Question 1

Who is responsible for providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees?

Accepted Answer

The employer is responsible for providing PPE to employees at no cost. This includes hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, and other required PPE.

Question 2

Hard hats must meet which ANSI standard?

Accepted Answer

Hard hats must meet the requirements of ANSI Z89.1 (American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection).

Question 3

Safety glasses and eye protection must meet which ANSI standard?

Accepted Answer

Eye and face protection must meet the requirements of ANSI Z87.1 (Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection).

Question 4

At what noise level (8-hour TWA) must employers provide hearing protection to employees?

Accepted Answer

When employees are subjected to sound exceeding an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 dBA, employers must make hearing protection available. At 90 dBA, hearing protection becomes mandatory.

Question 5

Before assigning PPE to employees, the employer must perform a:

Accepted Answer

The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of PPE. This is called a hazard assessment.

Question 6

Class E (electrical) hard hats are tested to withstand how many volts?

Accepted Answer

Class E (Electrical) hard hats are tested to withstand 20,000 volts of electrical current. Class G (General) are tested to 2,200 volts. Class C (Conductive) offer no electrical protection.

Question 7

Which type of eye protection is required when working with chemicals that could splash?

Accepted Answer

Chemical splash goggles are required when there is a risk of chemical splash. They form a seal around the eyes to prevent liquid from entering. Safety glasses alone do not protect against splash.

Question 8

When must employees be trained on PPE?

Accepted Answer

Each affected employee must be trained to know when PPE is necessary, what PPE is necessary, how to properly put on, adjust, wear, and take off PPE, the limitations of PPE, and proper care and disposal.

Question 9

Hard hats that have been subjected to a severe impact must be:

Accepted Answer

Hard hats that have sustained a significant impact must be replaced even if no damage is visible. The impact may have compromised the shell's ability to protect against future impacts.

Question 10

Employees working in areas where there is a danger of head injury from impact, falling or flying objects, or electrical shock must wear:

Accepted Answer

Employees working in areas where there is a danger of head injury from impact, falling or flying objects, or electrical shock and burns shall be protected by protective helmets (hard hats).

Question 11

High-visibility (hi-vis) safety vests must be worn by employees working:

Accepted Answer

Employees exposed to public vehicular traffic or construction equipment must wear warning vests or other suitable garments marked with or made of reflective or high-visibility material.

Question 12

Which of the following is the LAST step in the hierarchy of hazard controls?

Accepted Answer

PPE is the last line of defense in the hierarchy of controls: Elimination, Substitution, Engineering Controls, Administrative Controls, and finally PPE. PPE should be used when other controls are not feasible.

Question 13

What is the employer's responsibility if an employee's PPE becomes damaged?

Accepted Answer

The employer is responsible for maintaining PPE in a sanitary and reliable condition. When PPE becomes damaged, the employer must repair or replace it at no cost to the employee.

Question 14

Employees exposed to laser beams must be provided with:

Accepted Answer

Employees whose eyes may be exposed to laser beams must be furnished with suitable laser safety goggles that will protect for the specific wavelength of the laser and optical density.

Question 15

What should an employee do if they notice damage to their PPE?

Accepted Answer

Damaged PPE must be removed from service immediately and reported to the supervisor. Using damaged PPE could result in failure to protect the employee.

Question 16

Respiratory protection is required when engineering controls are not feasible or while they are being implemented. Respirators must be selected based on:

Accepted Answer

Respirators shall be selected based on the respiratory hazards to which the worker is exposed, including the type and concentration of the contaminant and the available protection factor of the respirator.

Question 17

Employees who wear prescription glasses and need eye protection must use:

Accepted Answer

Employees who wear prescription glasses must have protective eye equipment that incorporates the prescription in its design, or protective eye equipment designed to be worn over the prescription lenses.

Question 18

The OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) for noise is:

Accepted Answer

The OSHA PEL for noise in construction is 90 dBA as an 8-hour TWA. At 85 dBA, hearing protection must be made available. At 90 dBA and above, hearing protection is mandatory.

Question 19

Welding operations require which type of eye protection?

Accepted Answer

Welding operations require helmets or hand shields with appropriate filter lenses. The shade number depends on the type and intensity of the welding operation.

Question 20

Safety-toe footwear must be worn when there is danger of:

Accepted Answer

Safety-toe footwear is required when there is danger of foot injuries due to falling or rolling objects, objects piercing the sole, and where electrical hazards are present.

Question 21

What class of hard hat offers NO electrical protection?

