Free NASCLA Practice Test: 50 Questions With Answers

Answer: A. A guardrail system, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system

Any unprotected side or edge 6 feet or more above a lower level needs a guardrail, safety net, or personal fall arrest system. A safety monitor by itself is only an option for roofing work on low-slope roofs 50 feet wide or less, so it doesn't fit a deck. Hard hats protect against falling objects, not falls. Ten feet is the scaffold trigger, a separate rule.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1); compare 1926.501(b)(10) and 1926.451(g)(1).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.501 (eCFR); 29 CFR 1926.451 (eCFR)
Content area: General Requirements · Fall protection trigger height

Answer: B. $96,000

Markup is applied to cost: $80,000 × 1.20 = $96,000. $100,000 is what you'd charge for a 20% gross margin ($80,000 ÷ 0.80), which is a different calculation (see the margin question later in this set). $64,000 subtracts 20% instead of adding it. $116,000 adds the markup twice.

Look it up: Calculation. Price = cost × (1 + markup).
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Markup on cost

Answer: D. A protective system such as sloping, benching, shoring, or a shield

Every employee in an excavation must be protected from cave-ins unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock, or it is less than 5 feet deep and a competent person finds no sign of a potential cave-in. At 6 feet, the competent person's finding doesn't remove the requirement. OSHA sets no 10-foot or one-hour threshold.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.652 (eCFR)
Content area: Site Construction · Trench protective systems

Answer: C. 15 feet

Subpart R requires protection for steel erection workers on surfaces with an unprotected edge more than 15 feet above a lower level. Six feet is the general construction trigger in Subpart M, and 10 feet is the scaffold trigger. Thirty feet (or two stories, whichever is less) is the connector rule, which this worker is not covered by.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.760(a)(1) and (b)(1).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.760 (eCFR)
Content area: Metals · Steel erection fall protection

Answer: B. 23.5 cubic yards

Convert thickness to feet first: 6 in = 0.5 ft. Volume = 40 × 30 × 0.5 = 600 cubic feet. One cubic yard is 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet, so 600 ÷ 27 = 22.22 cubic yards. Add waste: 22.22 × 1.05 = 23.33, which rounds up to 23.5. 22.0 drops the waste and rounds down. 24.5 uses 10% waste (24.44, rounded up). 267 comes from using 6 instead of 0.5 for the thickness (7,200 ÷ 27 = 266.7).

Look it up: Calculation. A yard is 3 feet (NIST lists the foot as 0.3048 m and the yard as 0.9144 m), so a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet.
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Source: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8
Content area: Concrete · Concrete quantity

Answer: C. 42 inches, plus or minus 3 inches

The top rail must be 42 inches, plus or minus 3 inches, above the walking/working level. It can go above 45 inches when conditions warrant, if the system meets the other criteria. 39 inches is the lowest the top edge may deflect under the 200-pound test load, not the installed height. Scaffold guardrails follow their own range (38 to 45 inches for newer supported scaffolds).

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.502(b)(1) and (b)(4); compare 1926.451(g)(4)(ii).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.502 (eCFR); 29 CFR 1926.451 (eCFR)
Content area: General Requirements · Guardrail height

Answer: B. $1,470

Federal overtime is owed for hours over 40 in a workweek at no less than 1½ times the regular rate. 40 × $30 = $1,200, and 6 × $45 = $270, for $1,470. $1,380 pays all 46 hours at straight time. $1,560 pays the 6 overtime hours at double time. $2,070 pays every hour at time and a half. Some states add daily overtime rules; this question is federal only.

Look it up: 29 CFR 778.101 and 778.107.
Reference status: Not on PSI's reference list: federal rule (29 CFR Part 778).
Source: 29 CFR 778.101 (eCFR); 29 CFR 778.107 (eCFR)
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Overtime pay

Answer: C. 1½ horizontal to 1 vertical

Type C soil allows a maximum slope of 1½:1 (H:V), the flattest of the three soil types. ¾:1 is the Type A maximum, and 1:1 is Type B. 2:1 is flatter than required; it is allowed but it isn't the maximum allowable slope. If you don't classify the soil at all, OSHA's first sloping option also defaults to 1½:1.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, Appendix B, Figure B-1; 1926.652(b)(1)(i).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, Appendix B (eCFR); 29 CFR 1926.652 (eCFR)
Content area: Site Construction · Soil type and slope

Answer: B. 16 feet, on the unscaffolded side

The limited access zone equals the wall height plus 4 feet (12 + 4 = 16 feet), runs the full length of the wall, and goes on the unscaffolded side, where a falling wall would land with no one working there. It must be set up before the wall is started, and only the crew building the wall may enter it.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.706(a)(1) through (a)(4).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.706 (eCFR)
Content area: Masonry · Limited access zone

Answer: D. A guardrail system or a personal fall arrest system

Employees on a scaffold more than 10 feet above a lower level must be protected from falling. For scaffolds without their own specific rule, that means personal fall arrest systems or guardrail systems. Fifteen feet is the steel erection trigger. Toeboards and hard hats address falling objects, not falls. Safety monitors are a roofing option, not a scaffold option.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.451(g)(1) and (g)(1)(vii).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.451 (eCFR)
Content area: General Requirements · Scaffold fall protection

Answer: C. 24

Convert to inches: 30 ft × 12 = 360 in. 360 ÷ 16 = 22.5 spaces, which rounds up to 23 spaces so the last stud lands at the end of the wall. Studs = spaces + 1 = 24. 23 forgets the starting stud. 22 drops the partial space. 30 assumes one stud per foot.

Look it up: Calculation. Members = (length ÷ spacing, rounded up) + 1.
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Content area: Wood · Stud count

Answer: A. $45,000

Earned to date less retainage: $150,000 × 0.90 = $135,000. Subtract what you've already been paid: $135,000 − $90,000 = $45,000. $60,000 ignores retainage. $54,000 treats the $60,000 difference as this period's work and holds 10% of it, which double-counts. $135,000 is the total earned to date, not this payment.

Look it up: Calculation. Payment due = (work completed to date × (1 − retainage)) − previous payments.
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Retainage

Answer: A. Approved ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs)

Employers must use either GFCIs or an assured equipment grounding conductor program. Without the program, all 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles not part of the permanent wiring and in use by employees need approved GFCIs. Weekly cord inspection isn't an alternative; the assured program itself requires daily visual inspection plus testing. The rule covers 20-ampere receptacles too, indoors or out.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.404(b)(1)(i) and (ii).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.404 (eCFR)
Content area: Electrical Systems · Ground-fault protection on jobsites

Answer: C. 27

A roofing square covers 100 square feet. 2,400 ÷ 100 = 24 squares. Add waste: 24 × 1.10 = 26.4, and you can't order 0.4 of a square, so order 27. 24 skips the waste. 26 rounds down and leaves you short. 264 multiplies by 1.10 but forgets to divide by 100.

Look it up: Calculation. Squares = area ÷ 100, plus waste, rounded up.
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Content area: Thermal and Moisture Protection · Roofing squares

Answer: A. 6 feet; 3.5 feet

A personal fall arrest system must keep free fall to 6 feet or less, stop the worker without contacting any lower level, and limit deceleration distance to 3.5 feet. Two feet is the free-fall limit for positioning device systems, a different system. The other pairs aren't OSHA figures.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(16)(iii) and (iv); compare 1926.502(e)(1).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.502 (eCFR)
Content area: General Requirements · Personal fall arrest limits

Answer: B. 5 tons

One ton of refrigeration is 12,000 Btu per hour. 60,000 ÷ 12,000 = 5 tons. 6 tons comes from dividing by 10,000. 3 tons divides by 20,000. 12 tons confuses the 12,000 figure with the answer.

Look it up: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.9 (heat flow rate): ton of refrigeration = 12,000 Btu/h.
Reference status: Calculation using a standard conversion (NIST).
Source: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.9
Content area: Mechanical and Plumbing Systems · Cooling capacity in tons

Answer: D. 2.0

Debt-to-equity = total liabilities ÷ equity = $400,000 ÷ $200,000 = 2.0. The company carries $2 of debt for every $1 of owner investment. 0.5 flips the fraction. 1.0 and 1.5 don't come from these two numbers.

