Welcome to your CSCS test

1. Which of these is not your legal duty as a worker?Give one answer

A. Not to interfere with anything provided for health and safety

B. To look after the health and safety of anyone else who might be affected by your work

C. To look after your own health and safety

D. To write your own risk assessments

2. What does a risk assessment identify?Give one answer

A. How to report accidents

B. The hazards and safe way of doing the job

C. The site working hours

D. Where the first-aid box is kept

3. What does the word hazard mean?Give one answer

A. A type of barrier or machine guard

B. Anything at work that could harm you

C. The likelihood that something might happen

D. The site accident rate

4. What is the main objective of carrying out an accident investigation?Give one answer

A. To find out the causes in order to prevent it happening again

B. To find out the cost of any damage that occurred

C. To find out who is at fault

D. To record what injuries were sustained

5. What should you do if you have witnessed a serious accident on your site?Give one answer

A. Ask your workmates what they think you should do

B. Say nothing in case you get someone into trouble

C. Telephone the local hospital

D. Tell your supervisor that you saw what happened

6. If someone burns their hand, what is the best thing you can do?Give one answer

A. Put the hand into cold water or under a cold running tap

B. Rub barrier cream or Vaseline into the burn

C. Tell them to carry on working to exercise the hand

D. Wrap your handkerchief around the burn

7. When should you apply skin barrier cream?Give one answer

A. As part of first-aid treatment

B. Before you start work

C. When you can't find your gloves

D. When you finish work

8. You need to use a grinder, cut-off saw, cartridge tool or nail gun. What type of eye protection will you need?Give one answer

A. Impact-resistant goggles or full face shield

B. Light eye protection (safety glasses)

C. Reading glasses or sunglasses

D. Welding goggles

9. What will safety footwear with a protective mid-sole protect you from?Give one answer

A. Getting blisters in warm, wet conditions

B. Nails or sharp objects puncturing the sole of your foot if you stand on them

C. Spillages which may burn the sole of your foot

D. Twisting your ankle

10. How should you wear your safety helmet to get maximum protection from it?Give one answer

11. How should you wear your safety helmet to get maximum protection from it?Give one answer

A. No, your employer must pay for it

B. Only if you need to replace lost or damaged PPE

C. Yes, but you only have to pay half the cost

D. Yes, you must pay for all of it

12. Which of these statements about personal protective equipment (PPE) is not true?Give one answer

A. You must pay for any damage or loss

B. You must report any damage or loss to your supervisor

C. You must store it correctly when you are not using it

D. You must use it as instructed

13. If you use a power tool to cut or grind materials, why must the dust be collected and not allowed to get into the air?Give one answer

A. Most dust can be harmful if breathed in

B. The tool will go faster if the dust is collected

C. To save time and avoid having to clear up the mess

D. You do not need a machine guard if the dust is collected

14. What can cause occupational asthma?Give one answer

A. Breathing in hazardous dust, fumes or vapours

B. Exposure to loud noise

C. Exposure to rat urine

D. Skin contact with any hazardous substance

15. What should you do if you find pigeon droppings and nests in an area where you are required to work?Give one answer

A. Carry on with your work carefully, so you don't disturb them

B. Stop work and seek advice

C. Try to catch the pigeons

D. Wait for the pigeons to fly away before carrying on with your work

16. You have been using a vibrating tool. The ends of your fingers are starting to tingle. What does this mean?Give one answer

A. You can carry on using the tool but you must hold it tighter

B. You can carry on using the tool but you must loosen your grip

C. You must not use this tool, or any other vibrating tool ever again

D. You need to report your symptoms before they cause a problem

17. If you need to use a vibrating tool, even for a short time, how can you help reduce the risk of hand-arm vibration?Give one answer

A. Do not grip the tool too tightly

B. Hold the tool away from you, at arm's length

C. Hold the tool more tightly

D. Use more force

18. If you have to use a vibrating tool, how can you help reduce the effects of hand-arm vibration?Give one answer

A. Do the work in one long burst

B. Do the work in short spells

C. Hold the tool tightly

D. Only use one hand at a time on the tool

19. How can asbestos be correctly identified?Give one answer

A. By getting a sample analysed in a lab

B. By putting a piece in water and seeing if it dissolves

C. By the colour of the dust

D. The dust gives off a strong smell

20. You need to use a hazardous substance. Who should explain the health risks and safe method of work you need to follow (the COSHH assessment) before you start?Give one answer

A. An Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector

B. The site first aider

C. The site security people

D. Your supervisor or employer

21. Which of the following is a manual handling task?Give one answer

A. Activities involving pushing, pulling, lowering and lifting

B. Climbing ladders or stairs

C. Getting in and out of a vehicle used at work

D. Lifting materials with a crane

22. What should you do if you have to carry a load down a steep slope?Give one answer

A. Assess whether you can still carry the load safely

B. Carry the load on your shoulder

C. Put the load down and let gravity move it down the slope

D. Walk backwards down the slope to help you balance

23. Your job requires you to move the same sized load several times a minute from one place to another. Could this be a problem?Give one answer

