1|Page
,2|Page
ACSA NCSO Certification Exam 2026 |
Verified Questions & Answers with Detailed
Rationale | Alberta Construction Safety
Officer Prep
Visual 1 (Refer to this for Questions 1-2)
Table 1: Components of an HSMS
Component Description
Establishes the company's vision and resource allocation for
Policy & Commitment
safety.
Planning Identifies hazards, assesses risks, and sets objectives/targets.
Implementation & Defines roles, responsibilities, training, and operational
Operation controls.
Checking & Corrective Monitors performance through inspections, audits, and
Action incident investigations.
Leadership reviews the system's overall effectiveness and
Management Review
drives continuous improvement.
Question 1
A safety director is presenting to senior leadership about the company's Health and
Safety Management System (HSMS). The director explains that for the system to be
effective, it must follow a structured cycle that allows for continuous improvement
and adaptation to changing conditions. Based on the table above, which component
of the HSMS is responsible for ensuring that the system adapts based on
performance data and changing operational needs?
A) Policy & Commitment
B) Planning
C) Implementation & Operation
D) Management Review
,3|Page
*Correct Answer: D [CORRECT]
Rationale: Management Review is the component where leadership evaluates
the system's performance data and makes decisions to drive continuous
improvement. Policy & Commitment (A) sets the vision but does not adapt the
system. Planning (B) sets initial objectives, and Implementation (C) executes the
plan, but neither is responsible for the overarching review and adaptation
process.
Question 2
During an external audit, the auditor notes that while the company has a detailed
safety policy and conducts regular hazard assessments, there is no formal process for
checking if the controls are actually working or for investigating incidents that do
occur. Which component of the HSMS, as shown in the table, is the company
missing?
A) Policy & Commitment
B) Planning
C) Checking & Corrective Action
D) Implementation & Operation
*Correct Answer: C [CORRECT]
Rationale: The Checking & Corrective Action component includes inspections,
audits, and incident investigations to monitor performance. The company has a
Policy (A) and Planning (B) but has failed to establish the critical monitoring
and corrective action processes. Implementation & Operation (D) executes the
plan, but the issue is with the lack of performance verification.
Visual 2 (Refer to this for Questions 3-4)
Figure 1: The Due Diligence Framework
text
┌──────────────────────────────┐
│ THREE FACTORS OF │
│ DUE DILIGENCE │
└──────────────────────────────┘
│
┌──────────────┼──────────────┐
│ │ │
, 4|Page
▼ ▼ ▼
┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐
│Foreseeability│ │Preventability│ │ Control │
│ (Could I │ │ (Could I │ │ (Did I │
│ have known?)│ │ have stopped │ │ actually │
│ │ │ it from │ │ implement │
│ │ │ happening?) │ │ controls?) │
└─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘
Question 3
A construction company is facing charges after a worker was seriously injured by a
crane that had been operating with a frayed cable. The supervisor claims they did not
know the cable was frayed because the daily inspection checklist was not properly
completed. During the legal proceedings, the judge questions whether the supervisor
should have reasonably known about the risk of cable wear. Based on the figure,
which factor of due diligence is the judge questioning?
A) Preventability
B) Foreseeability
C) Control
D) Liability
*Correct Answer: B [CORRECT]
Rationale: Foreseeability asks if a reasonable person in the supervisor's position
could have known about the hazard. The judge is questioning if the supervisor
should have foreseen the risk. Preventability (A) asks if they could have stopped
it, and Control (C) asks if they implemented measures. Liability (D) is the legal
outcome, not a factor of due diligence.
Question 4
The company's owner argues that they cannot be found liable because they had a
safety policy in place and a pre-use inspection system. The lawyer for the prosecution
argues that the inspection system was not enforced, and the supervisor regularly
signed off on inspections without actually performing them. According to the due
diligence framework in the figure, which factor is the prosecution challenging?