Look it up: SEC Beginners' Guide to Financial Statements, "Financial Statement Ratios and Calculations."
Reference status: Calculation; formula from the SEC's guide to financial statements.
Source: SEC, Beginners' Guide to Financial Statements
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Debt-to-equity ratio

Answer: B. No more than 25 feet

Trenches 4 feet or more deep need a safe means of egress located so employees travel no more than 25 feet laterally. Don't mix up the two depth triggers: egress starts at 4 feet, while protective systems start at 5 feet (unless the soil exception applies).

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.651(c)(2); compare 1926.652(a)(1).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.651 (eCFR); 29 CFR 1926.652 (eCFR)
Content area: Site Construction · Trench egress

Answer: D. Guarding the bars to eliminate the hazard of impalement

All protruding reinforcing steel that employees could fall onto or into must be guarded to eliminate the impalement hazard. The rule has no height or bar-length threshold. Paint or flagging makes bars visible but doesn't eliminate impalement, which is what the standard requires.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.701(b).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.701 (eCFR)
Content area: Concrete · Protruding reinforcing steel

Answer: A. A guardrail system, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system

The wall-opening rule applies where the outside bottom edge is 6 feet or more above the lower level and the inside bottom edge is less than 39 inches above the walking surface. A 30-inch sill is under 39 inches, so a guardrail, safety net, or personal fall arrest system is required. Warning lines are a low-slope roofing tool, and the rule doesn't wait for frames.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(14).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.501 (eCFR)
Content area: Doors, Windows, and Glazing · Wall openings during construction

Answer: A. 3 feet

The side rails must extend at least 3 feet above the upper landing. If the ladder is too short, it must be secured at the top to a rigid support and a grasping device such as a grab rail provided. The other heights aren't the OSHA figure.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.1053 (eCFR)
Content area: General Requirements · Ladder extension

Answer: A. $130,000

Working capital = current assets − current liabilities = $350,000 − $220,000 = $130,000. It's the money left if the company paid its debts due within a year from its current assets. $570,000 adds instead of subtracting. 1.59 divides the two figures, which gives a ratio, not working capital. $220,000 is just the liabilities.

Look it up: SEC Beginners' Guide to Financial Statements, "Working Capital."
Reference status: Calculation; formula from the SEC's guide to financial statements.
Source: SEC, Beginners' Guide to Financial Statements
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Working capital

Answer: D. Two stories or 30 feet, whichever is less

Connectors must be protected from fall hazards of more than two stories or 30 feet, whichever is less. At heights over 15 feet and up to that connector threshold, they must be provided with a complete personal fall arrest system or other permitted protection and wear the equipment needed to be tied off. 'Whichever is greater' would allow a higher unprotected exposure than the rule does.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.760(b)(1) and (b)(3).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.760 (eCFR)
Content area: Metals · Connectors

Answer: D. Yes, construction disturbing 1 acre or more needs coverage

Construction that disturbs at least 1 acre and less than 5 acres is "small construction activity," which needs permit coverage. Five acres or more is covered under the larger category. Permitting authorities can grant waivers in limited cases (for example, a low rainfall erosivity factor), and many states run their own NPDES programs, so the permit itself may come from your state. No 100-foot or public-owner rule applies.

Look it up: 40 CFR 122.26(b)(14)(x) and (b)(15)(i).
Reference status: Not on PSI's reference list as a rule; the listed EPA SWPPP guide covers stormwater plans. Rule: 40 CFR 122.26.
Source: 40 CFR 122.26 (eCFR)
Content area: Site Construction · Stormwater permit coverage

Answer: C. 19

Walls: perimeter 2 × (12 + 14) = 52 ft × 8 ft = 416 sq ft. Ceiling: 12 × 14 = 168 sq ft. Total = 584 sq ft. Each sheet covers 32 sq ft, so 584 ÷ 32 = 18.25, which rounds up to 19. 13 covers the walls only. 18 rounds down and leaves you short. 24 counts the ceiling twice.

