COSS Safety Skills 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's Walking-Working Surfaces standard (29 CFR 1910 Subpart D), fixed industrial stairs must be able to support a minimum load of:
- 250 lbs per tread
- 350 lbs per tread
- 1,000 lbs uniformly distributed
- At least 5 times the intended live load (Correct answer)
Correct answer: At least 5 times the intended live load
OSHA requires fixed industrial stairs to be designed and constructed strong enough to carry at least five times their anticipated live load.
Question 2: Which document formally authorizes entry into a permit-required confined space and must be completed before entry?
- Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
- The entry permit signed by the entry supervisor (Correct answer)
- A safety data sheet for all chemicals in the space
- A pre-task safety checklist
Correct answer: The entry permit signed by the entry supervisor
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 requires a written entry permit, signed by the entry supervisor, that verifies all conditions are acceptable before workers enter a permit-required confined space.
Question 3: A facility must have emergency eyewash stations within what maximum travel distance from a hazardous exposure area, according to ANSI Z358.1?
- 25 feet
- 50 feet
- 10 seconds of travel time (Correct answer)
- 100 feet
Correct answer: 10 seconds of travel time
ANSI Z358.1 requires that emergency eyewash and shower stations be located within a 10-second travel distance (approximately 55 feet on a level path) from the hazard.
Question 4: Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), the post-exposure evaluation and follow-up for an employee exposed to potentially infectious material must be:
- Completed within 7 days at the employee's expense
- Made available at no cost to the employee (Correct answer)
- Voluntary and scheduled only at the employee's request
- Documented and filed in the OSHA 300 log immediately
Correct answer: Made available at no cost to the employee
The Bloodborne Pathogens standard requires that post-exposure evaluation and follow-up, including testing and counseling, be made available to the exposed employee at no cost.
Question 5: In ergonomics, 'contact stress' refers to:
- Psychological stress caused by workplace conflicts
- Localized pressure on soft tissues from contact with hard or sharp edges (Correct answer)
- Cumulative vibration exposure to the hands and arms
- Excessive reach distance causing shoulder strain
Correct answer: Localized pressure on soft tissues from contact with hard or sharp edges
Contact stress occurs when a hard or sharp edge concentrates force on a small area of soft tissue, such as the palm or forearm resting on a workbench edge.
Question 6: A safety professional notices that a worker is using a portable grinder without a wheel guard. Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.243, which action is correct?
- Issue a verbal warning and allow work to continue
- Stop the work immediately as it is a serious violation (Correct answer)
- Allow work to continue if the grinder disc is new
- Document the observation and address it in the next safety meeting
Correct answer: Stop the work immediately as it is a serious violation
Missing wheel guards on grinders are a serious OSHA violation that creates an imminent danger of serious injury; work must be stopped immediately until the guard is installed.
Question 7: Which of the following is the BEST definition of a 'safety culture' in an organization?
- The set of written safety policies and procedures in place
- The shared values, beliefs, and behaviors that determine how safety is prioritized collectively (Correct answer)
- The number of safety training hours employees receive annually
- Leadership's commitment to achieving zero lost-time injuries
Correct answer: The shared values, beliefs, and behaviors that determine how safety is prioritized collectively
Safety culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors among all organizational members that collectively determine the priority given to safety.
COSS Safety Skills 5
Under OSHA's Walking-Working Surfaces standard (29 CFR 1910 Subpart D), fixed industrial stairs must be able to support a minimum load of: