IOSH Working Safely

Correct: According to OSHA 1926.502(d)(15), anchorages used for personal fall arrest equipment must be independent of any anchorage being used to support or suspend platforms. The only exception is when the system is designed, installed, and used under the supervision of a qualified person as part of a complete PFAS that maintains a safety factor of at least two. In an audit scenario, identifying the lack of independence between fall arrest and platform support is a critical finding.

Incorrect: The requirement for non-engineered anchorages is 5,000 pounds per employee, not 3,000 pounds, making that threshold insufficient. Transitioning to a positioning device system is inappropriate because positioning systems are not designed for fall arrest and do not resolve the underlying anchorage capacity or independence issue. While frequent visual inspections are a good administrative practice, they do not satisfy the regulatory requirement for anchorage independence or the engineering certification required for shared load-bearing members.

Takeaway: Fall arrest anchorages must remain independent of platform supports unless a qualified person has engineered the system to safely support the combined loads.

Correct: Establishing an electrically safe work condition through de-energization and lockout/tagout (LOTO) represents the ‘Elimination’ stage of the Hierarchy of Controls. By removing the energy source entirely, the hazard of arc flash and shock is eliminated, which is the most effective safety measure according to OSHA and NFPA 70E standards. This approach is prioritized over all other controls because it does not rely on personal protective equipment or human behavior to prevent an incident.

Incorrect: Installing remote-operated breakers is an engineering control which reduces exposure but does not eliminate the hazard if the technician must still enter the cabinet for other tasks. Implementing training and permit systems are administrative controls which rely on human compliance and are less effective than physical elimination. Requiring arc flash suits is a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) control, which is considered the least effective level of the hierarchy as it only mitigates the severity of an injury after a failure has occurred rather than preventing the hazard itself.

Takeaway: The Hierarchy of Controls mandates that hazard elimination through de-energization must be the primary safety strategy before relying on engineering, administrative, or PPE-based controls.

Correct: According to OSHA 1926.703, formwork must be designed, fabricated, erected, supported, braced, and maintained so that it will be capable of supporting without failure all vertical and lateral loads. When deviations from the original engineered plan occur, the modified design must be validated by a qualified professional to ensure it maintains the necessary safety factors and structural integrity before concrete placement begins.

Incorrect: Relying on field experience alone is insufficient as it bypasses the regulatory requirement for engineered design and documented safety factors. Continuous monitoring is a reactive measure that does not mitigate the risk of a catastrophic collapse if the design is fundamentally flawed. Replacing components without a professional review of the layout is inadequate because the stability of the system depends on the overall configuration and load distribution, not just the individual parts.

Takeaway: Any modification to engineered formwork or shoring plans must be formally reviewed and approved by a qualified professional to ensure structural integrity and compliance with safety standards.

Correct: According to OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1203 and 1910.146, atmospheric testing must be performed in a specific order: 1. Oxygen, 2. Flammables, 3. Toxics. This sequence is mandatory because most combustible gas indicators (CGIs) require a specific level of oxygen to function correctly and provide an accurate reading of flammable vapors. Furthermore, oxygen deficiency is the most immediate life-threatening condition in many confined space scenarios.

Incorrect: Testing for toxic contaminants or flammable gases before oxygen is incorrect because the sensors used to detect these hazards often rely on oxygen to produce a chemical reaction for the reading; without sufficient oxygen, these sensors may provide false negatives. Placing toxics before flammables is also incorrect as flammability represents a more immediate risk of a catastrophic event (explosion) compared to many toxic exposures.

Takeaway: Atmospheric testing in confined spaces must always follow the sequence of oxygen first, then flammables, then toxics to ensure instrument accuracy and prioritize immediate life safety.

Correct: A Repeated violation occurs when an employer has been cited for the same or a substantially similar condition within the previous five years. In this scenario, the occurrence of the same scaffolding issue within 14 months at a site under the same management meets this criteria. From an internal audit perspective, this signifies a systemic failure in the safety management system and the ‘tone at the top,’ as the organization failed to implement corrective actions from the first incident across its broader operations.

