Test Your Safety IQ

Quiz yourself and your production workers on health and safety issues.

By M. Chris Osment

The following questions are designed to test your working knowledge on health and safety issues common to our industry. The questions are drawn not only from federal regulations, such as those enforced by OSHA, but also from sources such as the American National Standards Institute and “best safety practices.”

Please feel free to use this quiz as part of your regular safety training sessions, and make as many copies of it as you like. The answers and grading scale are below.

Part One – Multiple Choice
Some of the following questions may appear to have more than one correct answer. In such instances, you should recognize the “best” answer and make your choice accordingly. Keep in mind that you’re considering not only what is strictly required of you by law but also what answer constitutes a better, safer working environment.

1. Which of the following best summarizes the requirements of OSHA’s Recordkeeping standard?

a. Any work-related injury/illness must be duly recorded and documented; an end-of-year summary/log of such incidents must be publicly posted from Feb. 1 to April 30 of each year.
b. Any work-related injury/illness requiring more than basic first aid or resulting in loss of consciousness, missed workdays, duty changes, etc., must be recorded; a summary of such incidents must be posted from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28 of each year.
c. As with B, but the summary report must be posted from Feb. 1 to April 30.
d. As with C, but the summary report must also be “certified” by a company executive.

Your Answer: _____

2. Under which of the following circumstances are you required to notify OSHA within eight hours of an accident/“near miss” at your facility?

a. The incident results in an employee death or the hospitalization of three or more employees.
b. The incident requires that a worker be hospitalized or receive emergency medical care.
c. The incident results in an employee being hurt or injured, and the injury requires more than basic first aid.
d. The incident is the third such event in a 30-day period.

Your Answer: _____

3. When a new employee is hired, how long does the employer have before the new hire must be given the appropriate health and safety training?

a. 30 days, as long as the employee isn’t assigned to a “high-hazard” job.
b. Formal training can be postponed indefinitely as long as the employee is assigned as part of a crew (i.e., is not expected to work alone/unsupervised).
c. Training must be provided before the employee begins his/her normal duties.
d. A “reasonable period” as determined by the hazard level of the job duties and the judgment of the site Safety Manager.

Your Answer: _____

4. When employing short-term (“temp”) workers from an employment agency, which best describes your responsibilities regarding safety training?

a. Safety training is the employment agency’s responsibility, and this should be stated in the employment agreement with that agency.
b. Proper safety training is your organization’s ultimate responsibility for anyone working at your facility.
c. Responsibility is shared between the employment agency and your organization.
d. The requirement varies according to each state’s Department of Labor laws.

Your Answer: _____

5. Which of the following best describes the employer’s responsibilities as they pertain to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

a. The employer is required to furnish or make available all PPE with a cost of $10 or more.
b. The employer must furnish each individual a personal set consisting of each item of PPE required by his or her job duties, train him or her in their use, and require the PPE be used.
c. The employer must furnish or make available all forms of PPE required by employees, provide training in the proper use of the PPE, and require that it be used
d. The employer must notify employees which types of PPE are required for their job duties and offer training in the proper use of such equipment.

Your Answer: _____

Part Two – True or False
Each of the following questions deals with one certain safety standard or area. Mark the statements a. through f. as being either “True” or “False” as they pertain to that topic.

6. Machinery and Machine Guarding

a. Generally speaking, an operator should perform an equipment inspection prior to beginning his or her shift and following each significant break in operating the equipment.
Circle One: T F

b. While routine inspections and maintenance/upkeep work should be performed on all equipment, it is not necessary to keep written records of these duties.
Circle One: T F

c. Given that any machine can pose a potential health hazard, no employee should work with any equipment he or she hasn’t been trained for.
Circle One: T F

d. Machine guards should be employed in all instances where it is reasonable or feasible to do so.
Circle One: T F

e. Machine guards may be removed/circumvented only with documented approval of a supervisor.
Circle One: T F

f. According to OSHA, “no machine exists that cannot be adequately guarded.”
Circle One: T F

7. Forklifts/Powered Industrial Trucks (PITs) [29 CFR 1910.178]

a. All PIT operators must be certified under the OSHA’s latest standard, regardless of how long they have been using forklifts.
Circle One: T F

b. If PITs are used at your location, all employees must undergo PIT training/certification, either at the “operator” or “awareness” level.
Circle One: T F

c. Each certified PIT operator must be issued a “license” or other form of certificate, which he or she should keep on his or her person while at work.
Circle One: T F

d. In addition to the operator, any passengers on a forklift must have PIT certification.
Circle One: T F

e. PIT certification requirements do not apply to powered hand trucks.
Circle One: T F

f. Refresher training in PIT requirements is required only when the operator is deemed to need it or because of changes in equipment.
Circle One: T F

8. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)

a. Copies of MSDSs must be maintained in both English and Spanish.
Circle One: T F

b. Maintaining MSDSs on computers is permissible only if employees are trained how to use the computer, which must have a backup power source.
Circle One: T F

c. Every employee must be made aware of what MSDSs are and where they can be found.
Circle One: T F

d. If you employ workers who speak a language other than English, you must maintain separate copies of MSDSs for the language(s) spoken by those workers.
Circle One: T F

e. It is necessary to have only one copy of your MSDS collection, as long as it is kept in an area accessible to all employees.
Circle One: T F

f. MSDSs are required only for products or substances that are deemed “hazardous” or contain hazardous chemicals.
Circle One: T F

9. The Control of Hazardous Energy/Lockout-Tagout (LOTO)

a. This safety standard is concerned exclusively with prevention of injuries or death due to electrocution.
Circle One: T F

b. This standard is primarily encountered during maintenance/repair type operations
Circle One: T F

c. All employees, even clerical/administrative workers, should be given at least “awareness” level training in LOTO.
Circle One: T F

d. “Lockout” and “Tagout” refer to the two primary means of preventing accidental “re-energization” of a piece of equipment.
Circle One: T F

e. Where the choice exists, the “Tagout” method should be used instead of “Lockout” because it affords the opportunity to attach a summary to the tag.
Circle One: T F

f. Only a manager/supervisor is authorized to remove/deactivate a LOTO lock/tag/block.
Circle One: T F

10. Miscellaneous Topics

a. An employer is required to have one or more employees available on each shift capable of rendering emergency first aid if the facility is not located in close proximity to a hospital, infirmary, etc.
Circle One: T F

b. Given that minor cuts and scrapes are to be expected in a precast facility, it is advisable to implement a Bloodborne Pathogens safety program and train all employees appropriately.
Circle One: T F

c. A “Permit-required confined spaces” program is appropriate only for precast facilities making extensive use of hazardous chemicals in areas of limited mobility or air supply.
Circle One: T F

d. Site-specific safety manuals/procedures should exist for all safety programs and policies at your facility.
Circle One: T F

e. Best safety practices recommend that safety training records be kept separately from (or in addition to) other records maintained by the Human Resources department.
Circle One: T F

f. Strict enforcement of safety policies coupled with severe penalties for violations of these rules is recognized as the most effective method of promoting a safe work environment.
Circle One: T F

ANSWER KEY

Part One (score 4 points for each correct answer)
1. D – See 29 CFR 1904.
2. A – See 29 CFR 1904.39(a).
3. C – Although new hires may perform some tasks with trained employees as part of on-the-job training, they should not begin their normal duties until after they have been made aware of all hazards and safety policies.
4. B – While many temp agencies offer “trained” workers, it is ultimately (legally and ethically) the responsibility of the party requiring work to be performed to guarantee workers have received proper safety training.
5. C – See 29 CFR 1910 Subpart I.

Part Two (score 1 point for each correct answer)
6. Machinery: a. True; b. False; c. True; d. False; e. False; f. True
7. PITs: a. True; b. False; c. False; d. False; e. False; f. True
8. MSDSs: a. False; b. True; c. True; d. True; e. True; f. True
9. LOTO: a. False; b. True; c. True; d. True; e. False; f. False
10. Miscellaneous: a. True; b. False; c. False; d. True; e. True; f. False

Add up your total number of points (4 times your number of correct answers from Part One, plus one point for each correct answer from Part Two) to get a score ranging from 0 to 50, then consult the following scale. (Note that you can obtain your percentage result by doubling your raw score).

Score Result

46-50 Superman of Safety – Assuming you’re putting your knowledge into practice, your employees are very lucky!

41-45 Safety Manager Supreme

31-40 Safety Boss (and what Boss couldn’t use a bit of refresher training?)

21-30 Mr. Avis – “We try harder”… just make sure you’re spending your energy wisely. Look to the safety resources at the end of this quiz for some ideas on how to augment your safety knowledge.

20 or below Mr. Magoo – All humor aside, worker safety is literally a life-and-death issue. If this score accurately represents your workplace’s level of safety knowledge and commitment, please seek outside assistance immediately!