Look it up: Calculation. Sheets = total area ÷ 32, rounded up.
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Content area: Finishes · Drywall quantity

Answer: A. Restrain it from tipping by guying, tying, or bracing

Supported scaffolds with a height-to-base-width ratio of more than 4:1 must be restrained from tipping. 22 ÷ 5 = 4.4, which is more than 4:1. The 3-foot width figure only changes how often ties are repeated vertically. And scaffolds must be inspected by a competent person before each work shift, not weekly.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.451(c)(1) and (f)(3).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.451 (eCFR)
Content area: General Requirements · Scaffold tipping restraint

Answer: D. People who supply labor and material for the work

The Miller Act requires two bonds. The payment bond protects all persons supplying labor and material for the contract work. The performance bond protects the Government. The surety issues the bonds; it isn't the party they protect.

Look it up: 40 U.S.C. 3131(b)(1) and (b)(2).
Reference status: Not on PSI's reference list: federal statute (40 U.S.C. 3131).
Source: 40 U.S.C. 3131 (Cornell LII)
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Miller Act payment bond

Answer: D. Only employees essential to the post-tensioning operation

No employee except those essential to the post-tensioning operation may be behind the jack during tensioning. Signs and barriers must also limit access to the area. PPE doesn't create an exception, and the rule doesn't ban essential workers or single out inspectors.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.701(c)(1) and (c)(2).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.701 (eCFR)
Content area: Concrete · Post-tensioning safety

Answer: C. 34,100 Btu/h

NIST lists 1 Btu per hour as 0.2930711 watt, so 1 kW ≈ 3,412 Btu/h. 10 kW × 3,412 ≈ 34,100 Btu/h. 2,930 Btu/h multiplies by 0.293 instead of dividing. 12,000 Btu/h is one ton of refrigeration, an unrelated figure. 120,000 Btu/h multiplies 10 by that ton figure.

Look it up: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.9 (heat flow rate): Btu/h to watt.
Reference status: Calculation using a standard conversion (NIST).
Source: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.9
Content area: Mechanical and Plumbing Systems · Electric heat output

Answer: B. February 1 through April 30

The annual summary must be posted no later than February 1 of the year after the year covered and stay up until April 30. A company executive must certify it first. The other windows aren't the rule.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1904.32(b)(3) and (b)(6).
Reference status: Not on PSI's reference list: federal rule (29 CFR Part 1904).
Source: 29 CFR Part 1904, Subpart D (eCFR)
Content area: General Requirements · OSHA 300-A posting

Answer: C. 24 feet

Type B allows a maximum slope of 1:1 (H:V), so each side runs back 10 feet over the 10-foot depth. Top width = 4 + 10 + 10 = 24 feet. 14 feet slopes only one side. 19 feet uses Type A's ¾:1 (7.5 feet per side). 34 feet uses Type C's 1½:1 (15 feet per side).

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, Appendix B, Figure B-1.2. Calculation: top width = bottom width + 2 × (depth × H/V ratio).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, Appendix B (eCFR)
Content area: Site Construction · Sloped excavation width

Answer: C. $1,200,000

Gross margin dollars must equal overhead at break-even: revenue × 0.20 = $240,000, so revenue = $240,000 ÷ 0.20 = $1,200,000. $288,000 marks overhead up 20%. $960,000 is 80% of the right answer. $4,800,000 divides by 0.05.

Look it up: Calculation. Break-even revenue = overhead ÷ gross margin %.
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Break-even revenue

Answer: D. 66

Each 4×8 panel covers 32 sq ft. 1,920 ÷ 32 = 60 panels. Add waste: 60 × 1.10 = 66 panels. 60 skips waste. 54 subtracts the waste instead of adding it. 64 isn't tied to the stated waste factor.

