FCC Safety Standards & Construction Practices 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Florida contractor discovers an unplanned sink hole during excavation. Under Chapter 489, what is the required immediate action?
- Continue work and document the finding in the project log
- Immediately stop work, evacuate the area, and notify the building official (Correct answer)
- Install extra shoring and proceed cautiously
- Notify the property owner only and await instructions
Correct answer: Immediately stop work, evacuate the area, and notify the building official
Encountering unexpected geologic hazards such as sinkholes requires immediate work stoppage, site evacuation, and notification of the local building official.
Question 2: What is the maximum weight a portable ladder on a construction site may be loaded with, per OSHA's duty rating for a Type IA ladder?
- 250 lbs
- 300 lbs
- 375 lbs (Correct answer)
- 500 lbs
Correct answer: 375 lbs
A Type IA heavy-duty ladder has a maximum load rating of 300 lbs for Type I and 375 lbs for Type IA (extra heavy-duty).
Question 3: Under OSHA's scaffold standard (29 CFR 1926 Subpart L), what is the minimum width of a scaffold platform?
- 12 inches
- 18 inches
- 20 inches (Correct answer)
- 24 inches
Correct answer: 20 inches
OSHA 1926.451(b) requires scaffold platforms to be at least 18 inches wide, but the minimum plank width rule effectively results in 20-inch platforms in common practice; the code specifies 18 inches minimum.
Question 4: In Florida, which document specifies the required fire separation distance between a new residential structure and the property line?
- Florida Fire Prevention Code
- Florida Building Code — Residential (Correct answer)
- NFPA 1 Fire Code
- Local zoning ordinance only
Correct answer: Florida Building Code — Residential
The Florida Building Code — Residential (based on IRC) specifies fire separation distance requirements tied to wall and opening protection for new residential construction.
Question 5: What type of personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandated when a worker is operating a concrete saw or grinder that generates respirable silica dust?
- N95 filtering facepiece respirator only
- Half-face air-purifying respirator with P100 filters at minimum (Correct answer)
- Dust mask rated for nuisance dust
- Full-face positive-pressure SCBA
Correct answer: Half-face air-purifying respirator with P100 filters at minimum
OSHA's silica standard Table 1 requires at a minimum a half-face air-purifying respirator with P100 filters when wet methods alone are insufficient for silica-generating tools.
Question 6: When is a contractor required to develop a written Accident Prevention Program (APP) in Florida?
- Only for projects over $1 million
- For all projects with 11 or more employees (Correct answer)
- When required by the general contractor's safety plan
- Whenever federal funding is involved
Correct answer: For all projects with 11 or more employees
OSHA requires employers with 11 or more employees to maintain a written safety and health program; Florida contractors follow OSHA standards as the state plan is OSHA-based.
Question 7: Under OSHA's lockout/tagout standard applied to construction, what must a contractor do before performing maintenance on electrically energized equipment?
- Post a warning sign near the equipment
- De-energize, lockout, and verify zero energy state before work begins (Correct answer)
- Have a second worker stand by as a spotter
- Wear insulated gloves and proceed
Correct answer: De-energize, lockout, and verify zero energy state before work begins
OSHA's control of hazardous energy standard (1910.147, applied to construction via 1926.417) requires de-energization, lockout/tagout, and verification of zero energy before maintenance begins.
FCC Safety Standards & Construction Practices 4
A Florida contractor discovers an unplanned sink hole during excavation.
Under Chapter 489, what is the required immediate action?