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Massachusetts Construction Supervisor
License (CSL) Practice Exam Questions
and Correct Answers with Rationales
You are about to begin the construction of an attached single car garage . The
building official may require you to notify him of such before the start of
work.
A. seven business days
B. one business day
C. 48 hours
D. 72 hours
ANSWER: B. one business day
How many types of construction are there ?
A. 5
B. 6
C9
D. 10
ANSWER: A. 5
What is the minimum height of the red or green letters on externally
illuminated " EXIT " signs , in inches ?
A. 4
B. 5
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C. 6
D. 8
ANSWER: C. 6
A building four stories high , greater than 30 feet from the closest building ,
equipped with an automatic sprinkler system , and constructed with two hour
rated exterior bearing walls and an un - rated wood floor system , housing a
bank shall be classified as what type of construction
A. IIA
B. IV
C. IIIA
D. IIIB
ANSWER: D. IIIB
A wall has a two hour fire rating . What is the minimum opening protective
assembly rating that can be used in that wall , in hours ?
A. 1-1/2
B. 2
C. 1
D. 3
ANSWER: A. 1-1/2
Motels where the occupants are primarily transient in nature are a place
where you stay less than
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A. 30 days
B. 60 days
C. 90 days
D. 180 days
ANSWER: A. 30 days
How far may handrails project into a passageway, aisle, ramp, corridor, or
stair width?
A. 3-1/2 inches
B. 4 inches
C. 5 inches
D. 4-1/2 inches
ANSWER: D. 4-1/2 inches
Manual fire alarm boxes must be at least _____ inches , but not more than
_____ inches to the activating handle or lever above the finished floor
A. 36 " , 48 "
B. 36 " , 54 "
C. 42 " , 48 "
D. 42 " , 54
ANSWER: C. 42 " , 48 "
A two story high school building constructed on a concrete slab requires a
sprinkler system when ________.
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A. The occupancy of the building is 300 or greater
B. The fire area in the building is greater than 12,000 ft²
C. The area of the building is greater than 12,000 ft²
D. All of the above
ANSWER: B. The fire area in the building is greater than 12,000 ft²
What is the use group of a building that is used for a restaurant and seats no
more than 40 people?
A. Assembly Group A - 1
B. Assembly Group A - 2
C. Business Group B
D. Mercantile Group M
ANSWER: C. Business Group B
How long do automatic closing doors in fire rated walls and doors to corridors
have to begin closing after the smoke detector is actuated?
A. ten seconds
B. 30 seconds
C. five seconds
D. not after, but at the time the detector is actuated
ANSWER: A. ten seconds
Automatic sprinkler systems are required throughout buildings whose area is
greater than 5000 square feet and/or occupancy load is 50 or greater , when
Massachusetts Construction Supervisor
License (CSL) Practice Exam Questions
and Correct Answers with Rationales
You are about to begin the construction of an attached single car garage . The
building official may require you to notify him of such before the start of
work.
A. seven business days
B. one business day
C. 48 hours
D. 72 hours
ANSWER: B. one business day
How many types of construction are there ?
A. 5
B. 6
C9
D. 10
ANSWER: A. 5
What is the minimum height of the red or green letters on externally
illuminated " EXIT " signs , in inches ?
A. 4
B. 5
,2|Page
C. 6
D. 8
ANSWER: C. 6
A building four stories high , greater than 30 feet from the closest building ,
equipped with an automatic sprinkler system , and constructed with two hour
rated exterior bearing walls and an un - rated wood floor system , housing a
bank shall be classified as what type of construction
A. IIA
B. IV
C. IIIA
D. IIIB
ANSWER: D. IIIB
A wall has a two hour fire rating . What is the minimum opening protective
assembly rating that can be used in that wall , in hours ?
A. 1-1/2
B. 2
C. 1
D. 3
ANSWER: A. 1-1/2
Motels where the occupants are primarily transient in nature are a place
where you stay less than
,3|Page
A. 30 days
B. 60 days
C. 90 days
D. 180 days
ANSWER: A. 30 days
How far may handrails project into a passageway, aisle, ramp, corridor, or
stair width?
A. 3-1/2 inches
B. 4 inches
C. 5 inches
D. 4-1/2 inches
ANSWER: D. 4-1/2 inches
Manual fire alarm boxes must be at least _____ inches , but not more than
_____ inches to the activating handle or lever above the finished floor
A. 36 " , 48 "
B. 36 " , 54 "
C. 42 " , 48 "
D. 42 " , 54
ANSWER: C. 42 " , 48 "
A two story high school building constructed on a concrete slab requires a
sprinkler system when ________.
, 4|Page
A. The occupancy of the building is 300 or greater
B. The fire area in the building is greater than 12,000 ft²
C. The area of the building is greater than 12,000 ft²
D. All of the above
ANSWER: B. The fire area in the building is greater than 12,000 ft²
What is the use group of a building that is used for a restaurant and seats no
more than 40 people?
A. Assembly Group A - 1
B. Assembly Group A - 2
C. Business Group B
D. Mercantile Group M
ANSWER: C. Business Group B
How long do automatic closing doors in fire rated walls and doors to corridors
have to begin closing after the smoke detector is actuated?
A. ten seconds
B. 30 seconds
C. five seconds
D. not after, but at the time the detector is actuated
ANSWER: A. ten seconds
Automatic sprinkler systems are required throughout buildings whose area is
greater than 5000 square feet and/or occupancy load is 50 or greater , when
