is the maximum acceptable suspension time before rescue must be completed to prevent suspension trauma?
- No more than 30 minutes
- No more than 15 minutes (Correct answer)
- No more than 60 minutes
- Up to 3 hours with footloops
Correct answer: No more than 15 minutes
Research indicates suspension trauma (orthostatic shock) can develop within 15 minutes of motionless suspension, making prompt rescue essential.
Question 7: Under OSHA's Respiratory Protection standard (29 CFR 1910.134), what is required BEFORE an employee is fit-tested for a tight-fitting respirator?
- Completion of hazard communication training
- A medical evaluation to determine fitness to use a respirator (Correct answer)
- Selection of the correct filter cartridge type
- A quantitative fit test using a portacount machine
Correct answer: A medical evaluation to determine fitness to use a respirator
A medical evaluation must be completed before fit testing to ensure the employee does not have a medical condition that would be worsened by respirator use.
COSS Safety Skills 3
According to OSHA, which of the following is a leading indicator of workplace safety performance?