Safety Practices and Procedures
What the exam expects
Safety questions test whether you can identify the hazard, name the control, and choose the correct sequence of action. Expect the hierarchy of controls to appear: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, then personal protective equipment. PPE is the last line of defense, so an answer that relies on PPE when an engineering control is available is usually wrong.
Core concepts to master
Lockout/tagout and verification of zero energy, confined-space entry with atmospheric testing before and during entry, fall protection thresholds and anchorage, hazardous-energy and arc-flash boundaries, chemical labeling and safety data sheets, and emergency response roles. Also know gas-cylinder handling, ventilation requirements, and the difference between an incident, a near miss, and a first-aid case.
Traps that appear in questions
The most common trap is the order of steps. Atmospheric testing must precede ventilation decisions in some scenarios and follow purging in others; read carefully. Another trap is confusing a competent person with a qualified person, or an authorized entrant with an attendant. Questions also bait you with "the worker refused, so discipline them" answers when the correct response is to stop work and correct the hazard. Watch for scenarios where a rescue plan is assumed but never stated; a permit-required confined space without rescue provisions is a violation regardless of testing results.
Rule of thumb
If a question describes an uncontrolled hazard and offers both "continue with extra caution" and "stop and correct," the answer is stop and correct.
Worked example
A crew finds a previously unidentified energized conductor in a work area. The correct sequence is to stop work, secure the area, de-energize and verify absence of voltage with lockout applied, and only then resume under a revised plan. Testing with a meter while working live is not an acceptable substitute.