OSHA 10-Hour General Industry Outreach (knowledge check)
Walking-working surfaces and fall protection: practice questions
Our OSHA 10 General Industry bank has 37 questions on this topic. Here are 5 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.
Question 1
Workers less than 4 feet above dangerous equipment (such as open vats or machinery) must be protected how?
- No protection is needed below 4 feet in general industry
- By a warning line set 15 feet back from the equipment
- By a guardrail or travel restraint system, unless the equipment is covered or guarded
- By hard hats and safety vests only, since the fall distance is under 4 feet
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C. By a guardrail or travel restraint system, unless the equipment is covered or guarded — Each employee less than 4 feet above dangerous equipment must be protected from falling into it by a guardrail or travel restraint system unless the equipment is covered or guarded.
Question 2
How must a worker be protected from stepping into a hole less than 4 feet above a lower level?
- With a warning sign only, placed at the nearest entrance
- With a safety net
- With covers or guardrails
- No protection is needed below 4 feet
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C. With covers or guardrails — Employees must be protected from tripping into or stepping into or through any hole less than 4 feet above a lower level by covers or guardrail systems.
Question 3
What spacing do OSHA rules set for ladder rungs, steps and cleats on most ladders?
- Not less than 10 inches and not more than 14 inches apart
- Exactly 12 inches apart on every type of ladder
- Not less than 6 inches and not more than 18 inches apart
- Not more than 20 inches apart, measured from the top of one rung to the next
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A. Not less than 10 inches and not more than 14 inches apart — Ladder rungs, steps and cleats must be spaced between 10 and 14 inches apart, measured between centerlines, with some exceptions.
Question 4
What is the maximum riser height for standard stairs in general industry?
- 12 inches
- 7.5 inches
- 10.5 inches, with a tread depth of at least 7 inches
- 9.5 inches
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D. 9.5 inches — Standard stairs must have a maximum riser height of 9.5 inches and a minimum tread depth of 9.5 inches.
Question 5
Before a worker uses personal fall protection, who must train them?
- Any coworker who has used the equipment
- A qualified person
- The equipment manufacturer only
- An OSHA inspector
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B. A qualified person — Employers must train each employee who uses personal fall protection before exposure to a fall hazard, and the trainer must be a qualified person.