CHST - Construction Health and Safety Technician Hazards and PPE 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which OSHA standard governs the use of personal protective equipment in construction, including requirements for employer-provided PPE?
- 29 CFR 1910.132
- 29 CFR 1926.95 (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1926.59
- 29 CFR 1910.1000
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1926.95
29 CFR 1926.95 is the OSHA construction industry standard specifically governing PPE requirements, including the employer's obligation to provide, maintain, and ensure proper use of required protective equipment on construction sites.
Question 2: A construction worker is cutting concrete in an enclosed space with limited ventilation. Beyond silica dust controls, which additional hazard must be assessed and managed?
- Ultraviolet radiation from overhead lighting
- Oxygen deficiency and carbon monoxide from equipment exhaust (Correct answer)
- Electromagnetic interference from power tools
- Bloodborne pathogen exposure from concrete abrasion
Correct answer: Oxygen deficiency and carbon monoxide from equipment exhaust
In enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, gas-powered cutting equipment produces carbon monoxide exhaust that can accumulate rapidly, and the confined space may already have reduced oxygen levels, creating a potentially lethal atmosphere independent of dust hazards.
Question 3: Which class of hard hat provides both impact protection and electrical insulation up to 20,000 volts?
- Class A
- Class B (Correct answer)
- Class C
- Class E
Correct answer: Class B
Class B hard hats are designed to protect against impact and penetration from falling objects AND provide electrical insulation rated up to 20,000 volts, making them appropriate for work near high-voltage electrical hazards.
Question 4: What is the correct sequence for donning a chemical-resistant suit when handling hazardous materials on a construction site?
- Gloves first, then suit, then respirator, then boots
- Respirator first, then suit, then outer gloves, then boots (Correct answer)
- Boots first, then inner gloves, then suit, then respirator
- Suit first, then boots, then gloves, then respirator last
Correct answer: Respirator first, then suit, then outer gloves, then boots
The respirator is donned first to protect airways before any chemical exposure risk during suiting up; then the suit is closed over the respirator straps to create a seal, outer gloves are taped to the suit sleeves, and boots complete the barrier — ensuring no skin or airway is exposed during the donning process.
Question 5: On a construction site where workers are exposed to total noise levels of 95 dBA for an 8-hour shift, what is the maximum allowable exposure duration per OSHA's noise standard before hearing protection becomes mandatory?
- 8 hours
- 6 hours
- 4 hours (Correct answer)
- 2 hours
Correct answer: 4 hours
Per OSHA 29 CFR 1926.52, the permissible exposure time at 95 dBA is 4 hours. Above this duration, engineering controls or hearing protection must be implemented. The standard uses a 5 dB exchange rate, halving allowable time for every 5 dB increase above 90 dBA.
Question 6: Which hazard control measure represents the highest level of protection in the hierarchy of controls when addressing airborne chemical hazards on a construction site?
- Providing workers with supplied-air respirators
- Substituting a less hazardous chemical for the one in use (Correct answer)
- Installing local exhaust ventilation at the point of generation
- Implementing administrative rotation schedules to limit exposure time
Correct answer: Substituting a less hazardous chemical for the one in use
Substitution — replacing a hazardous substance with a less harmful alternative — ranks above all other controls in the hierarchy because it eliminates or fundamentally reduces the hazard at the source. Engineering controls like ventilation, administrative controls, and PPE all manage exposure to an existing hazard rather than removing it.
CHST - Construction Health and Safety Technician Hazards and PPE 1
Which OSHA standard governs the use of personal protective equipment in construction, including requirements for employer-provided PPE?