OSHA 10 Construction Practice Test 2026: Practice test 3

Practice test 3 of 3 for the OSHA 10 Construction Practice Test: 30 more questions with answers and explanations.

Workplace safety
United States
80 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 30
In general, at what depth must a trench have a protective system to prevent cave-ins?
- 20 feet or deeper, in any type of soil
- 10 feet or deeper, in any type of soil
- 5 feet or deeper, unless in stable rock
- 2 feet or deeper, in any type of soil
Show answer
Answer: C. 5 feet or deeper, unless in stable rock
Under 1926.652(a)(1), protective systems are required for excavations 5 feet or deeper, except in stable rock. Shallower trenches need one if a competent person sees signs of a cave-in.
Question 2 of 30
For excavations deeper than 20 feet, who must design the protective system?
- The property owner
- Any worker with an OSHA 10 card
- A registered professional engineer
- The excavator operator
Show answer
Answer: C. A registered professional engineer
Sloping, benching and support systems for excavations over 20 feet deep must be designed by a registered professional engineer.
Question 3 of 30
Which are the three main ways to protect workers in a trench from a cave-in?
- Ladders, ropes and harnesses
- Sloping, shoring and shielding
- Signs, cones and tape
- Fans, lights and pumps
Show answer
Answer: B. Sloping, shoring and shielding
OSHA says to slope or bench the walls, shore them with supports, or shield workers with trench boxes.
Question 4 of 30
In a trench 4 feet or deeper, how far may a worker have to travel to reach a ladder, stairway or ramp?
- As far as needed
- No more than 50 feet
- No more than 25 feet
- No more than 100 feet
Show answer
Answer: C. No more than 25 feet
Under 1926.651(c)(2), a safe means of egress must be within 25 feet of lateral travel in trenches 4 feet or more deep.
Question 5 of 30
How far from the edge of an excavation must spoil piles and equipment be kept?
- They can be placed right at the edge
- At least 1 foot
- At least 2 feet
- At least 6 inches
Show answer
Answer: C. At least 2 feet
Under 1926.651(j)(2), materials and equipment must be at least 2 feet from the edge, or held back by retaining devices.
Question 6 of 30
Who must inspect an excavation daily, before work starts and after rain?
- A competent person
- A city building inspector
- Any worker on site
- The truck driver
Show answer
Answer: A. A competent person
Daily inspections of excavations, adjacent areas and protective systems must be made by a competent person.
Question 7 of 30
A competent person finds a hazard in a trench. What must happen?
- Workers must get out until it is made safe
- The hazard is noted for next week
- Workers keep going but work faster
- Only new workers leave the trench
Show answer
Answer: A. Workers must get out until it is made safe
Under 1926.651(k)(2), exposed employees must be removed until the necessary precautions make the area safe.
Question 8 of 30
When must the air in an excavation be tested before workers go in?
- Never, because trenches are open to the air
- Only in the hot summer months
- Only when there is a bad smell coming from the trench
- When it is over 4 feet deep and bad air could be present
Show answer
Answer: D. When it is over 4 feet deep and bad air could be present
Under 1926.651(g)(1), testing is required before entry into such excavations deeper than 4 feet.
Question 9 of 30
What must be done before digging begins?
- Use a pickaxe to feel for lines
- Look for pipes after hitting one
- Nothing; just dig slowly
- Locate underground utilities (call 811)
Show answer
Answer: D. Locate underground utilities (call 811)
Under 1926.651(b), underground installations must be located before an excavation is opened. In the U.S., 811 is the call-before-you-dig number.
Question 10 of 30
According to OSHA, what poses the greatest risk to workers' lives in trenching?
- Sunburn
- Cave-ins
- Noise from equipment
- Muddy boots
Show answer
Answer: B. Cave-ins
Cave-ins can bury and crush workers in seconds, which is why protective systems are required.
Question 11 of 30
Why must guards stay in place on machines with moving parts?
- They keep the machine warm in cold weather
- They stop body parts and clothing getting caught
- They make the machine look neat and finished
- They make the machine run more quietly
Show answer
Answer: B. They stop body parts and clothing getting caught
Missing guards can lead to amputations and deaths. Never remove or bypass a guard.
Question 12 of 30
How can you avoid being caught between moving equipment and a fixed object?
- Stand close so the operator can see you
- Walk behind it while it backs up
- Lean on the equipment to steady it
- Never stand between them
Show answer
Answer: D. Never stand between them
Being pinned between equipment and a wall or other object is a common caught-between death.
Question 13 of 30
Who must provide PPE such as hard hats and safety glasses when OSHA standards require them?
- The employer
- The worker
- The general public
- The equipment rental company
Show answer
Answer: A. The employer
Under 1926.95, protective equipment must be provided, used and maintained wherever hazards make it necessary.
Question 14 of 30
Before wearing a tight-fitting respirator, what do you need?
- Nothing, any size will do
- Only a quick look in the mirror
- A beard to help the seal
- A medical evaluation and a fit test
Show answer
Answer: D. A medical evaluation and a fit test
OSHA's respiratory protection rules require medical evaluation and fit testing before using tight-fitting respirators.
Question 15 of 30
What is OSHA's permissible noise exposure limit in construction for an 8-hour day?
- 120 dBA
