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20 multiple-choice questions and 6 flashcards on Stairways and Ladders, about 7% of the OSHA 30 bank. Every one carries a written rationale.
Stairways and Ladders is one of 10 chapters in CoStudy's OSHA 30 (Construction) bank, and it holds 20 of the bank's 300 multiple-choice questions — roughly 7% of the total. That proportion is not arbitrary: chapters follow the certifying body's published exam outline, and the number of questions in each is set by that domain's published weight, so the share of your practice time this chapter takes matches the share of the real exam it accounts for.
Studying by chapter is worth doing once you have a diagnostic score. A single overall percentage tells you whether you are close; it does not tell you which domain is dragging. Working a weak chapter in isolation, and re-testing it in isolation, is the fastest way to move a score that has stalled — and it is why the mock exams in CoStudy report by domain rather than as one number.
5 questions drawn from this chapter, with the full rationale shown — the controlling principle behind the right answer, and why each wrong option tempts and fails.
A portable ladder used to access a landing must extend above the landing by at least:
Answer: C — 3 ft
Off-by-one trap. 3 ft minimum extension.
Three points of contact while climbing means:
Answer: A — Two feet and one hand, or two hands and one foot on the ladder at all times
Correct definition.
Ladder rule — extension above landing:
Answer: C — 3 ft
A/B/D) Wrong. C) Correct — 3 ft extension. Prevents falls when transitioning.
A worker must change a light fixture near an energized overhead conductor. Which ladder is the BEST choice?
Answer: B — A fiberglass ladder with nonconductive side rails
B) Correct — nonconductive side rails are required where a worker could contact exposed energized conductors. A) Aluminum conducts electricity and is the classic wrong pick near conductors. C) Metallic paint can make a wood ladder conductive and also hides defects. D) PPE-first thinking; footwear does not make a conductive ladder safe.
Which action on a stepladder is prohibited?
Answer: D — Standing on the top cap of the ladder to gain reach
D) Correct — the top cap and, on most stepladders, the top step are not designed to be stood upon. A) Locking the spreaders is required setup, not a violation. B) Facing the ladder is correct climbing technique. C) Firm level footing is exactly what the standard expects.
2 cards from the 6 in this chapter.
What duty rating should be selected for a ladder, and what does the rating include?
The rating must exceed the total of the worker's weight plus tools and materials. Type IAA is 375 lb, IA 300 lb, I 250 lb, II 225 lb, and III 200 lb.
Ladder safety?
Extend 3 ft above landing. 4:1 ratio (1 ft out for 4 ft up). Three points of contact when climbing. Inspect before use. Don't use top step of stepladder.
These are a sample. The full Stairways and Ladders chapter runs 26 items with per-chapter progress tracking, on the web and in the iOS app.