OSHA PPE & Lifesaving Equipment Quiz — 29 CFR 1926.95-107 Practice Questions — Page 4 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 4 of 4)
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Q31/ 40
A worker's full-body fall arrest harness has a label that reads 'ANSI Z359.11-2014. Capacity: 130-310 lbs. Manufactured: 2018.' The harness has been worn approximately 200 days and stored in a gang box when not in use. A competent person is inspecting it. What should the inspector look for?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.502(d)(21): PFAS shall be inspected prior to each use for wear, damage, and deterioration. ANSI Z359.2 provides the detailed inspection protocol. The harness is now 8 years old (manufactured 2018, inspected in 2026) — the manufacturer's specified service life (typically 5-10 years from date of manufacture if unused, or 5 years from first use) must be verified from the manufacturer's instructions. Storage in a gang box can expose the harness to moisture, chemicals, tools that cut, and crushing. The detailed inspection is not optional — each element must be checked.
Q32/ 40
A construction site covers 5 acres with workers spread across multiple buildings. The employer places one first aid kit in the job trailer. Some workers are a 10-minute walk from the trailer. When a worker at the far end of the site cuts their hand deeply, it takes 12 minutes for someone to retrieve the first aid kit and return. Is this compliant?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.50(d)(1): first aid supplies shall be easily accessible when needed. ANSI Z308.1 suggests travel time to a first aid kit should not exceed 3-4 minutes for trauma emergencies. A 12-minute round trip for a bleeding wound is excessive — uncontrolled bleeding can lead to shock or death in minutes. The employer should place additional kits at locations around the site (in vehicles, in key work areas) and train workers on their locations.
Q33/ 40
A construction foreman tells workers to use N95 filtering facepiece respirators while cutting fiber cement siding (contains crystalline silica). The workers are not fit-tested, not trained on respirator use, and not medically evaluated. The foreman says 'they're just dust masks — anyone can wear them.' Is this compliant under the silica standard?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.1153(d)(1): when respirators are required by the silica standard, the employer must implement a respiratory protection program per 1910.134. N95 filtering facepieces ARE respirators — they are certified by NIOSH and subject to all respiratory protection program requirements when their use is mandatory (i.e., when engineering controls don't reduce silica exposure below the PEL of 50 μg/m³). Mandatory use requires: medical evaluation, fit testing, training, and a written program. The foreman's characterization of them as 'just dust masks' is incorrect and dangerous.
Q34/ 40
A worker at a highway construction site works at night. The employer provides a Class 2 high-visibility safety vest (ANSI/ISEA 107). The worker is in an area where traffic speeds reach 55 mph. Another worker flagging on the road wears the same Class 2 vest. Is the PPE classification adequate?
✅ Correct Answer: B
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Section 6D.03: workers exposed to traffic with speeds ≥50 mph require Class 3 high-visibility apparel. 1926.95(a) requires PPE appropriate for hazards. Class 2 vests have less reflective material (typically 201 sq in of background + 201 sq in of retroreflective) compared to Class 3 (310 sq in background + 310 sq in retroreflective, with sleeves or full body coverage). At 55 mph, driver reaction time + braking distance means the worker must be visible from 1,000+ feet — Class 3 significantly improves nighttime conspicuity at distance.
Q35/ 40
A construction company has a policy requiring safety glasses at all times on site. A worker with a facial structure that makes standard safety glasses extremely painful to wear (pressure behind ears, nose bridge bruising) repeatedly removes their glasses. The supervisor writes them up for safety violations. What should the employer do instead?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.95(a): PPE shall be provided, used, and maintained. 1926.102(a)(1): appropriate eye protection shall be used. OSHA compliance directive CPL 02-00-158: PPE must be properly fitted and selected based on individual worker characteristics. The employer's duty goes beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. If standard safety glasses don't fit, the employer must provide alternatives — different brands, sizes, styles, or custom options. Disciplining a worker for removing poorly fitting PPE is blaming the worker for the employer's PPE selection failure.