Incorrect: A Willful violation requires evidence that the employer intentionally and knowingly committed a violation or acted with plain indifference; while the lack of reporting is a serious internal control issue, the citation classification itself is based on the recurrence of the hazard. A Serious violation is defined by the gravity of potential harm, but the ‘Repeated’ designation is the more specific and severe regulatory classification when history is involved. Other-than-Serious violations are for hazards that would not likely cause death or serious harm; scaffolding planking issues are generally considered high-gravity hazards due to fall risks.

Takeaway: Repeated violations serve as a critical indicator for internal auditors that safety controls are not being effectively communicated or implemented across different business units or project sites.

Correct: According to OSHA 1926.703(a)(1), formwork must be designed, fabricated, erected, supported, braced, and maintained so that it will be capable of supporting without failure all vertical and lateral loads. Crucially, drawings or plans, including all revisions, for the jack layout, formwork (including shoring equipment), working decks, and scaffolds must be available at the jobsite to ensure the build matches the engineered safety requirements.

Incorrect: Modifying shoring layouts based on material availability without engineering approval bypasses critical load-bearing calculations and increases collapse risk. Stripping forms based solely on a fixed time period is unsafe, as it ignores the actual compressive strength required to support the structure’s weight. Visual inspections by personnel not specifically qualified in structural formwork design lack the technical depth required to identify subtle but critical bracing or load-path failures.

Takeaway: Effective formwork safety relies on the strict adherence to engineered design plans and drawings that must be accessible on-site for verification throughout the construction process.

Correct: OSHA requires that when information indicates that any employee’s exposure may equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 decibels, the employer shall develop and implement a monitoring program. Personal noise dosimetry is the most effective risk assessment method for construction environments because it moves with the worker, capturing the actual noise levels encountered throughout the shift, which is essential for calculating the TWA accurately.

Incorrect: Increasing the frequency of area sound level meter checks is insufficient because area monitoring does not account for worker mobility or the specific duration an individual spends in high-noise zones. Standardizing dual hearing protection is a control measure rather than an assessment methodology and may lead to over-protection or communication hazards if not based on data. Relying on manufacturer specifications is an estimation technique that fails to account for environmental acoustics, equipment wear, or the actual proximity of the worker to the source.

Takeaway: Effective noise risk assessment in construction requires measuring the 8-hour Time-Weighted Average (TWA) through personal dosimetry to determine if the 85 dB action level is exceeded and a Hearing Conservation Program is required.

Correct: According to OSHA 1926.152(b)(1), no more than 25 gallons of flammable or combustible liquids shall be stored in a room outside of an approved storage cabinet. Additionally, 1926.152(e)(2) requires that Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, or Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, must be electrically bonded (interconnected) during transfer to prevent static sparks from igniting flammable vapors.

Incorrect: Requiring cabinets for all volumes is an over-control not mandated by OSHA, which allows up to 25 gallons outside a cabinet. The 10-gallon threshold for cabinets is incorrect as the regulatory limit is 25 gallons, and non-conductive plastic containers can actually increase static risks compared to properly bonded metal safety cans. The 200-gallon limit for a single cabinet exceeds the OSHA limits of 60 gallons for Category 1-3 liquids and 120 gallons for Category 4 liquids.

Takeaway: Compliance with OSHA flammable liquid standards requires limiting un-cabineted storage to 25 gallons per room and ensuring electrical bonding during the transfer of high-hazard liquids.

Correct: According to OSHA standard 1926.353(a), mechanical ventilation must be provided at a minimum rate of 2,000 cubic feet per minute per welder when welding is performed in a space of less than 10,000 cubic feet per welder, or in a room with a ceiling height of less than 16 feet, or in confined spaces. Since the measured rate was only 1,500 cfm in a 9,000-cubic-foot space, it fails to meet the minimum safety threshold for contaminant dilution.

Incorrect: While HEPA filtration is a best practice for certain toxic materials, it is not the primary baseline requirement for general welding ventilation under 1926.353. The standard specifies a cubic feet per minute (cfm) rate rather than a fixed number of air changes per hour for these specific space constraints. General mechanical ventilation is permitted in spaces under 10,000 cubic feet, provided it meets the 2,000 cfm per welder threshold; it is not prohibited in favor of local exhaust, though local exhaust is an acceptable alternative.

Takeaway: Mechanical ventilation for welding in spaces smaller than 10,000 cubic feet or in confined areas must maintain a minimum airflow of 2,000 cubic feet per minute per welder.