CSCS Safe Working Practices 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the maximum weight a single person should manually handle without a risk assessment recommending mechanical assistance?
- 10 kg
- 25 kg (Correct answer)
- 50 kg
- 75 kg
Correct answer: 25 kg
As a general guideline, loads over 25 kg are considered high risk for a single handler and typically require a risk assessment and potential mechanical assistance.
Question 2: Which of the following is a leading cause of fatalities on US construction sites?
- Slipping on wet floors indoors
- Falls from heights (Correct answer)
- Paper cuts from documentation
- Eye strain from screen use
Correct answer: Falls from heights
Falls from heights are consistently the leading cause of construction fatalities, representing a significant portion of OSHA's 'Fatal Four'.
Question 3: When should a safety harness be inspected?
- Once a year during the annual equipment audit
- Before every use and by a competent person at regular intervals (Correct answer)
- Only after a fall event or visible damage
- When the manufacturer's label becomes unreadable
Correct answer: Before every use and by a competent person at regular intervals
Harnesses must be visually inspected by the user before each use and formally inspected by a competent person at manufacturer-recommended intervals.
Question 4: What is a 'permit to work' system used for on construction sites?
- Granting employment authorization to new workers
- Controlling high-risk tasks to ensure proper precautions are in place before work begins (Correct answer)
- Issuing parking permits for site vehicles
- Approving overtime payments for workers
Correct answer: Controlling high-risk tasks to ensure proper precautions are in place before work begins
A permit to work is a formal document that authorizes specific high-risk tasks and confirms that all necessary safety measures are in place.
Question 5: What does LOTO stand for in construction safety?
- Lift Out, Tag Out
- Lockout/Tagout (Correct answer)
- Load Over, Tie Off
- Level Out, Test On
Correct answer: Lockout/Tagout
LOTO (Lockout/Tagout) is a safety procedure to ensure that dangerous machines are properly shut off and cannot be restarted before maintenance or servicing.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes a 'near miss' on a construction site?
- An incident that caused minor injury only
- An unplanned event that could have resulted in injury or damage but did not (Correct answer)
- A safety inspection that nearly failed
- A project that nearly exceeded its budget
Correct answer: An unplanned event that could have resulted in injury or damage but did not
A near miss is an unplanned event with the potential to cause injury or property damage but where no harm actually occurred — it must still be reported and investigated.
Question 7: On a construction site, who is responsible for ensuring subcontractors follow site safety rules?
- The subcontractors' own management only
- OSHA inspectors who visit the site
- The principal contractor and site management (Correct answer)
- The workers themselves on a voluntary basis
Correct answer: The principal contractor and site management
The principal contractor has overall responsibility for coordinating health and safety on site, including ensuring all subcontractors comply with site safety rules.
CSCS Safe Working Practices 3
What is the maximum weight a single person should manually handle without a risk assessment recommending mechanical assistance?