CHST General 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A construction worker develops contact dermatitis after repeated exposure to portland cement. This is best classified as which type of hazard?
- Physical hazard
- Chemical hazard (Correct answer)
- Biological hazard
- Ergonomic hazard
Correct answer: Chemical hazard
Portland cement contains chromium compounds and is alkaline; dermatitis from cement exposure is a chemical hazard.
Question 2: Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom 2012), how many sections does a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) contain?
- 8
- 12
- 16 (Correct answer)
- 20
Correct answer: 16
OSHA's HazCom 2012, aligned with the GHS, requires SDSs to have exactly 16 standardized sections.
Question 3: Which OSHA standard requires employers to develop and implement a written Respiratory Protection Program for construction workers using respirators?
- 29 CFR 1910.134
- 29 CFR 1926.103 (Correct answer)
- 29 CFR 1926.55
- 29 CFR 1910.1000
Correct answer: 29 CFR 1926.103
29 CFR 1926.103 is OSHA's construction industry respirator standard, which incorporates by reference the requirements of 1910.134 including the written program.
Question 4: A CHST investigating a near-miss incident involving a scissor lift tip-over should use which root cause analysis method to identify systemic factors?
- 5 Whys technique (Correct answer)
- Trend analysis
- Pareto chart only
- Safety walk-around checklist
Correct answer: 5 Whys technique
The 5 Whys technique is an effective root cause analysis method that drills down through symptom layers to uncover systemic causes of incidents.
Question 5: Under OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, what is the minimum ground-to-power-line clearance distance required for a crane when the line voltage is between 50 kV and 200 kV?
- 10 feet
- 15 feet (Correct answer)
- 20 feet
- 25 feet
Correct answer: 15 feet
OSHA 1926.1408 Table A requires a 15-foot minimum clearance for voltages over 50 kV up to 200 kV during crane operations.
Question 6: A CHST reviews a material safety data sheet and finds the flash point of a solvent is 70°F. How should this material be classified?
- Non-flammable liquid
- Combustible liquid
- Flammable liquid (Correct answer)
- Explosive material
Correct answer: Flammable liquid
OSHA defines flammable liquids as those with a flash point below 100°F (37.8°C); a flash point of 70°F clearly qualifies as flammable.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes the purpose of a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) in construction safety management?
- To document injuries after they occur for OSHA recordkeeping
- To identify, analyze, and control hazards associated with specific job steps before work begins (Correct answer)
- To measure a worker's compliance with PPE requirements
- To fulfill OSHA's required written program for confined spaces
Correct answer: To identify, analyze, and control hazards associated with specific job steps before work begins
A JSA proactively breaks a job into steps, identifies hazards associated with each step, and establishes controls before work begins.
CHST General 5
A construction worker develops contact dermatitis after repeated exposure to portland cement.
This is best classified as which type of hazard?