Fall Protection Flashcards
6 cards from real OSHA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Fall Protection flashcards as text
What is a 'competent person' required to do regarding fall protection systems before each work shift?
Answer: Inspect all fall protection systems and equipment for damage or defects
OSHA requires a competent person to inspect fall protection systems, equipment, and anchorages before each work shift and after any event that could have damaged them.
What is the purpose of a deceleration device in a personal fall arrest system?
Answer: To slow down the fall arrest to reduce the shock force on the worker's body
A deceleration device (such as a rip-stitch lanyard or SRL) absorbs the energy of a fall by extending the stopping distance, limiting the maximum arresting force to 1,800 lbs per OSHA requirements.
How far below the working level must a safety net be installed when used as fall protection?
Answer: No more than 6 feet below
OSHA requires safety nets to be installed as close as practicable under the working surface but in no case more than 30 feet below — the 6-foot requirement applies to the net extension beyond the work area edge.
What must an employer do when an employee must work within 6 feet of an unprotected roof edge on a low-slope roof?
Answer: Provide guardrails, PFAS, or safety nets at the roof edge
When workers must get within 6 feet of an unprotected low-slope roof edge, OSHA requires conventional fall protection — guardrails, PFAS, or safety nets — directly at the hazardous edge.
Under OSHA, what is the maximum arresting force allowed on a worker's body during a fall arrest?
Answer: 1,800 lbs
OSHA limits the maximum arresting force applied to a worker's body to 1,800 lbs during a fall arrest to prevent musculoskeletal injury from the sudden stop.
What is the correct order of the hierarchy of fall protection controls under OSHA?
Answer: Elimination → passive fall protection (guardrails/nets) → fall arrest systems
OSHA's fall protection hierarchy prioritizes eliminating the fall hazard first, then using passive systems like guardrails or nets, and lastly using active fall arrest systems like harnesses as a last resort.