Accepted Answer

Class C (Conductive) hard hats are made of materials that conduct electricity and offer no protection against electrical hazards. They are sometimes vented for comfort.

Question 22

PPE must properly fit each employee. What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

PPE must be properly fitted to each affected employee. Ill-fitting PPE may not provide adequate protection and may create additional hazards.

Question 23

Gloves used for electrical work must be:

Accepted Answer

Electrical insulating gloves must be rated for the specific voltage level and must be tested before first issue and every 6 months thereafter. They are classified by voltage rating (Class 00 through Class 4).

Question 24

Employees exposed to vehicular traffic must wear:

Accepted Answer

Employees exposed to public vehicular traffic shall be provided with and shall wear warning vests or other suitable garments marked with or made of reflectorized or high-visibility material.

Question 25

Face shields provide protection from:

Accepted Answer

Face shields protect against flying particles, sparks, chemical splash, and other hazards to the face. However, face shields alone are not considered adequate eye protection and must be used with safety glasses or goggles underneath.

Question 26

The employer must verify that each affected employee has received and understood PPE training by:

Accepted Answer

The employer shall verify that each affected employee has received and understood the required training through a written certification that includes the employee's name, the dates of training, and the subject of the certification.

Question 27

What is the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)?

Accepted Answer

The NRR is a single number rating that indicates the noise reduction capability of a hearing protector in decibels. It is listed on the packaging of all hearing protection devices.

Question 28

When employees are performing work that creates flying debris, such as grinding or chipping, they must wear:

Accepted Answer

Operations that create flying debris require eye protection such as safety glasses with side shields, goggles, or a face shield worn with safety glasses underneath.

Question 29

Which of the following PPE items must the employee provide for themselves?

Accepted Answer

Employers are not required to pay for non-specialty safety-toe protective footwear and non-specialty prescription safety eyewear, provided the employer allows the employee to use them off the job site.

Question 30

When is retraining on PPE required?

Accepted Answer

Retraining is required when changes in the workplace render previous training obsolete, when changes in the types of PPE render previous training obsolete, or when the employee demonstrates inadequate knowledge or use of assigned PPE.

Question 31

An employee performing abrasive blasting operations must wear:

Accepted Answer

Abrasive blasting operations require specialized protection including a blasting hood or helmet, air-supplied respirator, protective clothing, and gloves to protect against the hazardous dust and ricocheting particles.

Question 32

The inside of a hard hat contains a suspension system. What is its purpose?

Accepted Answer

The suspension system absorbs the shock of an impact by distributing the force over a larger area of the skull and maintaining a clearance between the shell and the head.

Question 33

What is the employer's obligation regarding PPE in a multi-employer worksite?

Accepted Answer

Each employer on a multi-employer worksite is responsible for ensuring that their own employees have and properly use the required PPE.

Question 34

Hearing protection must reduce the employee's exposure to at or below:

Accepted Answer

When hearing protection is required, it must be sufficient to reduce the employee's noise exposure to at or below the PEL of 90 dBA as an 8-hour TWA.

Question 35

What is the OSHA standard for PPE in construction?

Accepted Answer

Subpart E of 29 CFR 1926 covers Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment requirements for construction.

Question 36

What does a Type I hard hat protect against?

Accepted Answer

A Type I hard hat is designed to reduce the force of impact resulting from a blow to the top of the head only. Type II hard hats provide protection from blows to both the top and sides of the head. The type designation indicates the area of protection, while the class designation (E, G, or C) indicates the level of electrical protection.

Question 37

What does the ANSI Z87.1 marking on safety glasses indicate?

Accepted Answer

The ANSI Z87.1 marking indicates that the safety glasses or other eye and face protection devices meet the minimum performance requirements established by the American National Standards Institute for impact resistance, optical clarity, and coverage. OSHA requires that eye and face protection comply with ANSI Z87.1. A '+' marking (Z87+) indicates high-impact rated protection.

Question 38

The Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) found on hearing protection packaging indicates:

Accepted Answer

The Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is a unit of measurement used to determine the effectiveness of hearing protection devices in reducing sound exposure. It represents the potential noise reduction in decibels as tested under laboratory conditions. In practice, OSHA recommends derating the NRR to account for real-world conditions. The formula is: (NRR - 7) / 2 subtracted from the actual dBA exposure.

Question 39

A Class G (General) hard hat is tested to withstand how many volts?

Accepted Answer

Class G (General) hard hats are proof-tested at 2,200 volts (phase to ground). Class E (Electrical) hard hats are proof-tested at 20,000 volts (phase to ground). Class C (Conductive) hard hats provide no electrical protection. Workers near exposed electrical conductors should wear Class E hard hats.

