SAFETY TRAINED SUPERVISOR CONSTRUCTION (STSC) CERTIFICATION SELF-STUDY GUIDE

Transcription

1 SAFETY TRAINED SUPERVISOR CONSTRUCTION (STSC) CERTIFICATION SELF-STUDY GUIDE Developed by Jim Kegebein Kegebein Consulting Oakland, CA Cell: IMPACT Contact for questions: Dr. Cindy Menches, P.E. Director of Contractor Training & Development 1750 New York Avenue NW, 4 th Floor Washington, D.C Phone: cmenches@impact-net.org Issued: January 2015

2 Get Started Now Congratulations. If you are reading this you are on your way to becoming certified as a Safety Trained Supervisor Construction (STSC). When you are preparing for the STSC exam, think about best practices. What is the best practice for a construction supervisor to evaluate and control risk on a jobsite? How would those control techniques be best communicated to other crafts working in the area? Reading and following the suggestions in this guide will assist you when preparing for the STSC certification. In order to maximize your chances for success, it is strongly recommended that you spend at least 10 hours studying and preparing for the certifying examination prior to attending the IMPACT STSC Training course and taking the exam. You should focus your effort on studying those topics that you do not know very well and perform a brief review of those topics that you already know very well. STUDY RESOURCE 1: The first materials you should review are the materials from the 30 hours of safety and health training that you have taken most recently, such as the OSHA 30 course or Canadian equivalent. STUDY RESOURCE 2: Next, review the summary of the STSC Examination Blueprint (below). The material covered in this guide is what will generally be on the exam. Again, think about best practices. STUDY RESOURCE 3: Once you have reviewed the STSC Examination Blueprint, spend some time reviewing the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) Code of Ethics (below) and think about how you would apply the code in your role as a supervisor. STUDY RESOURCE 4: Review the BCSP STSC Self-Assessment, which is available on the IMPACT STSC website (under the link to Study Materials). Sample test questions are also provided below. Understanding how to read and respond to test questions and answers will be essential to passing the STSC exam. STUDY RESOURCE 5: Finally, review the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website (or Canadian equivalent). Specifically, review the website content on work practices and procedures. When reviewing this material, think about your role as a supervisor and how supervision and work practices/procedures are related. Links to the U.S. OSHA website are provided below. 2

3 STSC Examination Blueprint Summary BCSP examination blueprints are based on surveys of what safety practitioners do in practice. They are based on best practices and how those best practices are communicated. The items identified below describe the subject matter covered by the STSC Examination Blueprint. The blueprint is based on the safety knowledge and skills necessary for a supervisor who is responsible for safety on the jobsite. The percentage identified after the subject matter represents the proportion of the actual STSC examination (or number of questions) asked about that subject matter. The exam asks a total of 100 questions. As a supervisor you need to understand the skills needed to implement safety policy and procedures related to the following: 1. Conduct Risk Assessment (9%) Pre-task Hazard Analysis, Evaluating PPE, Tools, Equipment to Minimize Risk 2. Job-specific Skills and Qualifications (7%) Observing Work Practices, Training and Recordkeeping. 3. Safety and Health Training (7%) - New Employee Orientation, Communication, Emergency Action Plan, Training Records 4. Evaluate Work Practices/Procedures (9%) - Inspections, Observing Work Practices PPE and Tools Availability, Limitations, Care and Maintenance, Hazardous Chemicals, Confined Spaces, Machine Guarding, Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), Heat Stress, Fire 5. Safety and Health Standard Implementation (8%) Training, Observing, Coaching & Correcting 6. Taking Action to Protect (9%) - Stop Work Authority Unsafe Acts and Practices, Disciplinary, Roles and Responsibility of Management and Co-Workers 7. Facilitate Positive Safety Culture (8%) Proactive or Reactive, Employee Participation, Incident Reporting, Documentation 3

4 8. Evaluate Employee Safety Performance (7%) Observations, Positive and Negative Feed back, Communications, Accountability, Listening, Incident Reporting 9. Accident/Incident Investigation (7%) When and Where, Identify Root Causes, Documentation, Lessons Learned 10. Emergency Action Planning (6%) Training Effectiveness, Understand Roles/Actions/Drills/ Communications/First Responders Protocols 11. Coordinate Risk Control with Others (7%) Communications/Coordination with Others, Shift Issues 12. Safety and Health Record Keeping (9%) Confidentiality/Government Requirement/Events 13. Ethics (5%) BCSP Ethics Policy, Communicate Effectively and Resolving Issues Ethically BCSP Code of Ethics This code sets forth the code of ethics and professional standards to be observed by holders of documents of certification conferred by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. Certificants shall, in their professional activities, sustain and advance the integrity, honor, and prestige of the profession by adherence to these standards. Standards: 1. HOLD paramount the safety and health of people, the protection of the environment and protection of property in the performance of professional duties and exercise their obligation to advise employers, clients, employees, the public, and appropriate authorities of danger and unacceptable risks to people, the environment, or property. 2. BE honest, fair, and impartial; act with responsibility and integrity. Adhere to high standards of ethical conduct with balanced care for the interests of the public, employers, clients, employees, colleagues and the profession. Avoid all conduct or practice that is likely to discredit the profession or deceive the public. 4

5 3. ISSUE public statements only in an objective and truthful manner and only when founded upon knowledge of the facts and competence in the subject matter. 4. UNDERTAKE assignments only when qualified by education or experience in the specific technical fields involved. Accept responsibility for their continued professional development by acquiring and maintaining competence through continuing education, experience, professional training and keeping current on relevant legal issues. 5. AVOID deceptive acts that falsify or misrepresent their academic or professional qualifications. Not misrepresent or exaggerate their degree of responsibility in or for the subject matter of prior assignments. Presentations incident to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent pertinent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, or past accomplishments with the intent and purpose of enhancing their qualifications and their work. 6. CONDUCT their professional relations by the highest standards of integrity and avoid compromise of their professional judgment by conflicts of interest. When becoming aware of professional misconduct by a BCSP certificant, take steps to bring that misconduct to the attention of the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. 7. ACT in a manner free of bias with regard to religion, ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability. 8. SEEK opportunities to be of constructive service in civic affairs and work for the advancement of the safety, health and well-being of their community and their profession by sharing their knowledge and skills. STSC Examination Sample Questions The following questions are typical of those covering task areas on the STSC examination and illustrate the difficulty level. Read the question and answers carefully. Read each question from the perspective of the supervisor. Typically, there are two answers that can quickly be eliminated, as they are not the best answer. Select the one best response from the two remaining answers. See examples below. 5

6 1. What best describes a job safety analysis (JSA)? A. A JSA is a method to advise management on identified hazards and unsafe work practices and to describe the corrective actions to be taken to eliminate them. B. A JSA is a way to ensure that all necessary material safety data sheets are located in the work area. C. A JSA is a method where employees participate in the identification of hazards and unsafe work practices and implement measures to reduce the associated risks. D. A JSA is the way to identify the correct tools and procedures for a job. TESTING HINT: You can eliminate answers B and D and then 2. Once a supervisor reads the operating manuals for new equipment, what should the supervisor do with them? A. Review the manuals with the employees who will be using the new equipment. B. Give the manuals to the designated safety officer. C. Store the manuals in the work area, and require the employees who will use the new equipment to read the manuals before using the equipment. D. Develop a job safety analysis for the new equipment. TESTING HINT: You can eliminate answers B and D and then 3. When one or more employees enter a permit-required confined space, what must be shown on the permit? A. The date the entry employees were last trained in confined space entry B. Descriptions and manufacturers of the personal protective equipment used for the confined space entry C. The management point-of-contact for the organization that controls the confined space D. The measured levels of oxygen and airborne flammable and toxic materials present in the confined space 6

7 TESTING HINT: You can eliminate answers A and B and then 4. What is the primary reason for conducting a safety inspection? A. To ensure compliance with all fire codes B. To ensure that safety rules are being followed C. To identify unsafe conditions and practices D. To discover and protect against hazards TESTING HINT: You can eliminate answers A and B and then 5. A work environment where safe work practices and habits are part of the culture starts with a commitment by the organization s: A. Safety managers and coordinators B. Safety committee C. Top management D. Line employees TESTING HINT: You can eliminate answers A and B and then Answers to Sample Questions 1. (C) The correct answer comes from of National Safety Council, Supervisors Safety Manual, 9th Edition. 2. (A) The answer is found in the Supervisors Safety Manual published by the National Safety Council. 3. (D) Answer found in Accident Prevention Manual: Administration and Programs published by National Safety Council. 4. (C) The answer is found in the Supervisors Safety Manual published by the National Safety Council. 5. (C) Top management initiates an organization s culture change. Through top management s commitment, line supervisors and line employees implement the culture change. This concept is found in the National Safety Council s Accident Prevention Manual 7

8 U.S. OSHA RESOURCES U.S. Federal OSHA Construction etools are resources that you can use to study for the STSC examination and prepare for the IMPACT STSC Training course. The following are links to the major topics and subtopics on the OHSA website. 1. Scope includes information on the OSHA Standard Safety and Health Program includes information on (1) Initiating and Maintaining a Safety and Health Program, (2) Management Commitment to Safety and Health, (3) Hazard Identification and Determination, (4) Hazard Elimination and Control, (5) Emergency Response Planning, (5) First Aid and Medical, (6) Training, and (7) Recordkeeping and Abatement Verification 3. Electrical Incidents including information on (1) Contact with Power Lines, (2) Lack of Ground-Fault Protection, (3) Path to Ground Missing or Discontinous, (4) Equipment Not Used in Manner Prescribed, and (5) Improper Use of Extension Cords Falls including information on (1) Unprotected Sides, Wall Openings and Floor holes, (2) Improper Scaffold Construction, (3) Unguarded Protruding Steel Rebar, and (4) Misuse of Portable Ladders Struck-By including information on (1) Vehicles, (2) Falling/Flying Objects, and (3) Construction Masonry Walls 6. Trenching and Excavation including information on (1) No Protective Systems, (2) Failure to Inspect Trench and Protective Systems, (3) Unsafe Spoil-Pile Placement, and (4) Unsafe Access/Egress. 8

9 Examination Integrity A key to a successful and respected credentialing program is examination security. Without it, a peer-operated credentialing program has little value. BCSP relies on the ethical behavior of candidates and certificants to maintain the security of BCSP examinations. When those who hold credentials or those who are pursuing credentials reveal information about the content of BCSP examinations, they violate the agreement all candidates accept when they apply for certification and when they take an examination. Applicants, examination candidates, or certificants who reveal confidential information about the content of BCSP examinations through any means also violate the BCSP Disciplinary Action Policy and the BCSP Code of Ethics. BCSP pursues legal actions against organizations, individuals not seeking certification, and individuals who fraudulently claim or misrepresent their intent to seek certification, who reveal information about the content of BCSP examinations. Penalties include permanently barring individuals from pursuing the credential and revoking the certifications and interim designations of those who have status with BCSP, in addition to other legal remedies. 9