OSHA PPE & Lifesaving Equipment Quiz — 29 CFR 1926.95-107 Practice Questions — Page 2 of 4
Free OSHA 30-Hour Construction PPE and lifesaving equipment practice test with 40 realistic scenarios. Hard hats, eye protection, respiratory protection, hearing conservation, fall arrest harness inspection, life jackets, and first aid with 29 CFR 1926 Subpart E references. (Page 2 of 4)
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Q11/ 40
A construction site hazard assessment identifies the need for hand protection against sharp metal edges, concrete abrasion, and occasional chemical splashes from form release oil. The foreman buys cotton jersey gloves for everyone. Is this PPE selection adequate?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.95(a): protective equipment shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever hazards exist. 1910.132(d)(1): the employer shall perform a hazard assessment and select appropriate PPE. Cotton jersey gloves provide no cut protection, no chemical barrier (form release oil penetrates cotton and contacts skin), and minimal abrasion resistance. The employer must select gloves rated for the specific hazards: ANSI/ISEA 105 cut-rated gloves with chemical-resistant nitrile or PVC coating.
Q12/ 40
A carpenter is using a pneumatic nail gun for sheathing work. The carpenter wears safety glasses with side shields. A nail ricochets off a knot and strikes the carpenter's face below the glasses. What additional PPE is indicated?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.102(a)(1): the employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards. Safety glasses protect from frontal impact only. A nail gun ricochet can come from below, above, or the side — safety glasses alone leave large areas of the face unprotected. A face shield with safety glasses underneath provides more comprehensive protection against unpredictable trajectories. The hazard assessment should identify nail ricochet as requiring face, not just eye, protection.
Q13/ 40
A crew cutting concrete with a walk-behind saw is exposed to noise measured at 102 dBA (8-hour TWA). The employer provides earplugs with an NRR of 29 dB. Workers wear them but some complain of ringing ears after work. Is the hearing protection adequate?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.52(d)(1): feasible administrative or engineering controls shall be used to reduce sound levels. 1926.101(b): hearing protectors must attenuate to below the limits in Table D-2. OSHA uses derating factors: for earplugs, (NRR - 7) / 2 = effective attenuation. (29 - 7) / 2 = 11 dB effective. 102 - 11 = 91 dBA at the ear, which exceeds the 90 dBA PEL. The employer needs: (1) higher-NRR earplugs or earmuffs (NRR 33+), (2) dual protection (plugs + muffs), or (3) engineering controls. Ringing ears (tinnitus) is a sign of noise-induced hearing damage — the current protection is not working.
Q14/ 40
A welder on a bridge project is performing shielded metal arc welding overhead. The welder wears a welding helmet with a #10 shade lens, leather jacket, leather gloves, and steel-toe boots. Sparks and slag rain down, some going down the welder's collar and into the boots. What PPE deficiencies exist?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.95(a): PPE shall protect against hazards. For overhead welding, standard PPE has gaps: the neck (slag pools at the collar and causes severe burns), the head (sparks ignite hair), and the top of the feet (slag melts through laces and tongue, burning the instep). A welder's cap, leather collar/cape, and spats or metatarsal boots close these gaps. This is well-established industry practice for overhead welding.
Q15/ 40
On a multi-story construction site, the employer provides all workers with Type I, Class C hard hats. Workers on the 3rd floor are exposed to overhead formwork — potential falling tools from the 4th floor. An electrician on the 2nd floor is working near exposed 277V conductors. Are these hard hats appropriate?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.100(a): employees shall wear protective helmets where there is a possible danger of head injury. ANSI Z89.1 classifies hard hats: Type I (top impact only) vs Type II (top + lateral), Class G (2,200V), Class E (20,000V), Class C (conductive — no electrical protection). The electrician working near 277V needs at least Class E — Class C provides zero electrical protection. Overhead work with lateral struck-by risk requires Type II. The employer must match hard hat type/class to specific hazards identified in the hazard assessment.
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Q16/ 40
A worker required to wear fall protection (PFAS) at 40 feet on a cell tower is using a harness that was purchased 6 years ago. The harness looks clean, has been stored indoors, and passes a visual inspection — no cuts, frays, UV fading, or chemical stains. The manufacturer's instructions say 'service life 5 years from date of first use.' Can this harness still be used?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.502(d)(2): the employer shall provide for the proper use, inspection, maintenance, and storage of personal fall arrest systems in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. If the manufacturer specifies a 5-year service life, that is the mandatory removal timeline. The reason: synthetic webbing (nylon/polyester) degrades over time from hydrolysis, oxidation, and micro-damage that may not be visible. Even stored indoors, chemical processes continue. After the service life, the harness's strength cannot be guaranteed.
Q17/ 40
A construction site has a high-noise area (95 dBA). The employer places a box of disposable earplugs at the entrance with a sign 'HEARING PROTECTION REQUIRED.' No training is provided, and no individual fit-testing. Workers roll the plugs and insert them — some visibly not fully inserted. Is this compliant?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.101(b): hearing protectors must be fitted and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. 1926.21(b)(2): the employer shall instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of hazards. Proper earplug insertion requires: rolling the plug into a tight crease-free cylinder, pulling the ear up and back to straighten the canal, inserting deeply, and holding until it expands. A plug inserted only halfway can provide 5-10 dB less attenuation. Without training, many workers get significantly less than the rated NRR.
Q18/ 40
A laborer uses a jackhammer to break concrete. The estimated hand-arm vibration magnitude is 12 m/s². The worker uses the jackhammer 4 hours per day. The employer provides vibration-dampening gloves (rated to reduce vibration by 20%). What else is required?
✅ Correct Answer: B
While OSHA has no specific vibration standard, the General Duty Clause applies — hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is a recognized serious health hazard. At 12 m/s² for 4 hours, the 8-hour equivalent A(8) = 12 × √(4/8) = 8.5 m/s² — well above the ACGIH TLV of 2.5 m/s² A(8). Gloves claiming 20% reduction realistically achieve 5-10%. The employer should: use low-vibration tools (manufacturer data on vibration emission), rotate workers to reduce individual exposure, and have a medical surveillance program for early HAVS detection.
Q19/ 40
A construction site on a waterfront has workers on a barge within 10 feet of the water edge. No life jackets or ring buoys are present. The water depth is 12 feet, and the current is moderate. Is fall protection/lifesaving equipment required?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.106(a): employees working over or near water shall be provided with U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets or buoyant work vests. 1926.106(c): ring buoys with at least 90 feet of line shall be provided and readily available for emergency rescue operations. 1926.106(d): at least one lifesaving skiff shall be immediately available at all times. The 10-foot proximity to water with a current creates a drowning hazard — PPE and rescue equipment must be in place.
Q20/ 40
A worker is performing abrasive blasting (sandblasting) of structural steel. The worker is inside a supplied-air (Type CE) abrasive blasting hood with airline respirator. The breathing air compressor is a standard job-site air compressor with no carbon monoxide monitor or high-temperature alarm. Is this setup acceptable?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.103 references 1910.134(i): compressed breathing air shall meet Grade D specification (ANSI/CGA G-7.1). Standard job-site compressors use oil, which can overheat and produce CO (a colorless, odorless, deadly gas). 1910.134(i)(7): the employer shall ensure that breathing air couplings are incompatible with other gas systems. The compressor must have: a high-temperature or CO alarm, proper filtration (particulate + coalescing + charcoal), and regular air quality testing. Multiple fatalities have occurred from CO poisoning through supplied-air systems.