Safety, Tools, and General Knowledge
Domain overview
Safety, Tools, and General Knowledge tests the jobsite judgment a journeyman needs: PPE, trenching, confined spaces, soldering and brazing, power-tool use, lifting, and safe work around gas and electricity. The exam expects practical safety rules, not slogans.
Core rules
- Wear eye protection when cutting, soldering, or using power tools; use gloves and hearing protection where the task requires them.
- Trenches 5 feet deep or more need a protective system, and a ladder must be within 25 feet of lateral travel. Keep spoil piles and materials at least 2 feet from the edge.
- Treat sewers, vaults, and tanks as confined spaces until tested; use ventilation, a monitor, an attendant, and rescue equipment.
- Before soldering, remove water, protect combustibles, and use a proper heat shield; after brazing or soldering, pressure-test and check for leaks.
- Use the right tool for the pipe material: tubing cutters for copper, a soil-pipe cutter or saw for plastic, and a proper wrench on gas connections. Never use a hammer to seat a fitting.
Worked example
A crew is replacing a sewer line in a 6 foot deep trench in Type C soil. The foreman must provide a protective system: slope the sides to at least 1.5:1, shore the trench, or use a trench box. A ladder is needed within 25 feet of the workers, and the spoil pile must be set back at least 2 feet. The reason is that a 6 foot trench is already a cave-in hazard; the 5 foot trigger means no worker enters without protection.
Traps
Do not trust "it looks solid." Do not use a ladder as a trench slope. Do not solder near an open gas valve or use a torch without a fire watch. Do not assume a confined-space entry is safe because it "smells fine."