STSC Supervision and Safety Leadership 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following BEST describes a supervisor's role in the hierarchy of controls?
- Supervisors only enforce PPE use, which is the top control
- Supervisors identify hazards and implement the highest feasible control before defaulting to PPE (Correct answer)
- Supervisors are responsible only for administrative controls
- Supervisors delegate all control selection to workers
Correct answer: Supervisors identify hazards and implement the highest feasible control before defaulting to PPE
Supervisors should apply the hierarchy of controls — elimination through PPE — selecting the highest feasible level of protection for each hazard.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of conducting a pre-task safety briefing (toolbox talk) before a high-risk activity?
- To fulfill OSHA's mandatory daily meeting requirement
- To ensure workers understand the specific hazards and controls for that day's tasks (Correct answer)
- To assign blame if something goes wrong later
- To replace the written Job Hazard Analysis
Correct answer: To ensure workers understand the specific hazards and controls for that day's tasks
Pre-task briefings align the crew on task-specific hazards and controls, reducing the likelihood of incidents by ensuring shared situational awareness.
Question 3: A newly promoted construction supervisor feels uncomfortable correcting a veteran worker who is not following safety rules. What should the supervisor do?
- Wait until the veteran worker makes a mistake before saying anything
- Recognize that correcting unsafe behavior is a core supervisory responsibility regardless of worker seniority (Correct answer)
- Ask another worker to speak to the veteran instead
- Reduce the safety standard to match what the veteran is doing
Correct answer: Recognize that correcting unsafe behavior is a core supervisory responsibility regardless of worker seniority
All workers must be held to the same safety standards, and supervisors must address violations regardless of a worker's experience or tenure.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a 'lagging indicator' used to measure safety performance on a construction project?
- Number of safety inspections completed
- Percentage of workers who completed safety training
- OSHA recordable injury rate (Correct answer)
- Number of hazards identified during walk-throughs
Correct answer: OSHA recordable injury rate
Lagging indicators measure past outcomes (injuries, illnesses) rather than proactive safety activities, which are leading indicators.
Question 5: When workers raise safety concerns during a toolbox talk, the supervisor should PRIMARILY:
- Note the concerns and promise to address them later without follow-up
- Dismiss concerns if they do not relate to today's specific task
- Actively listen, document concerns, and communicate resolution actions promptly (Correct answer)
- Defer all concerns to upper management
Correct answer: Actively listen, document concerns, and communicate resolution actions promptly
Responding to worker safety concerns with active listening and timely follow-up builds trust and reinforces a positive safety culture.
Question 6: A supervisor discovers that a subcontractor crew is performing work without the required permits. What is the appropriate action?
- Allow the work to continue since it is the subcontractor's responsibility
- Stop the work immediately until the required permits are obtained (Correct answer)
- Contact the permit office but let work continue in the meantime
- Issue a verbal warning and inspect after the task is done
Correct answer: Stop the work immediately until the required permits are obtained
Permit-required work must not proceed without the permit in place; stopping work immediately protects workers and maintains legal compliance.
Question 7: Which practice BEST supports psychological safety on a construction crew?
- Publicly reprimanding workers who report near-misses to discourage 'tattling'
- Creating an environment where workers can raise safety concerns without fear of retaliation (Correct answer)
- Limiting safety discussions to formal meetings only
- Rewarding crews with zero reported incidents regardless of actual conditions
Correct answer: Creating an environment where workers can raise safety concerns without fear of retaliation
Psychological safety encourages workers to speak up about hazards; retaliation or zero-incident rewards that suppress reporting undermine it.
STSC Supervision and Safety Leadership 5
Which of the following BEST describes a supervisor's role in the hierarchy of controls?