CHST Exam Practice Questions

Key point: the CHST is not a general construction knowledge test. It focuses on construction safety practice, including hazard control, emergency planning, incident response, safety program implementation, leadership, communication, and training.

Try these original CHST-style sample questions. These examples reflect current CHST blueprint domains, but they are not actual BCSP exam questions.

1. Hazard and Risk Control: Hierarchy of Controls

A crew will cut concrete indoors, creating respirable silica dust. Which control should be considered before relying only on respirators?

1. Wet cutting or local exhaust ventilation to reduce dust at the source
2. Allowing workers to remove respirators during short cuts
3. Posting a sign after work has already started
4. Extending the work shift so the job is completed faster

2. Excavation Safety

A trench has loose soil, nearby vibration from equipment, and workers scheduled to enter. Which action best addresses the hazard before entry?

1. Tell workers to enter quickly and avoid touching the sidewalls.
2. Have a competent person evaluate the trench and confirm protective measures before entry.
3. Place warning tape at the top edge and allow entry.
4. Delay inspection until after the first shift is complete.

3. Fall Protection

Workers are installing materials near an unprotected roof edge. Which control is most appropriate to prevent workers from falling from the edge?

1. Place cones near the edge and tell workers to be careful.
2. Use guardrails, personal fall arrest systems, or another approved fall-protection method.
3. Have one worker watch the edge while others work.
4. Allow work to continue because the task will take only a few minutes.

4. Hot Work Controls

A crew plans to perform welding near combustible materials. Which action should be taken before hot work begins?

1. Move or protect combustibles and confirm fire-prevention controls are in place.
2. Begin welding and check for smoke after the first hour.
3. Assign the newest worker to watch for fire without training.
4. Rely only on the welder’s experience to prevent ignition.

5. Hoisting and Rigging

A crane lift is planned over an active work area. Which control best reduces struck-by exposure during the lift?

1. Allow workers to pass under the load if they are wearing hard hats.
2. Establish and maintain an exclusion zone around the lift area.
3. Speed up the lift so workers spend less time waiting.
4. Allow workers to stabilize the load by standing directly beneath it.

6. Hazard Communication

A worker needs information about first aid measures, PPE, and exposure controls for a chemical used on-site. Which source should the safety technician review?

1. Only the purchase receipt
2. The Safety Data Sheet for the chemical
3. The project schedule
4. The daily weather forecast

7. Emergency Preparedness

Which item is a key component of an effective site emergency action plan?

1. A list of preferred subcontractors only
2. Evacuation routes, alarm procedures, emergency contacts, and assembly locations
3. A production schedule with no emergency responsibilities
4. A policy that emergencies will be handled only after the project manager arrives

8. Incident Investigation

After a worker is injured while using a power tool, what is the best purpose of the incident investigation?

1. Identify root causes and corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
2. Find a worker to blame as quickly as possible.
3. Complete paperwork only if the injury is severe.
4. Delay fact gathering until memories fade.

9. Safety Program Implementation

A new task will involve multiple trades working in the same area. Which planning activity is most useful before work starts?

1. Wait until the first incident occurs to identify hazards.
2. Develop a job hazard analysis that identifies task steps, hazards, and controls.
3. Tell each trade to work independently without coordination.
4. Remove all documentation requirements so the task begins faster.

10. Leadership, Communication, and Training

A contractor introduces a new piece of equipment with hazards workers have not previously encountered. What should happen before workers operate it?

1. Workers should operate the equipment first and receive training later.
2. Workers should receive task-specific training based on the equipment, hazards, manufacturer instructions, and site conditions.
3. Only the project owner needs to understand the equipment hazards.
4. The safety technician should assume prior construction experience is enough.

Eligibility Snapshot

• Education requirement: no specific academic or training requirement
• Experience requirement: three years of construction safety experience
• Safety-duty requirement: at least 35% of primary duties involving construction SH&E practice
• Application review: BCSP reviews the application after submission and payment
• Eligibility window: approved candidates generally have one year to take and pass the exam

Before You Register

• Review the current BCSP CHST webpage and Complete Guide.
• Confirm that your construction safety experience meets the eligibility requirement.
• Gather documentation related to your job duties and experience.
• Create or update your BCSP profile.
• Submit the CHST application and required fee.
• Wait for application approval before scheduling the exam.
• Schedule your exam through Pearson VUE using your BCSP profile.
• Review the current calculator and testing-center policies before test day.

Test-Day Checklist

• Arrive early for check-in.
• Bring the identification required by your testing confirmation.
• Make sure your name matches your BCSP and Pearson VUE records.
• Do not bring prohibited reference materials into the testing room.
• Follow the current calculator policy if you plan to use a calculator.
• Use the materials provided by the testing center for calculations or notes.
• Manage your time across all 200 questions.
• Answer every question you can before submitting the exam.

Score Basics

• Result type: pass/fail result after testing
• Passing standard: based on total exam performance
• Domain minimums: candidates are not required to pass each domain separately
• Failed attempts: result report can identify weaker domains for retake preparation
• Best score strategy: study according to blueprint weight and focus on weaker domains

CHST Study Checklist

• Review common construction hazards, including excavation, electrical, fall, confined space, struck-by, crane, rigging, silica, chemical, noise, and concrete hazards.
• Study the hierarchy of controls and practice choosing stronger controls over weaker controls.
• Practice developing job hazard analyses and prioritizing corrective actions by severity and likelihood.
• Review emergency action plans, fire prevention, incident command, emergency notifications, and first aid response needs.
• Study incident investigation, root cause analysis, post-incident reporting, and corrective-action follow-up.
• Review site-specific safety plans, inspections, audits, documentation, recordkeeping, and applicable standards.
• Study training methods, communication strategies, leadership, confidentiality, and worker motivation.
• Use timed practice to build stamina for the 4-hour testing window.
• Review every missed question by connecting it back to the CHST blueprint domain it tests.