OSHA Materials Handling & Storage Quiz — 29 CFR 1926.250-252 Practice Questions — Page 3 of 4
Free OSHA 30-Hour Construction materials handling and storage practice test with 40 realistic scenarios. Lumber stacking, rebar storage, rigging inspection, sling types, material hoists, debris disposal, housekeeping, and manual lifting with 29 CFR 1926 Subpart H references. (Page 3 of 4)
0 / 10
Q21/ 40
A chain sling being used for a lift has a link that shows a 10% reduction in diameter due to wear. The chain grade is 80 (alloy steel). The sling is tagged and rated for 7,100 lbs vertical. The actual load is 3,500 lbs. Is this chain sling acceptable for continued use?
✅ Correct Answer: A
1926.251(d)(3)(i): alloy steel chain slings shall be removed from service when the chain has stretched such that any link has increased length by more than 5% OR when any link shows wear exceeding 15% of the original link diameter. 10% wear is within the 15% threshold. However, the employer should: (1) verify the wear measurement is accurate (use calipers, not visual estimate), (2) check for other damage (nicks, gouges, cracks, heat damage, stretch), (3) document the wear in inspection records, and (4) monitor the wear rate — if 10% occurred quickly, the chain may need replacement before the next use.
Q22/ 40
A rigger is using a wire rope sling in a choker hitch configuration around a concrete pipe. The sling's vertical hitch capacity is 6,000 lbs. In a choker hitch, the capacity is reduced per the manufacturer's tag. The actual load is 4,200 lbs. What approximate capacity reduction applies to a choker hitch?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.251(c)(3): slings used in a choker hitch shall have the rated capacity reduced to account for the angle of choke and the loss of strength from the bending of the wire rope around the load. Standard reduction: choker hitch = 75% of vertical capacity when the choke angle is ≥120 degrees. For tighter choke angles, further reduction applies. 6,000 × 0.75 = 4,500 lbs. At 4,200 lbs, the lift is 93% of the choker capacity — within limits but with little margin. The rigger should verify the exact reduction factor from the sling's tag (it must list capacities for vertical, choker, and basket hitches).
Q23/ 40
A shackle is used to connect a wire rope sling to a lifting eye. The shackle pin is finger-tightened. During the lift, vibration causes the pin to back out 1/4 inch. The screw pin type shackle is under load. Is this condition acceptable?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.251(a)(4): all rigging hardware shall be inspected, and damaged or defective hardware shall be removed. Industry standard: screw pin shackles must be wrenched tight — finger-tight is insufficient. The pin shoulder must fully seat against the shackle body. A loose pin under an oscillating load (common during crane movement) can continue to back out, eventually disconnecting. Screw pin shackles should never be used in applications where the pin can rotate under load — a bolt-type shackle with a nut and cotter pin is appropriate for permanent or semi-permanent connections. Tack welding the pin is prohibited — it damages the heat treatment of the alloy steel.
Q24/ 40
A demolition contractor is dropping debris from a 4th floor window into an open dumpster below. No chute is used — workers simply throw debris out the window. The area below is barricaded with yellow caution tape 15 feet from the building. Is this debris disposal method compliant?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.252(a): whenever materials are dropped more than 20 feet to any point lying outside the exterior walls of the building, an enclosed chute of wood or equivalent material shall be used. 1926.252(b): when debris is dropped through holes in the floor without a chute, the area shall be completely enclosed with barricades not less than 42 inches high and not less than 6 feet back from the projected edge of the opening. A 4th floor window is 40-50 feet above ground — well over 20 feet. Caution tape is not an adequate barricade — rigid barriers (plywood, chain-link fencing) are required.
Q25/ 40
A spiral rebar cage (for a drilled shaft foundation) is stored upright on the ground. The cage is 30 feet tall and 4 feet in diameter, weighing approximately 2,000 lbs. It is not tied, guyed, or braced — it just stands on its base. Workers are working within 5 feet of the cage. Is this acceptable?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.250(a)(2): materials shall be stored to prevent falling, rolling, or collapsing. A 30-foot tall cylinder with a 4-foot base has a height-to-base ratio of 7.5:1 — far exceeding stability without lateral support. The cage should be guyed (wire ropes staked to ground in 3-4 directions) or laid horizontal. Workers within the fall radius (at minimum 30 feet) are in the crush zone if the cage tips. Vertical storage of tall, heavy cylindrical objects without lateral bracing has caused multiple fatalities in construction.
