United States
Hong KongWhich book answers which category
Map each of the twelve categories to its primary reference before you start studying. General Requirements goes to the OSHA standards, Procurement to the business and law guide, and the trade categories to their own texts.
With two dozen books on the table, choosing the wrong one costs a minute before you have read anything.
The map
| Category | Primary reference |
|---|---|
| Procurement and Contracting | Business, law and project management guide |
| General Requirements | OSHA 29 CFR 1926 |
| Site Construction | OSHA Subpart P and site work references |
| Concrete | Concrete reference, plus OSHA Subpart Q for safety |
| Metals | Steel reference, plus OSHA Subpart R |
| Mechanical and Plumbing | Building code and MEP references |
| Wood | Building code span tables and carpentry reference |
| Thermal and Moisture | Building code and roofing reference |
| Finishes | Building code for rated assemblies |
| Masonry | Masonry reference, plus OSHA for bracing |
| Doors and Glazing | Building code egress provisions |
| Electrical | OSHA Subpart K |
Verify against the current bulletin, which names the actual titles and editions. This is the shape rather than the list.
Six of the twelve categories send you to the OSHA standards for at least part of their content. That book is worth knowing better than any other, and it is why safety questions turn up inside trade categories.
The cross-references that catch people
- Rebar impalement protection is a concrete question answered in OSHA
- Masonry wall bracing is a masonry question answered in OSHA
- Steel erection fall protection is a metals question answered in OSHA
- Formwork removal is a concrete question answered in OSHA
The pattern is consistent: if a trade question is about somebody getting hurt, the answer is in the safety standards.
How to internalize it
Write the map on one page and keep it beside you while practicing. After two weeks you will not need it, and that is the point.
Common questions
Which book answers OSHA questions?
29 CFR 1926, and it covers part of six of the twelve categories.
Which book covers contracts and business?
The business, law and project management guide, which carries the largest category at 31 questions.
Why do safety answers appear in trade categories?
Because if a trade question is about somebody getting hurt, the answer sits in the safety standards rather than the trade text.
How do I learn the map?
Write it on one page and keep it beside you while practicing. After a fortnight you will not need it.
Where is the authoritative list?
The current PSI bulletin, which names titles and editions.