CSCS Safe Working Practices 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What information must be displayed on a construction site's safety notice board?
- Employee wages and overtime rates
- Emergency contacts, first aid information, and site safety rules (Correct answer)
- Material delivery schedules
- Client contact details and project budget
Correct answer: Emergency contacts, first aid information, and site safety rules
Safety notice boards must display key information including emergency contacts, first aider locations, site safety rules, and relevant regulatory notices.
Question 2: When is it acceptable to remove a safety guard from a power saw on a construction site?
- When it slows down the work and increases productivity
- When a supervisor verbally permits it for a specific cut
- Guards should never be removed during normal operation (Correct answer)
- When wearing gloves as a substitute precaution
Correct answer: Guards should never be removed during normal operation
Machine guards must never be removed during operation — they are designed to prevent contact with moving parts and their removal creates serious injury risk.
Question 3: What action should be taken if you spill a hazardous chemical on a construction site?
- Cover it with soil and continue working
- Consult the SDS for spill procedures and follow site emergency protocols (Correct answer)
- Dilute it with water and wash it into the drainage system
- Leave it and inform a colleague at the end of the shift
Correct answer: Consult the SDS for spill procedures and follow site emergency protocols
The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) contains specific spill response procedures and must be consulted — immediate containment and site emergency protocols must be followed.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of an administrative control for reducing dust exposure on a construction site?
- Installing a ventilation system at the source
- Wearing an N95 respirator
- Rotating workers so no single person is exposed for the full shift (Correct answer)
- Using water suppression on cutting tools
Correct answer: Rotating workers so no single person is exposed for the full shift
Rotating workers to limit individual exposure duration is an administrative control — it manages behavior and scheduling rather than engineering out the hazard.
Question 5: What is the main risk associated with silica dust exposure during construction work such as cutting concrete?
- Temporary skin irritation
- Silicosis, a serious and irreversible lung disease (Correct answer)
- Short-term eye inflammation only
- Mild allergic reactions that clear within 24 hours
Correct answer: Silicosis, a serious and irreversible lung disease
Inhaling respirable crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis, an incurable and potentially fatal lung disease, as well as increased risk of lung cancer.
Question 6: When using a mobile elevated work platform (MEWP), a worker must:
- Only wear a hard hat — no harness is needed inside the basket
- Wear a full-body harness attached to a designated anchor point inside the platform (Correct answer)
- Lean over the guardrail to reach further if needed
- Operate the platform at maximum height whenever possible
Correct answer: Wear a full-body harness attached to a designated anchor point inside the platform
Workers in MEWPs must wear a full-body harness attached to the designated anchor point to prevent ejection from the platform in the event of sudden movement.
Question 7: What is the correct way to dispose of used solvent-soaked rags on a construction site?
- Place them in a standard waste bin at the end of the day
- Store them in a covered metal container designated for flammable waste (Correct answer)
- Leave them to air out in an open area
- Bury them on site to prevent vapor escape
Correct answer: Store them in a covered metal container designated for flammable waste
Solvent-soaked rags can spontaneously combust and must be stored in a covered metal container specifically designated for flammable waste to prevent fire.
CSCS Safe Working Practices 5
What information must be displayed on a construction site's safety notice board?