OSHA Standards and Compliance Flashcards
6 cards from real COSS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 OSHA Standards and Compliance flashcards as text
An employer has a piece of machinery with an exposed rotating shaft. There is no specific OSHA standard that addresses this particular type of machine. Under which provision can OSHA still cite the employer for this hazard?
Answer: The General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1)
The General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, requires employers to provide a workplace "free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm." It is used to cite employers for serious hazards when no specific standard applies.
A work-related incident occurs at 10:00 AM on a Monday, resulting in the immediate amputation of a worker's finger. The employer learns of the incident at 10:15 AM the same day. By what deadline must the employer report this event to OSHA?
Answer: Within 24 hours of the employer learning of the incident
According to OSHA standard 29 CFR 1904.39, an employer must report any work-related in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye within 24 hours of learning about it. The 8-hour reporting requirement is for fatalities.
A manufacturing facility uses a solvent that emits hazardous vapors. According to the hierarchy of controls, which of the following actions would be considered the MOST effective method for protecting workers?
Answer: Replacing the hazardous solvent with a non-toxic, water-based cleaner.
The hierarchy of controls ranks methods from most to least effective: Elimination, Substitution, Engineering Controls, Administrative Controls, and PPE. Substituting the hazardous solvent with a safer alternative is a higher-level control than engineering controls (ventilation), administrative controls (time limits), or PPE (respirators), and is therefore considered the most effective option presented.
Which of the following situations would receive the HIGHEST priority for an OSHA inspection?
Answer: A media report of a trench collapse with a worker trapped inside.
OSHA prioritizes its inspections. The highest priority is given to situations of imminent danger, where there is a reasonable certainty that a danger exists that could cause death or serious physical harm immediately. A trench collapse with a trapped worker clearly falls into this category.
Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200), an employer is required to develop a written program that includes several key elements. Which of the following is a required component of this written program?
Answer: Procedures for providing employees with access to Safety Data Sheets (SDSs).
The Hazard Communication Standard requires employers to develop, implement, and maintain a written program that describes how they will meet the requirements for labels, Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), and employee training. Ensuring employees have access to SDSs for the hazardous chemicals they work with is a fundamental part of the standard.
An employee at a construction site believes their employer is not providing the required fall protection for work being performed at a height of 15 feet. Under the OSH Act, which of the following is a right the employee has?
Answer: The right to file a complaint with OSHA and have their name kept confidential upon request.
The OSH Act grants employees the right to file a complaint with OSHA to request an inspection if they believe a violation of a safety or health standard exists. Employees may request that their names not be revealed to their employers.