Look it up: Calculation. Panels = (area ÷ 32) × (1 + waste), rounded up.
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Content area: Wood · Sheathing quantity

Answer: C. 5 feet

OSHA's rule is that the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot is about one-quarter of the working length: 20 ÷ 4 = 5 feet. 2.5 feet is the one-eighth ratio, which applies only to wood job-made ladders with spliced side rails. 10 feet would set the ladder far too flat.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(5)(i) and (ii).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.1053 (eCFR)
Content area: General Requirements · Ladder angle

Answer: B. Within three business days of the hire

The employer must examine the documents and complete Section 2 within three business days of the hire. Only when the job lasts less than three business days must it be done at the time of hire. The employee completes Section 1 at the time of hire.

Look it up: 8 CFR 274a.2(b)(1)(ii) and (iii).
Reference status: Not on PSI's reference list: federal rule (8 CFR 274a.2).
Source: 8 CFR 274a.2 (eCFR)
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Form I-9 timing

Answer: A. 8 feet

Masonry walls over 8 feet high must be adequately braced to prevent overturning and collapse unless they are otherwise adequately supported. The bracing stays until permanent supports are in place. For walls over 8 feet, the limited access zone also stays until that bracing requirement is met.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.706(a)(5) and (b).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.706 (eCFR)
Content area: Masonry · Bracing masonry walls

Answer: B. 378 sq ft

Each window is 3 × 5 = 15 sq ft. 24 × 15 = 360 sq ft. Add 5%: 360 × 1.05 = 378 sq ft. 360 skips the allowance. 396 uses 10%. 432 uses 20%.

Look it up: Calculation. Area = count × width × height × (1 + allowance).
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Content area: Doors, Windows, and Glazing · Glazing quantity

Answer: B. $6,000

12 days × $500 = $6,000. Under the FAR, liquidated damages aren't punitive. They compensate the Government for probable damages, so the rate must be a reasonable forecast of the harm from late performance. That's why they're enforceable. $500 is one day, and $12,000 doubles the rate.

Look it up: FAR 11.501(b). Calculation: days late × daily rate.
Reference status: Not on PSI's reference list: federal regulation (FAR 11.501).
Source: FAR 11.501 (Acquisition.gov)
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Liquidated damages

Answer: D. 200 pounds

Top rails must withstand at least 200 pounds in any outward or downward direction. Midrails and screens must withstand 150 pounds, and toeboards 50 pounds.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.502(b)(3), (b)(5), and (j)(2).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.502 (eCFR)
Content area: General Requirements · Guardrail strength

Answer: D. 11

Two coats double the area: 1,800 × 2 = 3,600 sq ft. 3,600 ÷ 350 = 10.29 gallons, which rounds up to 11 whole gallons. 10 rounds down and runs short. 6 is one coat (5.14, rounded up), and 5 is one coat rounded down.

Look it up: Calculation. Gallons = (area × coats) ÷ spread rate, rounded up.
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Content area: Finishes · Paint quantity

Answer: A. $10,000

Straight-line depreciation spreads cost less salvage evenly: ($60,000 − $10,000) ÷ 5 = $10,000 per year. $12,000 ignores salvage value. $14,000 adds salvage instead of subtracting it. $50,000 is the total depreciation over all five years. Tax depreciation follows IRS methods, which this question doesn't test.

Look it up: Calculation. Annual depreciation = (cost − salvage) ÷ useful life. The SEC guide explains depreciation as spreading an asset's cost over the periods it's used.
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Source: SEC, Beginners' Guide to Financial Statements
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Straight-line depreciation

Answer: B. 3,000 square feet

Unsecured decking in a CDZ may not exceed 3,000 square feet. The zone itself may be no more than 90 feet wide and 90 feet deep from any leading edge. 8,100 sq ft multiplies those two dimensions, which isn't the decking limit. Marking the boundaries is required, but it doesn't remove the limit.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.760(c)(3) and (c)(5).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.760 (eCFR)
Content area: Metals · Controlled decking zone

Answer: C. 898 gallons

Volume = 6 × 4 × 5 = 120 cubic feet. 120 × 7.48 = 897.6, about 898 gallons. 120 stops at cubic feet. 449 uses half the depth. 1,197 uses a depth of 6.67 feet instead of 5. NIST's factors give 7.4805 gallons per cubic foot, which rounds to 7.48.

