OSHA Cranes & Derricks Quiz — 29 CFR 1926.1400-1442 Practice (Subpart CC) — Page 4 of 4
Free OSHA 30-Hour Construction cranes and derricks practice test with 40 realistic scenarios. Operator certification, rigging inspection, power line clearance, load charts, signal person requirements, and crane assembly/disassembly with 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC references. (Page 4 of 4)
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Q31/ 40
A crane is making a lift near a building under construction. The load must be placed on the 5th floor, accessible only through an opening in the partially completed facade. The operator cannot see the landing point. A signal person is stationed at the landing point with a radio. As the load approaches the opening, the signal person says 'cable up... cable up... stop.' The operator stops, then the radio crackles and the operator hears 'OK, cable down.' Was this instruction valid?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.1419(e)(2): when using radio or voice communication, the operator must be able to positively identify the signal person's voice. The crackle and ambiguous 'OK, cable down' after a 'stop' command should raise suspicion — was it the signal person, or another radio user? The operator must confirm the instruction with the designated signal person before proceeding. This is how many crane incidents occur — miscommunication during critical landing phases.
Q32/ 40
A construction site crane's annual inspection certificate expired 2 weeks ago. The employer has scheduled the inspection for next week. Workers are told to keep using the crane. Is this acceptable?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.1412(f)(5): the annual inspection must be documented, and the documentation must be maintained on-site. Operating beyond the inspection due date is a violation. The purpose of the annual inspection is to detect deterioration that daily checks might miss. The employer should have scheduled the inspection before expiry. The crane must not be used until the annual inspection is completed and documented.
Q33/ 40
A derrick is being used for stone setting on a building facade. The derrick's mast is supported by the building's steel frame. The competent person notices the mast base plate has deformed (bent) slightly under load. The mast is still plumb. What should be done?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.1412(d)(1): safety devices and operational equipment must be checked. 1926.1412(e): if any deficiency is found during inspection, it must be corrected before the equipment is used. A deformed base plate is a structural deficiency — it indicates yielding of the steel, meaning the load exceeded the elastic limit. The base plate is now work-hardened and weakened. A qualified person must: evaluate the base plate, determine if the supporting structure is adequate, and design any necessary reinforcement before the derrick is used again.
Q34/ 40
A truck-mounted crane is set up on a road with a 3% cross-slope. The outriggers are extended but the crane is not perfectly level — the bubble level on the crane shows approximately 1.5 degrees off-level. The operator proceeds with a lift at 80% of the load chart capacity. Is this acceptable?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.1417(n): the operator must not operate the equipment when it is not level within the manufacturer's specifications. Most mobile crane manufacturers specify a maximum out-of-level of 1% (approximately 0.5 degrees) or 1 degree. At 1.5 degrees off-level, the crane's center of gravity shifts, and the effective capacity on the downhill side is reduced — potentially below 80% in a worst case. The operator must re-level the crane using the outriggers or cribbing before proceeding.
Q35/ 40
A multiple-crane lift is planned: two 50-ton cranes will lift a 40-ton bridge girder simultaneously. No engineer designed the lift plan. The foreman says 'each crane lifts 20 tons — they're both at 40% capacity, it's safe.' Is this acceptable?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.1432(a): multiple-crane lifts must be directed by a person-in-charge. 1926.1432(b): a qualified person must develop a written plan for the lift. 1926.1432(c): each crane's load must not exceed 75% of its rated capacity, unless the plan specifies an equalization procedure. The foreman's approach ignores: unequal load distribution from deflection, dynamic effects, and different hoist speeds. Without a plan, one crane could see 60%+ of the load if the other hoists faster.
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Q36/ 40
A crane operator is lifting a load when a sudden gust of wind causes the load to swing. The operator immediate reaction is to boom down to increase radius and stabilize the load. Is this the correct response?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.1417(n): the operator must monitor wind speed and stop operations if wind exceeds the limit. A swinging load puts dynamic side loading on the boom — the correct response is to stop the swing and lower the load if possible, NOT change the radius. Booming down increases the load moment (load × radius), potentially exceeding the crane's capacity at the new radius. The operator should: (1) stop all motions, (2) allow the load to pendulum to a stop, (3) lower the load if wind is sustained. If wind is consistently high, operations should cease.
Q37/ 40
A telescopic boom crane has a boom angle indicator that is reading 10 degrees lower than actual (reads 50 degrees when the boom is at 60 degrees). The operator knows this but has 'adjusted' by just adding 10 degrees mentally. Is this acceptable?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.1416(b): if a required safety device (which includes the boom angle indicator) is not working properly, the operator must stop operations until it is repaired. 1926.1416(a): the boom angle indicator is a required operational aid. A mental offset of 10 degrees is unreliable — in an emergency situation, the operator may forget, or a relief operator may not know. The device must be calibrated and functional.
Q38/ 40
A crawler crane is being walked (traveled) up a 6-degree slope with a load. The load chart permits operation on slopes up to 5 degrees. The operator says 'it's only one more degree.' The crane has the boom facing uphill. What's the risk?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.1417(o): the operator must not operate the equipment on a slope exceeding the manufacturer's specification. The 5-degree limit is based on: (1) the crane's stability envelope (tipping axis changes with slope), (2) track traction (at 6 degrees, tracks can lose grip, especially on soil or gravel), (3) the swing bearing's ability to handle the combined load + slope-induced side forces. Exceeding the slope limit by even 1 degree is a violation — the limit is not a suggestion with a margin.
Q39/ 40
A crane's hook has been modified — the safety latch (hook keeper) has been removed because it kept getting caught on rigging. The hook itself is not twisted, cracked, or deformed. Is this hook usable?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.1413(a)(2)(i)(G): hooks shall have a safety latch, unless the hook is used in an application where a latch is infeasible and the employer can demonstrate it would create a greater hazard. The latch prevents rigging from disengaging when the line goes slack — a common occurrence when landing a load or during load shifts. Removing the latch because it's 'inconvenient' does not meet the infeasibility exception. Additionally, modified hooks must be approved by the manufacturer per 1926.1435(d)(4).
Q40/ 40
A lattice boom crawler crane has a boom that is 200 feet long. During assembly, the crew discovers one of the 20-foot boom insert sections has a 1/4-inch deep gouge on the chord (main structural tube), approximately 2 inches long. The chord is 4-inch diameter pipe. The crew installs it anyway. Is this acceptable?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.1412(e): any deficiency found during inspection must be evaluated by a qualified person before the equipment is used. Boom chords are highly stressed members in compression (when the boom is in compression under load). A gouge in a thin-walled tube creates a stress concentration that can trigger local buckling at loads well below the undamaged capacity. The manufacturer should be consulted to determine if the section can be repaired or must be replaced. Installing a damaged boom section risks catastrophic boom collapse.