Advertisement
Google AdSense — Responsive In-Article Ad
Q26/ 40
A material hoist car (temporary construction elevator) is being used to transport both materials and workers. The car has no enclosure — just a platform with a railing. Workers ride on the platform holding onto the rail. The hoist is marked 'MATERIAL HOIST — NO RIDERS.' Is this usage compliant?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.552(b)(5): no person shall be allowed to ride on material hoists except for the purposes of inspection and maintenance. The manufacturer's prohibition ('NO RIDERS') is binding. Material hoists lack: (1) car enclosure (personnel hoists require full enclosure per 1926.552(c)(1)), (2) door interlocks (1926.552(c)(2)), (3) overspeed governors and safety devices (1926.552(c)(5)), (4) emergency stop and communication. Riding a material hoist is gambling with all the safety features that distinguish personnel hoists from material hoists. A separate personnel hoist, stair tower, or manlift must be provided.
Q27/ 40
A worker is using an alloy steel chain sling to lift a steel beam. The sling tag is missing — the worker doesn't know the sling's rated capacity or grade. The sling looks in good condition (no wear, cracks, or stretch). The worker estimates the beam at 3,000 lbs and assumes the 3/8-inch chain can handle it. Is this sling usable?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.251(e)(1)(i): alloy steel chain slings shall have permanently affixed, durable identification tags. 1926.251(e)(1)(ii): the tag must state: size, grade, rated capacity in the hitches used, manufacturer's name or trademark, and serial number. Without the tag, the sling is non-compliant regardless of its apparent condition. Different grades of chain (Grade 30, 43, 70, 80, 100) have dramatically different strengths. A 3/8-inch Grade 30 chain has about 2,650 lbs working load limit, while Grade 80 has 7,100 lbs — the difference is 2.7×. Guessing the grade and capacity is not acceptable — the sling must be re-identified by the manufacturer or removed from service.
Q28/ 40
A construction crew stores 20-foot long steel pipes in a vertical pipe rack. The rack has two horizontal support bars at 3 feet and 7 feet above ground. The pipes are placed with their bottom ends on the ground between the rack and a building wall, leaning slightly against the rack. Workers remove pipes from the middle of the bundle. What's wrong?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.250(a)(2): materials shall be stored to prevent falling or collapsing. 1926.250(b)(7): structural steel and other heavy materials shall be stored in a manner that prevents toppling. A pipe rack must: (1) positively restrain pipes from falling forward (top bar, chain, or individual slots), (2) have adequate height (top support at least 2/3 of the pipe height for stable leaning), (3) allow removal without destabilizing adjacent pipes. Pulling a pipe from the middle of a leaning bundle can cause the entire bundle to shift and cascade, crushing the worker. Pipes should be organized in tiers with spacers, and workers must be trained on safe removal sequence.
Q29/ 40
A job-site has compressed gas cylinders: 4 oxygen cylinders, 3 acetylene cylinders, and 2 propane cylinders. They are all stored together in a small lockable cage, standing upright. Some cylinders are not capped, and some are not secured with chains. A 'NO SMOKING' sign is posted. Is this storage compliant?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.350(a)(10): oxygen cylinders shall be stored separately from fuel gas cylinders by a minimum distance of 20 feet OR by a noncombustible barrier at least 5 feet high with a 1/2-hour fire-resistance rating. A standard chain-link fence cage is not a 1/2-hour fire-rated barrier. 1926.350(a)(1): cylinder valve caps shall be in place when not in use. 1926.350(a)(2): cylinders shall be secured upright (chain or strap at roughly 2/3 height). An unsecured, uncapped cylinder can be knocked over, shearing the valve and becoming a missile. Oxygen + acetylene + propane together is an explosive combination — one fire and the cage becomes a bomb.
Q30/ 40
A crew uses a basket hitch with two wire rope slings to lift a 5,000-lb concrete vault. Each sling has a vertical capacity of 4,000 lbs. In a basket hitch at 90 degrees (each sling vertical), the capacity is 200% of vertical = 8,000 lbs each. But the slings aren't at 90 degrees — they're at 60 degrees from horizontal (30 degrees from vertical). What's the actual capacity?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.251(c)(3): slings used at angles shall have the rated capacity adjusted. For a basket hitch: the capacity multiplier varies with the angle of the sling legs from the vertical (or horizontal, depending on the manufacturer's table). At 30 degrees from vertical (60 degrees from horizontal), the basket hitch factor is approximately 1.73× (not the full 2×). For a 4,000-lb vertical-rated sling: 4,000 × 1.73 = 6,920 lbs adjusted basket capacity. Each sling sees 2,500 lbs (half of 5,000 lbs) — well within the 6,920-lb adjusted capacity. However, the rigger must verify using the specific manufacturer's tag/chart, not generic calculations.