Personal Protective Equipment — OSHA 30 practice questions

Under OSHA, PPE for required tasks is:

1. Provided by the worker
2. Split 50/50
3. Optional
4. Provided by the employer at no cost (with limited exceptions like ordinary work boots)

Answer: D — Provided by the employer at no cost (with limited exceptions like ordinary work boots)

Employer-vs-employee responsibility. D is correct.

Electricians will work near exposed energized conductors overhead. Which head protection is appropriate?

1. A helmet rated for the voltage class, worn undamaged and unmodified
2. Any hard hat on the site, because every shell material is nonconductive
3. A bump cap, which weighs less and improves comfort in warm conditions
4. A hard hat with ventilation slots added to reduce heat load on the worker

Answer: A — A helmet rated for the voltage class, worn undamaged and unmodified

A) Correct — head protection for electrical exposure must be rated for the voltage class involved and must not be altered or drilled. B) Not all hard hats carry a high-voltage electrical rating. C) Bump caps do not meet impact or electrical requirements. D) Vented shells are not appropriate where electrical protection is needed.

A face shield should be worn:

1. Alone for chemical splash
2. Only at night
3. Only by supervisors
4. Over primary eye protection (safety glasses or goggles)

Answer: D — Over primary eye protection (safety glasses or goggles)

Face shields are secondary protection.

A hard hat marked Class E provides:

1. No electrical protection
2. Low-voltage electrical protection (up to 2,200 V)
3. High-voltage electrical protection (up to 20,000 V)
4. Hearing protection

Answer: C — High-voltage electrical protection (up to 20,000 V)

Common misconception. Class E (Electrical) = up to 20,000 V; Class G = General/low-voltage; Class C = Conductive/none.

Respirators are governed by:

1. 29 CFR 1910.134
2. 29 CFR 1910.95
3. 29 CFR 1926.501
4. 29 CFR 1904.7

Answer: A — 29 CFR 1910.134

A correct; B is hearing; C is falls; D is recordkeeping.

Before being issued a tight-fitting respirator, a worker must:

1. Sign a waiver
2. Buy their own
3. Wait 30 days
4. Pass a medical evaluation and fit test

Answer: D — Pass a medical evaluation and fit test

Medical evaluation + fit test mandatory.

Eye-wash stations are required to be located:

1. Within 10 seconds (about 55 ft) of an eye hazard
2. Within 5 minutes
3. Anywhere on site
4. Only in the office

Answer: A — Within 10 seconds (about 55 ft) of an eye hazard

ANSI Z358.1: within 10 seconds.

An SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) is preferred over an APR (Air-Purifying Respirator) when:

1. The atmosphere is IDLH or oxygen-deficient
2. Cost is the main concern
3. Workers prefer a lighter mask
4. Particulates are present in low concentration

Answer: A — The atmosphere is IDLH or oxygen-deficient

IDLH / oxygen-deficient atmospheres require SCBA or SAR.

Workers will handle sheet metal edges and also mix an epoxy grout later in the shift. Which glove approach is correct?

1. One heavy leather glove for both, since leather resists cuts and chemicals
2. Cotton gloves for both tasks, to keep dexterity while handling small parts
3. Cut-resistant gloves for the metal, chemical-resistant for the epoxy
4. Thin nitrile exam gloves for both tasks, changed out whenever they tear

Answer: C — Cut-resistant gloves for the metal, chemical-resistant for the epoxy

C) Correct — hand protection must be matched to each specific hazard, and cut resistance and chemical permeation resistance are different performance properties. A) Leather absorbs chemicals and is a poor barrier to epoxy resins. B) Cotton offers neither cut nor chemical protection. D) Thin exam gloves give no cut resistance and may not resist the resin system.

A worker's employer-required cut-resistant gloves wear out mid-project. Who is generally responsible for the replacement cost?

1. The worker, because gloves are a consumable item that wears out with use
2. Both parties, splitting the replacement cost evenly between them each time
3. The general contractor's insurance carrier, through the site safety program
4. The employer, who must provide required PPE at no cost with narrow exceptions

Answer: D — The employer, who must provide required PPE at no cost with narrow exceptions

D) Correct — the employer pays for required PPE, with a small set of exceptions largely involving everyday footwear and prescription eyewear inserts that workers take with them. A) Consumability does not shift the cost to the worker. B) Cost-sharing arrangements for required PPE are not permitted. C) Insurance carriers do not procure routine PPE.

Employer's responsibility for PPE?

Provided at no cost (with limited exceptions like ordinary safety-toe boots). Selected appropriate to hazard. Trained users.

What is OSHA's permissible exposure limit for noise, and at what level must a hearing conservation program begin?

90 dBA as an 8-hour time-weighted average, with a 5 dB exchange rate. A hearing conservation program is required at the 85 dBA 8-hour TWA action level.

Respirator program?

Required when respirators used. Medical evaluation, fit test (qualitative or quantitative), training. APR (air-purifying) vs. PAPR vs. SCBA.