An employee working near an unguarded floor opening measuring 30 inches by 18 inches falls through and is injured. What OSHA violation has occurred?
Correct Answer
B) Failure to guard floor opening over 12 inches
OSHA requires floor openings with a minimum dimension of 12 inches or more to be guarded by covers or guardrails. Since this opening is 30 inches by 18 inches, it should have been properly guarded to prevent falls.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(14) specifically requires that floor holes with a minimum dimension of 12 inches or more must be guarded by covers or guardrail systems. The opening in question measures 30 inches by 18 inches, which exceeds the 12-inch threshold in both dimensions. Since the opening was unguarded and an employee fell through it, this constitutes a clear violation of the floor opening protection requirements. The contractor failed to implement proper guarding measures as mandated by OSHA regulations.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option C: Inadequate personal protective equipment
The 6-foot fall protection rule applies to walking/working surfaces and edges, not floor openings. Floor openings have their own specific requirements based on size (12 inches minimum dimension) rather than height above ground.
Option D: Improper scaffold construction
While PPE might be relevant in some fall protection scenarios, the primary violation here is the failure to guard the floor opening itself. Personal protective equipment would not be the primary safeguard required for floor openings of this size.
Memory Technique
Think 'Dozen Danger' - any floor opening 12 inches (a dozen) or larger in any dimension is dangerous and must be guarded.
Reference Hint
OSHA Construction Standards 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(14) - Fall Protection, Floor Holes and Openings
More Project Mgmt Questions
What is the minimum R-value required for wall insulation in Florida Climate Zone 2?
A subcontractor brings a new chemical product to your jobsite. Under the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), what information must be immediately available to workers?
A construction site has a trench that is 8 feet deep in Type B soil. What is the maximum allowable slope ratio for the trench walls without protective systems?
What is the maximum recommended spacing between drywall screws when attaching to wood studs?
Your crew discovers suspected asbestos-containing materials during a renovation project. What is the first action you should take?
A scaffold platform is 12 feet long and 5 feet wide. If the maximum load capacity is 25 pounds per square foot, what is the total weight capacity of this platform?
Which CSI MasterFormat Division would contain specifications for fire-stopping and firesafing materials?
In tilt-up concrete construction, what is the primary advantage of this method over conventional cast-in-place construction?
Which OSHA standard specifically addresses construction industry safety and health regulations?
A structural drawing shows a beam labeled 'W12x26'. What does the '26' represent?
People Also Study
Business & Financial Management
120 questions · 70% to pass
Contract Administration
60 questions · 70% to pass