Confined Space Mock Exam 1

All 40 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

1. A combustible gas meter calibrated with pentane is used where methane may be present. What should the user know?

   1. It cannot detect methane at all, so it must never be used in that space
   2. It only works if the space also contains some pentane
   3. It reads every combustible gas exactly the same way as pentane
   4. It reads methane differently, so results need careful interpretation

2. Must every brief step out of the space to grab a nearby tool be logged as an exit?

   1. No; the method of recording is set in the employer's program
   2. No, because entries and exits are never recorded at all
   3. Yes, and the whole permit must be rewritten each time
   4. Yes, and the worker must also be re-checked by a doctor each time

3. Which task is part of the attendant's assistance role in Ontario's guideline?

   1. Passing in fresh-air packs and other protective equipment
   2. Doing the hot work inside so the entrants do not have to
   3. Signing the workers' timesheets at the end of the day
   4. Moving the company vehicles parked near the hatch

4. What minimum manhole diameter does the Ontario guideline recommend for safe entry?

   1. 24 inches
   2. 48 inches
   3. 12 inches
   4. 16 inches

5. Besides entrants, who else needs confined space training under Ontario's guidance?

   1. Attendants and rescue workers
   2. Visitors who pass by the site
   3. Nobody else needs any training
   4. Only the company's accountants

6. A steel tank has been sealed for months and its walls are rusting. What hazard may have developed?

   1. Explosive dust, because rust floats in the air
   2. No hazard, because rust is a harmless solid
   3. Oxygen enrichment, because rusting releases oxygen
   4. Oxygen deficiency, because rusting uses up oxygen

7. What is the difference between purging and ventilating a confined space?

   1. Purging adds pure oxygen to the space; ventilating removes all of the oxygen
   2. Purging is done after the work ends; ventilating is only done before entry
   3. There is no difference; both words describe opening the hatch for a while
   4. Purging displaces contaminants; ventilating keeps fresh air flowing

8. What is required of the rescue equipment named in the plan?

   1. Readily available, suitable for the space, and inspected
   2. Shared with other sites, wherever it is needed
   3. Bought new for each entry and thrown away after
   4. Stored at head office, to keep it safe, clean and dry

9. Unless a competent person has decided otherwise after a risk assessment, how should a confined space be treated?

   1. As safe if it was safe yesterday
   2. As safe once the lid is open
   3. As hazardous
   4. As safe if it smells normal

10. Outside construction projects, who must the employer consult when developing the confined space program?

    1. The joint health and safety committee or the representative
    2. Only the workers who volunteered for confined space entries
    3. The local fire department's public education office
    4. The supplier who sold the gas monitors and ventilation fans

11. Which is an example of substitution as a confined space control?

    1. Writing an entry permit for each entry
    2. Running a blower to ventilate the space
    3. Wearing a respirator while doing the hot work
    4. Using a cold work method instead of hot work

12. Besides the 5 % LEL limit, which condition must be met for hot work in a space that may contain flammable gas?

    1. The space is tested once a week only
    2. The oxygen level is raised above 23 %
    3. The atmosphere is continuously monitored
    4. The welder works alone with no attendant

13. What is a double block and bleed system?

    1. Two pipes joined with a hose so any leak bleeds into a drum
    2. A blank plate fitted with two drain holes drilled through it
    3. Two closed, locked-out valves with a vent locked open between them
    4. One valve closed twice over to be sure it stays shut during the work

14. In confined space work, which control is mechanical ventilation an example of?

    1. An engineering control
    2. Personal protective equipment
    3. An administrative control
    4. Elimination of the hazard

15. Your gas monitor alarms while you are working inside a confined space. What should you do?

    1. Leave the space immediately
    2. Turn the monitor off and on
    3. Move deeper into the space
    4. Finish the task, then leave

16. In Ontario, what must be in place before any worker enters a confined space?

    1. Written on-site rescue procedures ready for immediate use
    2. A promise from the supervisor to call 911 if anything happens
    3. The phone number of the nearest hospital posted at the hatch
    4. A list of workers who volunteered to go in if needed

17. For hot work in Ontario, flammable gas or vapour must be below what level?

    1. 25 per cent of the LEL
    2. 10 per cent of the LEL
    3. 5 per cent of the LEL
    4. 50 per cent of the LEL

18. How should a ventilation-failure alarm ideally be triggered?

    1. By the attendant checking the fan's colour
    2. By a flow or pressure switch in the air stream
    3. By the fan motor's own power switch only
    4. By a kitchen timer that rings once every hour

19. In B.C., where must non-continuous confined space test results be posted?

    1. At all points of entry to the confined space
    2. Only in the head office filing cabinet, not on site
    3. Nowhere; results are kept by the tester
    4. On the company website within a week

20. What must the employer provide each worker who enters a confined space?

    1. A bonus for each hour the worker spends inside the space
    2. Adequate PPE, clothing and devices under the plan
    3. A written promise that nothing will go wrong
    4. A personal gas monitor bought by the worker

21. Does every guarded piece of equipment inside a confined space have to be de-energized?

    1. Yes, but only on weekends and holidays
    2. Not always; only if it could endanger a worker
    3. Yes, every piece, even a guarded light inside
    4. No, nothing inside ever needs de-energizing

22. In B.C., how close to entry must pre-entry atmospheric testing be completed?

    1. Not more than one week before the job begins
    2. Not more than 24 hours before a worker enters
    3. Not more than 20 minutes before a worker enters
    4. Any time during the same calendar month

23. Ontario rescue persons must be trained in which three areas?

    1. Fire inspection, building codes and electrical design work
    2. Rescue procedures, first aid and CPR, and the rescue equipment
    3. Welding, forklift driving and crane hand signals used on the site
    4. Accounting, payroll and the company's sales procedures

24. Outside construction projects, how long must confined space records such as permits and test results be kept in Ontario?

    1. Ten years, in a sealed box sent to the ministry office
    2. Only until the next entry permit is issued for the space
    3. 30 days after the work ends, then they must be shredded
    4. One year, or longer to keep the two latest of each kind

25. How often should a confined space program be reviewed, at minimum?

    1. Every five years, unless a worker is seriously hurt
    2. Only when the workplace changes its ownership
    3. Only once, when it is first written by the employer
    4. At least once a year, and whenever circumstances change

26. A space normally has a gas hazard, but fans run continuously to control it. Is it still a confined space?

    1. No; once the ventilation runs, the regulation stops applying to it
    2. No; only spaces without any fans are covered by the regulation
    3. Yes, but only on days when the fans are shut down for repair
    4. Yes; controlling a hazard does not eliminate the possibility of it

27. Does Ontario law require the entry permit to be posted at the entrance?

    1. No, and workers do not need to know where the permit is
    2. No, but everyone involved must know where it is
    3. Yes, and a second copy must be mailed to the ministry
    4. Yes, it must be nailed to the hatch or the permit is invalid

28. When may a worker enter a space containing airborne combustible dust at a level that could explode?

    1. Any time, if the worker only uses hand tools and moves slowly
    2. Not at all, unless it is inerted and other conditions are met
    3. Any time, as long as the worker wears a dust mask and safety glasses
    4. Only during the day, when lighting inside is better for seeing

29. How often must the hazard assessment be reviewed in Ontario?

    1. Only every ten years by an engineer
    2. As often as needed to keep the plan adequate
    3. Never, once it has been signed and dated by someone
    4. Only when the space is painted again

30. A space has been made inert. What must entrants use?

    1. Only a hard hat and safety glasses, since inert gas is harmless to people
    2. Nothing special, since an inert space cannot catch fire or explode
    3. Respiratory protection and equipment that allows rescue from outside
    4. Only a flashlight, so they can see where the inert gas is collecting

31. What is blanking?

    1. Painting a pipe white so it is easy to see from the hatch
    2. Inserting a solid metal plate between two pipe flanges
    3. Turning a valve handle a quarter turn closed
    4. Wrapping a pipe in tape to stop small leaks

32. What kind of instruments must be used for atmospheric testing in Ontario?

    1. Instruments borrowed from another site, without checking calibration
    2. The cheapest available meter, since all meters read the same gases
    3. Calibrated instruments in good working order, suited to the hazards
    4. Any instrument, as long as it was bought within the last ten years

33. About how much oxygen does normal outdoor air contain?

    1. About 78 per cent
    2. About 21 per cent
    3. About 16 per cent
    4. About 50 per cent

34. A single isolating valve is the only barrier against a poisonous gas line. What does the guideline say?

    1. It is adequate, if the valve was tested last year by the maker
    2. It is adequate, as long as the attendant watches the valve
    3. It is not adequate; something like a double block and bleed may be
    4. It is adequate, as long as the valve is painted bright red and tagged

35. Why is mechanical ventilation usually needed instead of relying on natural air currents?

    1. Mechanical fans always add oxygen-rich air from compressed tanks
    2. Fans make the space quieter so workers can talk better
    3. Natural air currents are usually unreliable and insufficient
    4. Natural air currents are banned by every province's law

36. While a permit is in force, who must be able to get at it readily?

    1. Only the ministry inspector, by request
    2. Only the attendant, who keeps it locked away
    3. Everyone who enters or does related work
    4. Only the company president at head office

37. Why must the size of the space's openings be considered when choosing rescue equipment?

    1. Larger openings require more expensive equipment to be purchased
    2. Small openings mean that no rescue equipment is needed at all
    3. Opening size only matters for the paperwork, not the rescue
    4. Equipment and rescuers must fit through the entry and exit points

38. Which is a common cause of oxygen enrichment in a confined space?

    1. Nitrogen used to purge the space earlier
    2. Rust forming on the inside walls of a tank
    3. Decaying leaves at the bottom of a pit
    4. A leaking oxygen line or welding equipment

39. Must every member of an Ontario rescue team have all three kinds of rescue training?

    1. Yes, and each must also be a licensed nurse
    2. No, as long as the team as a whole has them
    3. No, training is optional for rescue workers
    4. Yes, each person must hold every certificate

40. Under what condition can a trench or ditch be a confined space?

    1. When access or exit is limited
    2. Never, because it is open to the sky
    3. Only when it is under a building
    4. Only when it is filled with water