United States
Hong KongGeneral Requirements
The second largest category at 25 of 115 scored questions, covering OSHA jurisdiction and recordkeeping, fall protection, scaffolds and ladders, personal protective equipment, electrical safety, cranes, fire prevention and project administration.
Twenty-five questions, and this is the OSHA category. Almost all of it lives in 29 CFR 1926.
The eight subtopics
- OSHA jurisdiction, inspections, citations and recordkeeping
- Fall protection and working surfaces
- Scaffolds, ladders and aerial lifts
- Personal protective equipment and hazard communication
- Electrical safety and lockout on the construction site
- Cranes, rigging and material handling
- Fire prevention, confined spaces and emergency action
- Project administration, submittals and temporary facilities
Why this category is good news
Because it is almost entirely numbers, and numbers are what an open-book exam is best at testing.
Six feet for fall protection. Five feet for a trench protective system. Three feet of ladder extension above a landing. Forty-two inches for a guardrail. Every one of those is a lookup if your standards are tabbed. Learn the subparts. Numbers are lookups.
| Rule | The figure |
|---|---|
| Fall protection trigger | 6 feet in construction |
| Scaffold trigger | 10 feet |
| Steel erection trigger | 15 feet |
| Trench protective system | 5 feet |
| Guardrail top rail | 42 inches plus or minus 3 |
| Ladder extension above landing | 3 feet |
Subpart M is fall protection, L is scaffolds, X is ladders, P is excavation, CC is cranes. Knowing the subpart letter takes you to the right part of the book before you have read anything.
The recordkeeping deadlines
Eight hours to report a fatality. Twenty-four hours for an inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye. Fifteen working days to contest a citation.
Small numbers, easily confused, and reliably examined.
Competent and qualified person
Two defined terms with different meanings. A competent person can identify hazards and is authorized to correct them. A qualified person has a degree, certificate or extensive knowledge and experience.
Questions turn on which one a task requires.
Common questions
How many questions is General Requirements?
25 of the 115 scored questions, the second largest category.
What does it cover?
Mostly OSHA construction safety: fall protection, scaffolds and ladders, excavation, cranes, PPE, electrical safety and recordkeeping.
What is the fall protection trigger height?
6 feet in construction generally, 10 feet on a scaffold and 15 feet in steel erection.
How should I tab the OSHA standards?
By subpart first - M for fall protection, L scaffolds, X ladders, P excavation, CC cranes - then by provision.
What is the difference between a competent and a qualified person?
A competent person identifies hazards and is authorized to correct them. A qualified person has a degree, certificate or extensive knowledge and experience.