General Contractor License Site Work and Excavation Questions and Answers

Question 1

An excavation is planned to be 10 feet deep in Type C soil. According to OSHA standards, what is the maximum allowable simple slope for the sides of this excavation?

Accepted Answer

1½ Horizontal to 1 Vertical (1½H:1V)

Answer

¾ Horizontal to 1 Vertical (¾H:1V)

Answer

1 Horizontal to 1 Vertical (1H:1V)

Answer

Benching is permitted as an alternative to sloping.

Question 2

What is the standard laboratory test used by geotechnical engineers to determine the optimal moisture content at which a specific soil type will achieve its greatest density when compacted?

Accepted Answer

Proctor Compaction Test

Answer

Sieve Analysis

Answer

Atterberg Limits Test

Answer

California Bearing Ratio (CBR) Test

Question 3

A contractor is preparing to start a new project. To ensure all elevations for foundations, floors, and utilities are accurate, the surveyor establishes a single, stable point of known elevation on the site. What is this reference point called?

Accepted Answer

Benchmark

Answer

Control Point

Answer

Baseline

Answer

Hub

Question 4

A general contractor is beginning site work for a new commercial building in a developed area. What is the legally mandated first step that must be taken to identify and prevent damage to existing underground public utilities?

Accepted Answer

Contact the national "Call Before You Dig" service by dialing 811.

Answer

Carefully excavate with a backhoe until a utility is found.

Answer

Review the original as-built drawings from when the area was first developed.

Answer

Hire a private utility locator to scan the entire property with ground-penetrating radar.

Question 5

According to OSHA regulations for excavation safety (29 CFR 1926 Subpart P), what is the minimum distance that excavated materials, known as spoil, must be placed from the edge of a trench or excavation?

Accepted Answer

2 feet

Answer

1 foot

Answer

4 feet

Answer

There is no minimum distance if a competent person is monitoring the pile.

Question 6

Which of the following describes a broad, shallow, and typically vegetated channel designed to manage stormwater runoff by conveying it at a non-erosive velocity and promoting infiltration?

Accepted Answer

Swale

Answer

French Drain

Answer

Catch Basin

Answer

Culvert