- 90 dBA
- 60 dBA
- 75 dBA
Show answer
Answer: B. 90 dBA
Table D-2 in 1926.52 sets 90 dBA for an 8-hour duration. Above the limit, controls and hearing protection are needed.
Question 16 of 30
What is OSHA's permissible exposure limit for respirable crystalline silica in construction?
- 50 micrograms per cubic meter (8-hour average)
- 500 micrograms per cubic meter (8-hour average)
- There is no exposure limit for silica
- 5 milligrams per cubic meter (8-hour average)
Show answer
Answer: A. 50 micrograms per cubic meter (8-hour average)
The silica standard for construction, 1926.1153, sets a PEL of 50 µg/m³ as an 8-hour time-weighted average.
Question 17 of 30
Which controls help reduce silica dust when cutting concrete?
- A leaf blower to blow the dust away from you
- Water spray or a vacuum dust collector on the tool
- Dry sweeping the area every hour
- Cutting faster so that less dust is made
Show answer
Answer: B. Water spray or a vacuum dust collector on the tool
Water and local vacuum extraction capture dust at the source. Dry sweeping and compressed air spread it.
Question 18 of 30
What three things does OSHA's heat illness campaign remind workers they need?
- Radios, lights and alarms
- Gloves, boots and helmets
- Coffee, music and snacks
- Water, rest and shade
Show answer
Answer: D. Water, rest and shade
Drinking water often, resting and getting into the shade help prevent heat illness.
Question 19 of 30
Which information must appear on a HazCom shipping label for a hazardous chemical?
- The name of the worker who will use it, the job site, the date and the supervisor
- Only the price, the bar code, the store name, the date of sale and the batch number
- Product identifier, signal word, hazard statements, pictograms, precautionary statements and supplier information
- Only the product name, the date it was made, the batch number and the color
Show answer
Answer: C. Product identifier, signal word, hazard statements, pictograms, precautionary statements and supplier information
OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard lists these six label elements.
Question 20 of 30
How many sections does a safety data sheet (SDS) have under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard?
- 16
- 10
- 25
- 4
Show answer
Answer: A. 16
SDSs use a standard 16-section format, so information is always in the same place.
Question 21 of 30
Which two signal words are used on HazCom labels?
- "Poison" and "Safe"
- "Caution" and "Notice"
- "Stop" and "Go"
- "Danger" and "Warning"
Show answer
Answer: D. "Danger" and "Warning"
"Danger" is used for more severe hazards and "Warning" for less severe hazards.
Question 22 of 30
Is this environment pictogram required on labels under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard?
- Yes, but only on gas cylinders
- Yes, on every label
- Yes, but only for food products
- No, it is non-mandatory under OSHA
Show answer
Answer: D. No, it is non-mandatory under OSHA
The GHS has nine pictograms, but OSHA lists the environment pictogram (aquatic toxicity) as non-mandatory.
Question 23 of 30
What hazard does this pictogram show on a HazCom label?
- Oxidizers
- Carcinogens
- Flammables
- Corrosives
Show answer
Answer: C. Flammables
The flame pictogram covers flammables, pyrophorics, self-heating materials and more.
Question 24 of 30
What does this pictogram warn about on a HazCom label?
- Harm to fish and aquatic life
- Mild skin irritation after contact
- Acute toxicity that can be fatal or toxic
- Gas stored under pressure
Show answer
Answer: C. Acute toxicity that can be fatal or toxic
The skull and crossbones means the chemical can be fatal or toxic, even in small amounts.
Question 25 of 30
Which hazards does this pictogram cover under HazCom?
- Mild skin and eye irritation only
- Explosives and organic peroxides
- Gases stored under pressure in cylinders
- Carcinogens, sensitizers and organ toxicity
Show answer
Answer: D. Carcinogens, sensitizers and organ toxicity
The health hazard pictogram is for serious health effects, often long-term.
Question 26 of 30
What does this pictogram warn about?
- Skin burns, eye damage and metal corrosion
- Harmful effects on fish and water life
- Flammable gases and liquids
- Gases stored under pressure
Show answer
Answer: A. Skin burns, eye damage and metal corrosion
The corrosion pictogram covers skin corrosion and burns, eye damage and corrosion of metals.
Question 27 of 30
Which hazard does this pictogram cover?
- Irritants and skin sensitizers
- Explosion hazards
- Cancer-causing chemicals
- Fatal poisoning
Show answer
Answer: A. Irritants and skin sensitizers
The exclamation mark is used for less severe hazards, such as skin and eye irritation.
Question 28 of 30
What does this pictogram on a cylinder mean?
- The contents are frozen food
- The contents are always toxic
- The cylinder is empty
- The contents are a gas under pressure
Show answer
Answer: D. The contents are a gas under pressure
The gas cylinder pictogram covers gases under pressure and chemicals under pressure.
Question 29 of 30
What does this pictogram mean?
- An oxidizer that can make a fire worse
- An explosive that can blow up
- A chemical that is safe near heat
- A flammable liquid that burns easily
Show answer
Answer: A. An oxidizer that can make a fire worse
Oxidizers give off oxygen. Keep them away from fuels and other combustible materials.
Question 30 of 30
Which hazards does this pictogram cover?
- Carcinogens
- Corrosives and acids
- Explosives and organic peroxides
- Irritants and sensitizers
Show answer
Answer: C. Explosives and organic peroxides
The exploding bomb shows a risk of explosion or violent reaction.

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