A. No, it won't need a risk assessment if the load is light

B. Not if the load is below the recommended weight for lifting

C. Only if, as work progresses, the load cannot be moved as often as required

D. Yes, as repetition introduces additional strain to the body

24. Which of the following is the best method to help minimise the risk of injury when manual handling?Give one answer

A. Asking a trained person to carry the load

B. Making the area of site flatter before performing the task

C. Not having any heavy objects on site

D. Safely using lifting aids

25. What does this sign mean?Give one answer

A. Dispose of damaged safety helmets here

B. Only white safety helmets allowed in this area

C. Remove safety helmets in this area

D. Safety helmets must be worn

26. What are green and white signsGive one answer

A. Mandatory signs - meaning you must do something

B. Prohibition signs - meaning you must not do something

C. Safe condition signs - giving you information

D. Warning signs - alerting you to hazards or danger

27. What does this sign mean?Give one answer

A. Accident and emergency department

B. Emergency assembly point

C. Fire point

D. First aid

28. What are two common fire risks on construction sites?Give two answers

A. 110 volt extension reels

B. 230 volt power tools

C. Poor housekeeping and build up of waste

D. Timber racks

E. Uncontrolled hot works

29. What is the fire assembly point?Give one answer

A. Where fire engines must go when they arrive on site

B. Where people must go when the fire alarm sounds

C. Where the fire extinguishers are kept

D. Where the fire started

30. If you discover a fire, what is the first thing you should do?Give one answer

A. Finish what you are doing, if it is safe to do so

B. Put your tools away

C. Raise the alarm

D. Try to put out the fire

31. What must you check if you need to work in a corridor that is a fire escape route?Give one answer

A. That all doors into the corridor are locked

B. That you only use spark-proof tools

C. That you remove all fire escape signs before you start

D. That your tools and equipment do not block the route

32. What does a hot work permit allow you to do?Give one answer

A. Carry out work that could start a fire

B. Carry out work that needs warm, protective clothing

C. Light a bonfire

D. Work in hot weather

33. What does a hot work permit not tell you?Give one answer

A. How you must prevent sparks or heat travelling

B. What fire extinguisher or fire watch you need

C. When you can start and when you must stop the hot work

D. Where the local fire station is located

34. What is the main danger of using a chisel or bolster with a mushroomed head?Give one answer

A. It will shatter and send fragments flying into the air

B. The chisel will have a sharp, jagged edge that can cut your hand

C. The shaft of the chisel will bend, putting a strain on your wrist

D. You are more likely to hit your hand with the chisel head

35. What criteria must you meet to operate a power tool?Give one answer

A. You must be over 16 years old

B. You must be trained and competent

C. You must have a gold CSCS card

D. You must only operate it when your supervisor is present

36. You need to use an air-powered tool. What three hazards are likely to affect you?Give three answers

A. Airborne dust and flying fragments

B. Electric shock

C. Hand-arm vibration

D. Leaking hoses

E. Radiation

37. Why should you never store batteries loose in your tool bag?Give one answer

A. If the terminals short out, they could cause a fire

B. They give off a poisonous gas in a confined space

C. You might forget to charge them

D. Your tool bag will be heavy and damage your back

38. Why should you try to use battery-powered tools rather than electrical ones?Give one answer

A. They are cheaper to run

B. They do not need to be tested or serviced

D. They will not give you hand-arm vibration

39. What is the recommended safe voltage for electrical equipment on building sites?Give one answer

A. 110 volts

B. 12 volts

C. 230 volts

D. 24 volts

40. How do you check if a RCD (residual current device) connected to a power tool is working?Give one answer

A. Press the test button on the RCD

B. Run the tool at top speed to see if it cuts out

C. Switch the tool on and off

D. Use a hand-held RCD test meter

41. When can you use a ladder at work?Give one answer

A. If it is long enough

B. If other people do not need to use it for access

C. If you are doing light work for a short time

D. You must never use a ladder on site

42. How do you identify the safe load rating for a scaffold platform?Give one answer

A. Ask the site manager

B. Ask the telehandler driver

C. Refer to the handover certificate or signage

D. The safe load is breached when the ledgers start to deflect

43. What should you do if you see the side supports move when you are working in an excavation?Give one answer

A. Do nothing as the sides move all the time

B. Keep watching to see if they move again

C. Make sure that you and others get out quickly

D. Work in another part of the excavation

44. What should you do if you are in a confined space when the gas alarm sounds?Give one answer

A. Carry on working but do not use electrical tools

B. Carry on working but take plenty of breaks in the fresh air

C. Get out of the confined space immediately

D. Switch off the alarm

45. When digging you find a run of coloured marker tape. What does it mean?Give one answer

A. The excavation now needs side supports

B. The soil is contaminated and you must wear respiratory protective equipment (RPE)

C. There are buried human remains and you must tell your supervisor

D. There is a buried service and further excavation must be carried out with care

46. Do you have any responsibility for minimising the amount of waste created?Give one answer

A. No, it is the responsibility of site management

B. Only during the site clean up at the end of the project

C. Only if you are told to do so during your site induction

D. Yes, everyone on site has a responsibility to do this

47. Which of the following activities is not good practice on site? Give one answerGive one answer

A. Burning waste

B. Refuelling carefully to avoid spills

C. Storing materials safely

D. Switching off plant and equipment when it is not in use

48. Which two of the following should be classed as hazardous waste?Give two answers

A. Broken ceramic tiles or bricks

B. Fluorescent light tubes

C. Glass

D. Polythene and shrink wrap

E. Used spill kit pads containing oil

49. When a product has either of these labels, how should you dispose of the container or any residue?Give one answer

A. Follow specific instructions on the label or in work instructions

B. If it is a liquid and less than one litre you can pour it down a drain

C. Leave it somewhere for other people to deal with

D. Put it in any skip or bin

50. What should you do if there is an oil or diesel spill on site?Give one answer

A Call the Department for the Environment immediately, so they can arrange to have it cleaned up

B Ignore it, oil or diesel spills do not have serious long-term effects

C Stop work, contain the spill, notify your supervisor and then clean up the spill

D Use a spill kit to clean it up before the end of the day

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