Look it up: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.9 (volume): cubic foot and U.S. gallon factors.
Reference status: Calculation using a standard conversion (NIST).
Source: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.9
Content area: Mechanical and Plumbing Systems · Tank capacity

Answer: B. At least 6 feet

Without mechanical equipment, the warning line must be at least 6 feet from the roof edge. With mechanical equipment, it stays 6 feet from edges parallel to the equipment's travel and moves to 10 feet from edges perpendicular to it. The line itself must sit between 34 and 39 inches high.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1926.502(f)(1)(i), (f)(1)(ii), and (f)(2)(ii).
Reference status: On PSI's reference list: yes, 29 CFR Part 1926.
Source: 29 CFR 1926.502 (eCFR)
Content area: Thermal and Moisture Protection · Roofing warning lines

Answer: B. The total amount payable under the contract

The payment bond must equal the total amount payable by the terms of the contract. The contracting officer may set a different amount only after a written determination, supported by specific findings, that this is impractical, and even then it can't be less than the performance bond. $100,000 is the contract-size threshold in the statute's text, not the bond amount.

Look it up: 40 U.S.C. 3131(b) and (b)(2).
Reference status: Not on PSI's reference list: federal statute (40 U.S.C. 3131).
Source: 40 U.S.C. 3131 (Cornell LII)
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Payment bond amount

Answer: A. B, with 2 days of float

Path A-B-E takes 4 + 6 + 2 = 12 days. Path A-C-D-E takes 4 + 3 + 5 + 2 = 14 days. The longest path, A-C-D-E, is the critical path and sets the project at 14 days, so C and D have zero float. B can slip 14 − 12 = 2 days without delaying E.

Look it up: Calculation (critical path method: forward and backward pass).
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Content area: General Requirements · Critical path

Answer: D. 5 years after the end of the calendar year they cover

These records must be kept for five years following the end of the calendar year they cover. During that time the 300 Log must be updated for newly discovered cases or changes in classification. The other periods don't match the rule.

Look it up: 29 CFR 1904.33(a) and (b)(1).
Reference status: Not on PSI's reference list: federal rule (29 CFR Part 1904).
Source: 29 CFR Part 1904, Subpart D (eCFR)
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Injury and illness record retention

Answer: C. 14 feet

At ¼ inch per foot, each inch on the drawing is 4 feet. 3.5 × 4 = 14 feet. 28 feet would be the answer at ⅛-inch scale. 7 feet would be ½-inch scale. 3.5 feet reads drawing inches as feet. PSI's current bulletin says a physical diagram/blueprint packet is handed out onsite; this item practices basic plan-scale reading.

Look it up: Calculation. Real length = drawing length ÷ scale (inches per foot).
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Content area: General Requirements · Reading scale

Answer: D. $100,000

Margin is figured on price, not cost: price = cost ÷ (1 − margin) = $80,000 ÷ 0.80 = $100,000. Check: $20,000 profit ÷ $100,000 = 20%. $96,000 is a 20% markup on cost, which yields only about a 16.7% margin ($16,000 ÷ $96,000). $84,000 and $88,000 don't follow either method.

Look it up: Calculation. The SEC guide defines gross profit (gross margin) as net revenues minus cost of sales.
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Source: SEC, Beginners' Guide to Financial Statements
Content area: Procurement and Contracting Requirements · Pricing for a gross margin

Answer: B. 267 cubic yards

Volume = 60 × 40 × 3 = 7,200 cubic feet. 7,200 ÷ 27 = 266.7, about 267 cubic yards. 7,200 stops at cubic feet. 800 divides by 9 (the square feet in a square yard) instead of 27. 80 divides by 90. Loose (hauled) yards would be higher once a swell factor is applied.

Look it up: Calculation. Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27 (a yard is 3 feet).
Reference status: Calculation: every number you need is in the question.
Source: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8
Content area: Site Construction · Excavation quantity