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Safety practice questions

15 questions from the general building trade knowledge practice test.

Safety practice test

10 questions, graded as you go, with the reason for every answer. No sign-up.

What this covers

Sample questions

What is the required height of the top rail of a guardrail system above the walking surface?

  1. 42 in., plus or minus 3 in.
  2. 36 in., plus or minus 3 in.
  3. 48 in., plus or minus 3 in.
  4. 30 in., plus or minus 3 in.
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A. 42 in., plus or minus 3 in.

The top edge must be 39 to 45 in. above the walking or working level. 36 in. is a common stair handrail height, not the guardrail height.

Reference: 29 CFR 1926.502(b)(1)

What load must an anchorage for a personal fall arrest system support for each worker attached, unless it is designed by a qualified person?

  1. 2,000 lb
  2. 3,000 lb
  3. 5,000 lb
  4. 10,000 lb
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C. 5,000 lb

Each anchorage must hold 5,000 lb per attached worker, or be designed with a safety factor of two under a qualified person. A guardrail, by comparison, is only built for a 200-lb top-rail force and is never an anchor.

Reference: 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(15)

What load must a scaffold and its components be able to support without failure?

  1. Its own weight plus 2 times the maximum intended load
  2. Its own weight plus the maximum intended load
  3. Its own weight plus 6 times the maximum intended load
  4. Its own weight plus 4 times the maximum intended load
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D. Its own weight plus 4 times the maximum intended load

Scaffolds need a safety factor of four on the intended load. Six is the factor for suspension ropes on suspended scaffolds, which is where the confusion comes from.

Reference: 29 CFR 1926.451(a)(1)

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