IFC Safety Regulations & OSHA Compliance 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A firestop installer needs to work inside a large mechanical shaft classified as a permit-required confined space. Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146, what is the FIRST step before entry?
- Issue a confined space entry permit
- Conduct atmospheric testing (Correct answer)
- Assign an attendant outside the space
- Notify the local fire department
Correct answer: Conduct atmospheric testing
Atmospheric testing must occur before entry to identify oxygen deficiency, flammability, and toxic conditions before a permit is issued.
Question 2: Under OSHA lockout/tagout (LOTO) requirements at 29 CFR 1910.147, when firestop work requires breaching a wall containing energized conduit, who is authorized to perform energy isolation?
- Any trained firestop installer on-site
- Only the authorized employee trained in LOTO procedures (Correct answer)
- The general contractor's safety officer
- Any licensed electrician regardless of LOTO training
Correct answer: Only the authorized employee trained in LOTO procedures
Only an 'authorized employee' — one who has been trained to lock out or tag out machines — may perform energy isolation under LOTO.
Question 3: OSHA's Fall Protection standard (29 CFR 1926.502) requires fall protection for construction workers at what minimum height above a lower level?
- 4 feet
- 6 feet (Correct answer)
- 8 feet
- 10 feet
Correct answer: 6 feet
OSHA requires fall protection for construction workers when working at heights of 6 feet or more above a lower level.
Question 4: A firestop installer is applying products in a space where airborne silica dust from concrete cutting is present. Which OSHA standard sets the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica?
- 29 CFR 1910.1000
- 29 CFR 1926.1153 (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910.134
- 29 CFR 1926.55
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1926.1153
29 CFR 1926.1153 is OSHA's specific standard for respirable crystalline silica in construction, setting the PEL at 50 µg/m³ as an 8-hour TWA.
Question 5: Under IBC and OSHA requirements, firestop penetration seals in rated assemblies must be installed per the Listing and Installation Instructions (L&II). Deviating from these instructions constitutes a violation under which OSHA provision?
- 29 CFR 1926.150 — Fire Protection
- Section 5(a)(1) — General Duty Clause (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910.155 — Fire Protection Definitions
- 29 CFR 1926.20 — General Safety Requirements
Correct answer: Section 5(a)(1) — General Duty Clause
Deviations from manufacturer L&II that create recognized hazards can be cited under OSHA's General Duty Clause even without a specific standard.
Question 6: OSHA's Personal Protective Equipment standard for construction (29 CFR 1926.95) requires that PPE be provided at whose expense?
- The employee, as part of their professional tools
- The employer, at no cost to employees (Correct answer)
- Shared cost between employer and employee
- The general contractor regardless of who is exposed
Correct answer: The employer, at no cost to employees
OSHA requires employers to provide required PPE at no cost to employees, with limited exceptions for items like everyday clothing.
Question 7: Which OSHA construction standard requires a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) and applies to firestop contractors with more than 10 employees?
- 29 CFR 1926.20
- No federal OSHA standard mandates a written IIPP — some states require it under State Plans (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1910.119
- 29 CFR 1926.21
Correct answer: No federal OSHA standard mandates a written IIPP — some states require it under State Plans
Federal OSHA does not require a written IIPP; this requirement exists only in OSHA-approved State Plan states such as California (Cal/OSHA).
IFC Safety Regulations & OSHA Compliance 3
A firestop installer needs to work inside a large mechanical shaft classified as a permit-required confined space.
Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146, what is the FIRST step before entry?