OSHA 500 LATEST 2026/2027 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔How far away must crane be from any power lines at any one time? - ✔✔Maintain a
minimum distance of at least 10 feet.
✔✔Benching (Benching system): - ✔✔One or a series of horizontal levels or steps,
usually with vertical or near vertical surfaces between levels.
✔✔Excavation: - ✔✔Any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth
surface, formed by earth removal.
✔✔Hazardous atmospheres: - ✔✔An atmosphere which by reason of being explosive,
flammable, poisonous, corrosive, oxidizing, irritating, oxygen deficient, toxic that may
cause death, illness, or injury.
✔✔Shoring (shoring system): - ✔✔A structure such as a metal hydraulic, mechanical or
timber shoring system that supports the sides of an excavation and which is designed to
prevent cave-ins.
✔✔Sloping (Sloping system): - ✔✔A method of protecting employees from cave-ins by
excavating to form sides of an excavation that are inclined away from the excavation so
as to prevent cave-ins.
✔✔Trench: - ✔✔A narrow excavation made below the surface of the ground in which
the depth is greater than the width, with the width not exceeding 15 feet.
✔✔Why are excavations dangerous? - ✔✔o Lack of oxygen—Asphyxiation
o Fire
o Accidental break of underground utility (such as gas, electricity) lines
o Collapse due to moving machinery near the edge of the excavations
o Inhalation of toxic materials
✔✔How can employees be protected from cave-ins? - ✔✔Protective systems include
sloping and benching systems, shield systems and support systems
✔✔What factors should be considered in choosing a protective system during
excavations? - ✔✔o Soil classification
o Depth of cut
o Water content of soil
o Changes due to weather and climate
o Other operations in the vicinity
, ✔✔Keep materials or equipment that might fall or roll into an excavation at least
__________ feet from the edge. - ✔✔2 Feet.
✔✔When must excavations be tested for atmospheric hazards? - ✔✔Excavations
greater than 4 feet in depth
✔✔When should employees not be allowed to work in excavations? - ✔✔Where oxygen
is less than 19.5% or higher than 23.5%
✔✔OSHA standards strictly prohibit ___________ accumulation in excavations where
employees are working. - ✔✔Water.
✔✔What are the types and characteristics of soil? - ✔✔o Type A is a cohesive soil with
an unconfined compressive strength of 1.5 tons per square foot (tsf) or greater.
o Type B is a cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength of more than 0.5
tsf but less than 1.5 tsf.
o Type C is a cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength of 0.5 tsf or less.
✔✔How can you assess the quality of soil at an excavation site? - ✔✔Observe soil as it
is dug up.
✔✔How does cohesive soil respond to manual strength tests? - ✔✔Cohesive soil can
be made to roll into threads without disintegrating.
✔✔Cohesive Soil: - ✔✔Clay, or soil with high clay content which is very durable and
strong.
✔✔Fissured soil: - ✔✔Soil that tends to break up.
✔✔Concrete: - ✔✔A mixture of cement, sand, aggregate, and water in specific
proportions that hardens to a strong stony consistency over varying lengths of time.
✔✔Formwork: - ✔✔The total system of support for freshly placed or partially cured
concrete, including the mold or sheeting (form) that is in contact with the concrete as
well as all supporting members including shores, re-shores, hardware, braces and
related hardware.
✔✔Jack: - ✔✔A portable device that uses a mechanical or hydraulic lifting system to
raise heavy objects.
✔✔Jacking Operation: - ✔✔The task of lifting a slab, or group of slabs, vertically from
one location to another location or to a final location within the structure.
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔How far away must crane be from any power lines at any one time? - ✔✔Maintain a
minimum distance of at least 10 feet.
✔✔Benching (Benching system): - ✔✔One or a series of horizontal levels or steps,
usually with vertical or near vertical surfaces between levels.
✔✔Excavation: - ✔✔Any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth
surface, formed by earth removal.
✔✔Hazardous atmospheres: - ✔✔An atmosphere which by reason of being explosive,
flammable, poisonous, corrosive, oxidizing, irritating, oxygen deficient, toxic that may
cause death, illness, or injury.
✔✔Shoring (shoring system): - ✔✔A structure such as a metal hydraulic, mechanical or
timber shoring system that supports the sides of an excavation and which is designed to
prevent cave-ins.
✔✔Sloping (Sloping system): - ✔✔A method of protecting employees from cave-ins by
excavating to form sides of an excavation that are inclined away from the excavation so
as to prevent cave-ins.
✔✔Trench: - ✔✔A narrow excavation made below the surface of the ground in which
the depth is greater than the width, with the width not exceeding 15 feet.
✔✔Why are excavations dangerous? - ✔✔o Lack of oxygen—Asphyxiation
o Fire
o Accidental break of underground utility (such as gas, electricity) lines
o Collapse due to moving machinery near the edge of the excavations
o Inhalation of toxic materials
✔✔How can employees be protected from cave-ins? - ✔✔Protective systems include
sloping and benching systems, shield systems and support systems
✔✔What factors should be considered in choosing a protective system during
excavations? - ✔✔o Soil classification
o Depth of cut
o Water content of soil
o Changes due to weather and climate
o Other operations in the vicinity
, ✔✔Keep materials or equipment that might fall or roll into an excavation at least
__________ feet from the edge. - ✔✔2 Feet.
✔✔When must excavations be tested for atmospheric hazards? - ✔✔Excavations
greater than 4 feet in depth
✔✔When should employees not be allowed to work in excavations? - ✔✔Where oxygen
is less than 19.5% or higher than 23.5%
✔✔OSHA standards strictly prohibit ___________ accumulation in excavations where
employees are working. - ✔✔Water.
✔✔What are the types and characteristics of soil? - ✔✔o Type A is a cohesive soil with
an unconfined compressive strength of 1.5 tons per square foot (tsf) or greater.
o Type B is a cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength of more than 0.5
tsf but less than 1.5 tsf.
o Type C is a cohesive soil with an unconfined compressive strength of 0.5 tsf or less.
✔✔How can you assess the quality of soil at an excavation site? - ✔✔Observe soil as it
is dug up.
✔✔How does cohesive soil respond to manual strength tests? - ✔✔Cohesive soil can
be made to roll into threads without disintegrating.
✔✔Cohesive Soil: - ✔✔Clay, or soil with high clay content which is very durable and
strong.
✔✔Fissured soil: - ✔✔Soil that tends to break up.
✔✔Concrete: - ✔✔A mixture of cement, sand, aggregate, and water in specific
proportions that hardens to a strong stony consistency over varying lengths of time.
✔✔Formwork: - ✔✔The total system of support for freshly placed or partially cured
concrete, including the mold or sheeting (form) that is in contact with the concrete as
well as all supporting members including shores, re-shores, hardware, braces and
related hardware.
✔✔Jack: - ✔✔A portable device that uses a mechanical or hydraulic lifting system to
raise heavy objects.
✔✔Jacking Operation: - ✔✔The task of lifting a slab, or group of slabs, vertically from
one location to another location or to a final location within the structure.