Question 40

Hi-visibility safety apparel meeting ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 3 provides:

Accepted Answer

ANSI/ISEA 107 Class 3 high-visibility apparel provides the highest level of visibility and is intended for workers who face serious hazards from high-speed traffic and/or work in low-visibility conditions. Class 3 garments must provide greater visibility of the torso and include sleeves and full-length pants or equivalent coverage.

Question 41

A face shield provides protection primarily against:

Accepted Answer

Face shields protect the entire face from splashes, sprays, and flying particles but are considered secondary protectors. They must be worn in conjunction with primary eye protection such as safety glasses or goggles because face shields alone do not provide adequate impact protection for the eyes. Face shields protect the face but not the eyes from all angles.

Question 42

When selecting a welding helmet, the shade number indicates:

Accepted Answer

The shade number on a welding helmet filter lens indicates the degree of darkness and the level of protection from the harmful infrared and ultraviolet radiant energy produced during welding. Higher shade numbers provide darker filters for higher-amperage welding processes. For example, SMAW (stick welding) at 100-150 amps typically requires a shade 10-11, while higher-amperage processes require higher shades.

Question 43

Chemical-resistant gloves should be selected based on:

Accepted Answer

Chemical-resistant gloves must be selected based on the specific chemicals being handled. No single glove material is resistant to all chemicals. The glove manufacturer's chemical resistance guide or permeation data should be consulted to ensure the glove material (e.g., nitrile, neoprene, butyl rubber, PVC) is appropriate for the specific chemicals in use. The SDS for the chemical will also provide guidance.

Question 44

Cut-resistant gloves are rated using the ANSI/ISEA 105 scale. What does a higher cut level (e.g., A6 vs. A2) indicate?

Accepted Answer

Under the ANSI/ISEA 105 standard, cut-resistant gloves are rated from A1 (lowest cut resistance) to A9 (highest cut resistance). A higher level number indicates the glove provides greater protection against cutting hazards. The appropriate level should be selected based on the specific cutting hazards present in the work task. For example, handling sheet metal or glass may require A4 or higher.

Question 45

Metatarsal guards provide protection for which part of the body?

Accepted Answer

Metatarsal guards protect the metatarsal bones, which are located on the top of the foot between the ankle and the toes. They are required when there is a danger of heavy objects falling or rolling onto the foot. Metatarsal guards can be built into the safety boot or attached externally. They provide additional protection beyond what standard safety-toe footwear offers.

Question 46

Under OSHA standards, the employer must perform a PPE hazard assessment to:

Accepted Answer

The employer is required to perform a workplace hazard assessment to identify the hazards present or likely to be present and to select the appropriate PPE that will protect each affected employee from those hazards. The assessment must be documented in writing as a certification that includes the workplace evaluated, the date, and the name of the person performing the assessment.

Question 47

Employers are required to train employees on PPE. Which of the following must be included in the training?

Accepted Answer

OSHA requires that PPE training include: when PPE is necessary, what PPE is necessary for the task, how to properly put on (don), take off (doff), adjust, and wear the PPE, the limitations of the PPE, and the proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of the PPE. Employees must demonstrate an understanding of this training before being allowed to perform work requiring PPE.

Question 48

A respiratory protection program requires a medical evaluation of employees BEFORE they are fit-tested for a respirator. What is the primary reason?

Accepted Answer

Medical evaluations are required before fit-testing because wearing a respirator can place a significant physiological burden on the worker, particularly on the cardiopulmonary system. Conditions such as lung disease, heart conditions, or claustrophobia may prevent safe respirator use. A physician or other licensed health care professional must determine if the employee is medically able to use a respirator.

Question 49

When an employer determines that multiple PPE items must be worn simultaneously (e.g., hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection, and respirator), the employer must ensure that:

Accepted Answer

When employees must wear multiple PPE items simultaneously, the employer must ensure that the combination of items is compatible and does not compromise the protective value of any individual PPE item. For example, wearing safety glasses should not break the seal of a respirator, and hearing protection must fit properly under a hard hat. The employer must evaluate the compatibility of the PPE ensemble.

Question 50

An employer conducts a PPE hazard assessment and certifies it in writing. Six months later, a new chemical process is introduced to the workplace. What is the employer's obligation?

Accepted Answer

The employer must reassess the workplace whenever there are changes in conditions, processes, equipment, or materials that could create new hazards or increase existing hazards. The introduction of a new chemical process constitutes a significant change that requires updating the hazard assessment and potentially selecting different or additional PPE to protect employees from the new hazards.

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