SAFETY TRAINED SUPERVISOR CONSTRUCTION® (STSC)
CERTIFICATION SELF-STUDY GUIDE
Developed by
Jim Kegebein
Kegebein Consulting
Oakland, CA 94611
Cell: 510-339-1147
njak@aol.com
IMPACT Contact for questions:
Dr. Cindy Menches, P.E.
Director of Contractor Training & Development
1750 New York Avenue NW, 4th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20006
Phone: 202-393-1147
E-mail: cmenches@impact-net.org
Issued: January 2015
IMPACT Safety Trained Supervisor Construction® (STSC) Certification Study Guide
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
IMPACT Safety Trained Supervisor Construction® (STSC) Certification Study Guide
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
IMPACT Safety Trained Supervisor Construction® (STSC) Certification Study Guide
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
IMPACT Safety Trained Supervisor Construction® (STSC) Certification Study Guide
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
IMPACT Safety Trained Supervisor Construction® (STSC) Certification Study Guide
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
choose the “Best Practice” from the remaining answers.
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
choose the “Best Practice” from the remaining answers.
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
IMPACT Safety Trained Supervisor Construction® (STSC) Certification Study Guide
TESTING HINT: You can eliminate answers “A” and “B” and then
choose the “Best Practice” from the remaining answers.
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
choose the “Best Practice” from the remaining answers.
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
choose the “Best Practice” from the remaining answers.
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
IMPACT Safety Trained Supervisor Construction® (STSC) Certification Study Guide
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.
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/scope.html
2. 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
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/shprogram.html
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.
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/electrical_incidents/mainpage
.html
4. 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.
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/falls/mainpage.html
5. Struck-By including information on (1) Vehicles, (2) Falling/Flying Objects,
and (3) Construction Masonry Walls
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/struckby/mainpage.html
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.
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/trenching/mainpage.html
8
IMPACT Safety Trained Supervisor Construction® (STSC) Certification Study Guide
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