STSC Accident Prevention and Emergency Response 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A worker suffers a severe laceration on the forearm causing heavy bleeding. As a supervisor, your immediate priority is to:
- Document the injury in the incident log
- Direct the worker to apply direct pressure and call for first aid (Correct answer)
- Notify OSHA before administering any aid
- Continue work and send the worker to the clinic at break time
Correct answer: Direct the worker to apply direct pressure and call for first aid
Controlling severe bleeding with direct pressure is the immediate life-saving priority before documentation or notifications.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of an administrative control used to prevent struck-by accidents on a construction site?
- Installing physical barriers around equipment
- Replacing heavy machinery with lighter tools
- Requiring workers to wear high-visibility vests
- Establishing exclusion zones and traffic management plans (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Establishing exclusion zones and traffic management plans
Exclusion zones and traffic management plans are administrative controls because they manage how people and equipment interact rather than changing the physical environment.
Question 3: When a construction worker is suspected of having heat stroke, the supervisor should:
- Have the worker sit in the shade and return to work after 15 minutes
- Give the worker a sports drink and monitor throughout the shift
- Move the worker to a cool area, apply cooling measures, and call 911 immediately (Correct answer)
- Document the incident and wait for the worker to recover naturally
Correct answer: Move the worker to a cool area, apply cooling measures, and call 911 immediately
Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate cooling and emergency medical services because body temperature must be lowered rapidly.
Question 4: The primary purpose of conducting a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) before starting a new construction task is to:
- Satisfy OSHA recordkeeping requirements
- Identify potential hazards and establish safe work procedures before work begins (Correct answer)
- Determine which workers are qualified to perform the task
- Estimate the time required to complete the task safely
Correct answer: Identify potential hazards and establish safe work procedures before work begins
A JHA proactively identifies hazards and controls for each step of a task before work starts, preventing accidents through planning.
Question 5: Which of the following actions would be considered a leading indicator of accident prevention performance on a construction site?
- Number of OSHA recordable injuries per quarter
- Frequency of near-miss reports submitted by workers (Correct answer)
- Total workers' compensation costs for the year
- Number of lost workdays due to injuries
Correct answer: Frequency of near-miss reports submitted by workers
Near-miss reporting frequency is a leading indicator because it measures proactive safety engagement before injuries occur, unlike lagging indicators that count past harms.
Question 6: After a construction incident is investigated, the most important step is to:
- File the report with OSHA and close the investigation
- Discipline the workers involved to prevent recurrence
- Implement corrective actions to eliminate or control the root cause (Correct answer)
- Increase workers' compensation premiums for the project
Correct answer: Implement corrective actions to eliminate or control the root cause
Implementing corrective actions that address the root cause is the essential final step that transforms an investigation into actual accident prevention.
Question 7: A construction supervisor notices a worker showing signs of dizziness and confusion after working in an enclosed space. The supervisor should FIRST suspect:
- Dehydration from physical exertion
- Oxygen deficiency or toxic atmosphere (Correct answer)
- Fatigue from a long shift
- Heat exhaustion
Correct answer: Oxygen deficiency or toxic atmosphere
Sudden neurological symptoms in an enclosed space are primary indicators of an atmospheric hazard such as oxygen deficiency or toxic gas exposure, which is immediately life-threatening.
STSC Accident Prevention and Emergency Response 5
A worker suffers a severe laceration on the forearm causing heavy bleeding.
As a supervisor, your immediate priority is to: