Working at Heights: Fall distance, clearance and swing falls

All 16 questions in this test

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

1. When using an automatic rope grab, what lanyard length does WorkSafeBC recommend?

   1. Any length at all
   2. 6 metres (20 ft)
   3. 0.6 metres (2 ft)
   4. 3 metres (10 ft)

2. Why must a worker hanging in a harness after a fall be rescued promptly?

   1. Hanging in a harness can affect the body, and self-rescue may fail
   2. Because the lanyard must be returned to the supplier the same day
   3. Because the shock absorber will keep stretching until the worker lands
   4. Because the harness will automatically release the worker after a few minutes

3. What does "bottoming out" mean in fall protection?

   1. Hitting the ground or a lower level before the fall is stopped
   2. Reaching the bottom rung of a ladder safely and slowly
   3. Running out of rope on a reel during a slow, controlled descent
   4. Setting a ladder's feet on the ground at the right angle

4. What is the pendulum (swing-fall) effect?

   1. Rocking a ladder back and forth to free a stuck foot
   2. The motion of a crane hook when a load is lifted quickly
   3. Bouncing up and down on a shock absorber after the fall has stopped
   4. Swinging into an obstruction after falling from an offset anchor

5. Which Ontario system limits free fall to no more than 0.6 m?

   1. A fall restricting system
   2. A safety net under the work
   3. A guardrail
   4. A safety belt alone

6. Why must workers be able to calculate total fall distance and clearance?

   1. So a fall is stopped before they hit the ground or an object
   2. To decide how fast they can work while at heights
   3. To estimate how long the shift will take to finish
   4. To work out how much rope to buy for the next project on the list

7. Which tool is used in training to reduce fall distance on vertical work, such as near ladders?

   1. A longer lanyard with no shock absorber attached
   2. A rope tied around the waist
   3. A safety belt worn backwards
   4. A fall arrester (rope grab) on a vertical lifeline

8. Why does Ontario limit the peak fall arrest force on a worker to 8 kN?

   1. To keep the anchor from moving at all in a fall
   2. To make the lanyard last longer
   3. To allow longer free falls
   4. To limit the force on the body when the fall is stopped

9. There is not enough clearance below for a shock absorber to deploy fully. What does Ontario's regulation say?

   1. Tie a knot in the lanyard to shorten the shock absorber
   2. Do not use a shock absorber that could make the worker hit below
   3. Use two shock absorbers joined together for extra protection below
   4. Ignore the clearance, since shock absorbers are always required

10. How long does it take to fall about 5 metres?

    1. About thirty seconds
    2. About ten seconds
    3. About one minute
    4. About one second

11. When moving between anchor points, what must a worker do?

    1. Stay tied off at all times, for example with a second lanyard
    2. Unhook completely and walk quickly to the next anchor
    3. Ask a co-worker to hold the lanyard in their hands
    4. Hold onto the guardrail instead of using any lanyard at all

12. Which three conditions does working at heights training ask learners to define and explain?

    1. Bottoming out, the pendulum effect and harness suspension
    2. Ladder slip, scaffold tip-over and crane tip-over on site
    3. Noise, dust and vibration on a roof
    4. Wind chill, heat stress and frostbite at heights

13. WorkSafeBC recommends limiting free fall in a fall arrest system to no more than how far?

    1. 0.1 metres
    2. 1.2 metres
    3. 3 metres
    4. 6 metres

14. An anchor is directly overhead rather than off to the side. What risk does this reduce?

    1. The need for any rescue plan
    2. The weight of the lanyard
    3. The need to inspect the harness first
    4. The pendulum (swing-fall) effect

15. Why should a lanyard be kept as short as practical?

    1. To make it lighter to carry around the site
    2. So it fits in a smaller storage bag
    3. So more workers can share it at once
    4. To reduce how far the worker can fall

16. When calculating clearance below, why must the shock absorber be included?

    1. It shortens the lanyard by pulling the worker back upward
    2. It can extend up to about 1.2 m as it absorbs the fall
    3. It weighs enough to change the worker's fall path
    4. It has no effect on how far the worker drops