FCC Safety Standards & Construction Practices 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Florida's threshold building inspection program requires a Special Inspector to be present during which activity?
- All electrical rough-in inspections
- Structural concrete pours and other threshold structural elements (Correct answer)
- Window and door installations
- Roofing underlayment application
Correct answer: Structural concrete pours and other threshold structural elements
Under Florida Statute 553.79, threshold buildings require a licensed special inspector to continuously inspect all structural concrete pours and other critical structural elements.
Question 2: What is the maximum angle of repose (from horizontal) for a spoil pile placed adjacent to a trench excavation?
- At least 1 foot away for every foot of depth
- At least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation (Correct answer)
- No minimum distance required if the soil is Type A
- At least 3 feet from the edge with a berm
Correct answer: At least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation
OSHA 1926.651(j)(2) requires excavated material (spoil) to be kept at least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation to prevent cave-in hazards.
Question 3: Which NFPA standard governs the installation of portable fire extinguishers on construction sites in Florida?
- NFPA 10 (Correct answer)
- NFPA 13
- NFPA 72
- NFPA 101
Correct answer: NFPA 10
NFPA 10 — Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers — governs the selection, installation, inspection, and maintenance of portable extinguishers.
Question 4: When must a Florida contractor perform a pre-construction survey to identify lead-based paint (LBP) before renovation work?
- Only for structures built before 1960
- For all residential structures built before 1978 (Correct answer)
- For commercial structures built before 1990
- Only if the client requests an LBP test
Correct answer: For all residential structures built before 1978
EPA's RRP Rule (40 CFR Part 745) requires lead-safe work practices and pre-renovation notification for housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978.
Question 5: A worker on a Florida construction site sustains an amputation injury. Under OSHA's severe injury reporting rule, how soon must the employer report this to OSHA?
- Immediately — within 2 hours
- Within 8 hours
- Within 24 hours (Correct answer)
- Within 3 business days
Correct answer: Within 24 hours
OSHA requires employers to report an in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss to OSHA within 24 hours of the incident.
Question 6: What is the purpose of a 'competent person' designation under OSHA's excavation standard (Subpart P)?
- To sign off on building permit applications
- To classify soil, identify hazards, and authorize protective systems before workers enter (Correct answer)
- To operate heavy excavation equipment
- To conduct weekly toolbox safety talks
Correct answer: To classify soil, identify hazards, and authorize protective systems before workers enter
OSHA defines a competent person as someone capable of identifying existing and predictable excavation hazards and with authority to take corrective action, including soil classification.
Question 7: Under the Florida Building Code, what is required before a contractor can begin demolition of a structure that may contain regulated asbestos?
- A local demolition permit only
- An asbestos survey by a licensed asbestos consultant and NESHAP notification to the Florida DEP (Correct answer)
- Written owner consent and a general contractor license
- An EPA inspector on-site for the duration of demolition
Correct answer: An asbestos survey by a licensed asbestos consultant and NESHAP notification to the Florida DEP
NESHAP regulations (40 CFR Part 61, Subpart M) require an asbestos survey and notification to Florida DEP at least 10 working days before demolition when regulated ACM may be present.
FCC Safety Standards & Construction Practices 5
Florida's threshold building inspection program requires a Special Inspector to be present during which activity?