NSC Workplace Hazard Identification & Risk Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A forklift operator notices a wet floor in an aisle they must travel through. What is the BEST first action?
- Drive through slowly with the load lowered
- Report the hazard and avoid the area until it is addressed (Correct answer)
- Place the load down and walk through to test traction
- Honk the horn and proceed at normal speed
Correct answer: Report the hazard and avoid the area until it is addressed
Wet floors dramatically reduce traction and braking ability, so operators must report the hazard and reroute until the area is safe.
Question 2: Which type of hazard is created when a forklift operates in an area with overhead electrical lines or conduit?
- Ergonomic hazard
- Electrical strike hazard (Correct answer)
- Noise hazard
- Chemical exposure hazard
Correct answer: Electrical strike hazard
Overhead electrical infrastructure presents an electrical strike hazard if the mast or load contacts energized lines.
Question 3: What does a risk matrix help a safety manager accomplish when assessing forklift operations?
- Schedule preventive maintenance intervals
- Prioritize hazards by combining likelihood and severity (Correct answer)
- Determine the maximum load capacity for each lift
- Assign personal protective equipment to operators
Correct answer: Prioritize hazards by combining likelihood and severity
A risk matrix ranks hazards by multiplying the probability of occurrence by the potential severity, guiding prioritization of controls.
Question 4: Forklift tires that are worn, chunked, or under-inflated primarily increase which type of risk?
- Fire risk from friction heat buildup only
- Tipping, loss of traction, and steering instability (Correct answer)
- Increased fuel consumption and emissions
- Elevated noise levels in the facility
Correct answer: Tipping, loss of traction, and steering instability
Damaged or improperly inflated tires reduce the forklift's stability triangle and its ability to steer and stop safely.
Question 5: When should a forklift operator conduct a workplace hazard walk-around before starting a shift?
- Only when a supervisor requests it
- After completing the first load of the shift
- Before beginning operations, every shift (Correct answer)
- Once per week during safety meetings
Correct answer: Before beginning operations, every shift
OSHA and NSC guidelines require a pre-shift inspection of both the equipment and the operating environment before each shift begins.
Question 6: A narrow aisle with poor lighting is best controlled by which hierarchy of controls measure?
- Administrative control — post a warning sign
- PPE — require operators to wear high-visibility vests
- Engineering control — install adequate lighting fixtures (Correct answer)
- Elimination — remove all forklifts from the facility
Correct answer: Engineering control — install adequate lighting fixtures
Engineering controls such as permanent lighting fixtures reduce the hazard at the source and are more effective than signs or PPE alone.
Question 7: Which condition makes a dock leveler a significant hazard during forklift loading operations?
- The leveler is set one inch higher than the trailer bed
- The leveler is unsecured or rated below the forklift's gross vehicle weight (Correct answer)
- The trailer is less than 20 feet long
- The forklift horn does not function while on the leveler
Correct answer: The leveler is unsecured or rated below the forklift's gross vehicle weight
An unsecured or under-rated dock leveler can collapse under the forklift, causing a fall into the dock pit.
NSC Workplace Hazard Identification & Risk Management 2
A forklift operator notices a wet floor in an aisle they must travel through.
What is the BEST first action?