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Excavations practice questions

20 questions from the osha construction safety practice test.

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Excavations practice test

10 questions, graded as you go, with the reason for every answer. No sign-up.

What this covers

Sample questions

A trench is 4 feet 6 inches deep. What does OSHA require for getting out of it?

  1. A ladder, stairway or ramp within 25 feet of lateral travel for each worker
  2. A ladder, stairway or ramp within 50 feet of lateral travel for each worker
  3. A ladder at each end of the trench, whatever the length of the trench
  4. Nothing, because egress is required only at a depth of 5 feet or more
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A. A ladder, stairway or ramp within 25 feet of lateral travel for each worker

Trench excavations 4 feet or more deep need a stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe egress placed so no worker travels more than 25 feet laterally to reach it. The 5-foot depth is the trigger for protective systems, not for egress.

Reference: 29 CFR 1926.651(c)(2)

How often must a competent person inspect an excavation, the adjacent areas and the protective system when workers will be exposed?

  1. Weekly before work starts, and again after the trench is backfilled
  2. Daily before work starts, as needed during the shift, and after every rainstorm
  3. Once when the trench is opened, and again only if the depth changes
  4. Monthly, with a signed report filed at the contractor's main office
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B. Daily before work starts, as needed during the shift, and after every rainstorm

Inspections are made daily before the start of work and as needed through the shift, and also after every rainstorm or other event that increases the hazard. Soil conditions can change in hours, so a weekly check is not enough.

Reference: 29 CFR 1926.651(k)(1)

A protective system must be designed by a registered professional engineer when the excavation is deeper than what depth?

  1. 10 feet
  2. 15 feet
  3. 20 feet
  4. 25 feet
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C. 20 feet

The sloping tables and the shoring tables in Subpart P cover excavations up to 20 feet deep; anything deeper needs a protective system designed by a registered professional engineer.

Reference: 29 CFR 1926.652(b) and (c)

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