A) Foreseeability
B) Preventability
C) Control
D) Morality
,2|Page
ACSA NCSO Certification Exam 2026 |
Verified Questions & Answers with Detailed
Rationale | Alberta Construction Safety
Officer Prep
Visual 1 (Refer to this for Questions 1-2)
Table 1: Components of an HSMS
Component Description
Establishes the company's vision and resource allocation for
Policy & Commitment
safety.
Planning Identifies hazards, assesses risks, and sets objectives/targets.
Implementation & Defines roles, responsibilities, training, and operational
Operation controls.
Checking & Corrective Monitors performance through inspections, audits, and
Action incident investigations.
Leadership reviews the system's overall effectiveness and
Management Review
drives continuous improvement.
Question 1
A safety director is presenting to senior leadership about the company's Health and
Safety Management System (HSMS). The director explains that for the system to be
effective, it must follow a structured cycle that allows for continuous improvement
and adaptation to changing conditions. Based on the table above, which component
of the HSMS is responsible for ensuring that the system adapts based on
performance data and changing operational needs?
A) Policy & Commitment
B) Planning
C) Implementation & Operation
D) Management Review
,3|Page
*Correct Answer: D [CORRECT]
Rationale: Management Review is the component where leadership evaluates
the system's performance data and makes decisions to drive continuous
improvement. Policy & Commitment (A) sets the vision but does not adapt the
system. Planning (B) sets initial objectives, and Implementation (C) executes the
plan, but neither is responsible for the overarching review and adaptation
process.
Question 2
During an external audit, the auditor notes that while the company has a detailed
safety policy and conducts regular hazard assessments, there is no formal process for
checking if the controls are actually working or for investigating incidents that do
occur. Which component of the HSMS, as shown in the table, is the company
missing?
A) Policy & Commitment
B) Planning
C) Checking & Corrective Action
D) Implementation & Operation
*Correct Answer: C [CORRECT]
Rationale: The Checking & Corrective Action component includes inspections,
audits, and incident investigations to monitor performance. The company has a
Policy (A) and Planning (B) but has failed to establish the critical monitoring
and corrective action processes. Implementation & Operation (D) executes the
plan, but the issue is with the lack of performance verification.
Visual 2 (Refer to this for Questions 3-4)
Figure 1: The Due Diligence Framework
text
┌──────────────────────────────┐
│ THREE FACTORS OF │
│ DUE DILIGENCE │
└──────────────────────────────┘
│
┌──────────────┼──────────────┐
│ │ │
, 4|Page
▼ ▼ ▼
┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐
│Foreseeability│ │Preventability│ │ Control │
│ (Could I │ │ (Could I │ │ (Did I │
│ have known?)│ │ have stopped │ │ actually │
│ │ │ it from │ │ implement │
│ │ │ happening?) │ │ controls?) │
└─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘
Question 3
A construction company is facing charges after a worker was seriously injured by a
crane that had been operating with a frayed cable. The supervisor claims they did not
know the cable was frayed because the daily inspection checklist was not properly
completed. During the legal proceedings, the judge questions whether the supervisor
should have reasonably known about the risk of cable wear. Based on the figure,
which factor of due diligence is the judge questioning?
A) Preventability
B) Foreseeability
C) Control
D) Liability
*Correct Answer: B [CORRECT]
Rationale: Foreseeability asks if a reasonable person in the supervisor's position
could have known about the hazard. The judge is questioning if the supervisor
should have foreseen the risk. Preventability (A) asks if they could have stopped
it, and Control (C) asks if they implemented measures. Liability (D) is the legal
outcome, not a factor of due diligence.
Question 4
The company's owner argues that they cannot be found liable because they had a
safety policy in place and a pre-use inspection system. The lawyer for the prosecution
argues that the inspection system was not enforced, and the supervisor regularly
signed off on inspections without actually performing them. According to the due
diligence framework in the figure, which factor is the prosecution challenging?
A) Foreseeability
B) Preventability
C) Control
D) Morality
