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The twelve categories

Metals

Compiled by the Sitonce editorial team from the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, NASCLA's own published material and the federal standards named belowUpdated 2 min readFacts verified 4 September 2026
The short answer

Six of 115 scored questions covering structural steel framing and connections, bolting and welding, steel decking and cold-formed framing, and erection safety and stability.

Six questions, and the safety half of the category is where the specific numbers are.

The four subtopics

  • Structural steel framing and connections
  • Bolting, welding and inspection
  • Steel decking and cold-formed framing
  • Erection safety and stability during construction

The number that matters most

Fifteen feet. That is the fall protection trigger height in steel erection, at 29 CFR 1926.760, against six feet in construction generally and ten feet on a scaffold.

Three different trigger heights for three different activities. This is one of the most reliably examined confusions on the whole paper.

Do not carry the six-foot rule into steel erection

A question describing an ironworker at twelve feet is testing whether you know steel erection has its own subpart with its own trigger. The general answer is the wrong answer.

Connections

Bolted and welded, with inspection requirements attached to each. Bolt tensioning methods, weld types and non-destructive testing all appear.

This is trade knowledge, and the reference books carry it in detail. Tab the connection tables.

Stability during erection

A frame that will be stable when complete is not stable while being built. Temporary bracing, the sequence of erection and the number of bolts required before a member may be released all matter.

That is the theme running through the safety material in this category: the structure is at its most vulnerable before it is finished.

Common questions

How many metals questions are on the NASCLA exam?

6 of the 115 scored questions.

What is the fall protection trigger in steel erection?

15 feet, under 29 CFR 1926.760, against 6 feet in construction generally.

Why does steel erection have a different trigger?

It has its own OSHA subpart with rules written for the activity. Applying the general 6-foot rule is a common error.

What does the category cover besides safety?

Structural steel framing and connections, bolting and welding, and steel decking and cold-formed framing.

Why does erection stability matter?

A frame stable when complete is not stable while being built, so temporary bracing and erection sequence are examined.