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Q36/ 40
A worker is using a chainsaw to clear brush at a construction site. The employer provides: hard hat, safety glasses, steel-toe boots, and work gloves. The worker receives a 6-inch laceration to the thigh when the chainsaw kicks back. What critical PPE was missing?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.95(a): PPE shall be provided for all hazards. Chainsaws present specific hazards: (1) leg cuts from kickback — chainsaw chaps/pants with multiple layers of cut-resistant fiber (ASTM F1897) that jam the chain, (2) high noise — typically 110-115 dBA requiring earplugs + earmuffs (dual protection), (3) face/eye impact from flying chips — mesh visor + safety glasses. Standard construction PPE does not address chainsaw-specific hazards. The employer failed the hazard assessment by not recognizing the specialized PPE requirements for chainsaw use.
Q37/ 40
A construction site has a chemical storage area with a bulk muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid, 31%) container used for masonry cleaning. The container is a 275-gallon IBC tote with a bottom valve. A worker accidentally opens the valve fully and acid gushes out, splashing the worker's face and chest. The worker runs to the eyewash station 35 seconds away. The eyewash is a portable gravity-fed unit. What PPE should have been worn when working with this container?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.95(a): PPE for all hazards. 1910.132(h)(1): the employer must provide PPE at no cost. Muriatic acid (31% HCl) causes immediate, severe chemical burns to skin and eyes — permanent blindness can occur in seconds. The SDS specifies required PPE: chemical splash goggles, face shield, acid-resistant suit/apron, butyl rubber or neoprene gloves (NOT latex or thin nitrile — HCl penetrates these quickly), and chemical-resistant boots. The 35-second travel to eyewash exceeds ANSI Z358.1's 10-second (55-foot) requirement for corrosive chemical workstations. An eyewash should be immediately adjacent to the hazard.
Q38/ 40
A construction worker is performing hot work (welding) on a steel beam. The worker wears a welding helmet with auto-darkening filter, FR cotton shirt, FR cotton pants, leather gloves, and leather steel-toe boots. A spark lands on the worker's FR shirt sleeve and smolders (continues to burn slowly). FR cotton (treated cotton) is supposed to self-extinguish — why is it smoldering?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.95(a): PPE must be maintained in reliable condition. FR-treated cotton relies on chemical flame retardants (e.g., THPOH, Pyrovatex) that are gradually depleted through laundering, especially with hard water, chlorine bleach, or improper detergents. The garment should be tested or replaced per manufacturer's service life. Additionally, for heavy welding, leather sleeves or cape provide better protection — FR cotton is a minimum, not optimal protection. Smoldering indicates the garment's FR properties are compromised — it should be removed from service.
Q39/ 40
A welder is performing arc welding on galvanized steel overhead. The work produces intense UV radiation, molten metal spatter, and zinc oxide fumes. Which combination of PPE is the MINIMUM required?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.353(c)(2)(i) requires that when welding galvanized steel, local exhaust ventilation or supplied-air respirators be used to protect against zinc oxide fumes (which cause metal fume fever). 1926.102(b)(1) requires eye protection with appropriate filter lens shade for arc welding (Shade #10-14 per 1926.102(b)(1) Table E-1). 1926.95(a) requires protective clothing for hazards — leather gauntlets and FR clothing protect against UV burns and spatter. A N95 is inadequate for metal fumes — 1926.103 refers to 29 CFR 1910.134 for respiratory protection requirements.
Q40/ 40
A carpenter using a pneumatic nail gun on a residential framing crew refuses to wear safety glasses, claiming they fog up in the humidity and slow him down. The foreman allows it because 'he's experienced.' A coworker's nail gun misfires and a nail ricochets. What is the OSHA liability?
✅ Correct Answer: B
1926.102(a)(1) states: 'Employees shall be provided with eye and face protection equipment when machines or operations present potential eye or face injury.' 1926.21(b)(2) requires the employer to instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the regulations applicable to his work environment. OSHA precedent under the General Duty Clause and 1926.102 holds that it is the employer's non-delegable duty to ENFORCE PPE use — not just provide it. Allowing an employee to work without required PPE is a violation regardless of the employee's experience or personal preference. In re: 'experience' — complacency is itself a leading cause of injury.