Free NCCCO-Style Crane Practice Questions

Practice questions

1. Power lines

   Your employer chooses the simplest power-line option in Subpart CC: keep everything a fixed distance away and skip the voltage check. If the line is 350 kV or less, how close may any part of the crane, load line or load come to it?

   1. 10 feet
   2. 15 feet
   3. 20 feet
   4. 50 feet
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Under the 20-foot option, no part of the equipment, load line or load may come closer than 20 feet to a line rated up to 350 kV, using the precautions listed in 1926.1408(b). Ten and 15 feet are Table A values that require knowing the voltage first; 50 feet applies to lines over 350 kV. (29 CFR 1926.1408(a)(2))

2. Power lines

   The utility confirms a nearby line is 69 kV, and the lift is planned using Table A. What minimum clearance does the table require?

   1. 10 feet
   2. 15 feet
   3. 20 feet
   4. 25 feet
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Table A lists 10 feet up to 50 kV and 15 feet for lines over 50 kV up to 200 kV. A 69 kV line falls in the second band, so the minimum is 15 feet. (29 CFR 1926.1408, Table A)

3. Power lines

   A crew is setting up near a 500 kV transmission line and wants to use the fixed-distance approach instead of Table A. What distance replaces the usual 20 feet?

   1. 25 feet
   2. 35 feet
   3. 45 feet
   4. 50 feet
   Show answer

   Answer: D. For lines over 350 kV and up to 1,000 kV, the rules substitute 50 feet wherever 20 feet appears. 25, 35 and 45 feet are Table A figures, which belong to a different option and require confirming the voltage. (29 CFR 1926.1409)

4. Operator certification

   A new hire holds a current, accredited mobile crane certification for the specialty that matches your crane. Before letting this operator run it alone, what else does Subpart CC require of the employer?

   1. An evaluation by the employer showing he can safely operate that equipment
   2. Nothing; the certification alone satisfies the rule
   3. A separate crane license issued by the State of Arizona
   4. A new written exam taken through the employer's insurance carrier
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Certification proves knowledge; it does not prove the operator can run the specific machine and tasks on your site. 1926.1427 also requires the employer to train and evaluate the operator. Arizona does not issue its own crane operator license. (29 CFR 1926.1427)

5. Signal person

   Which situation requires a signal person under Subpart CC?

   1. Any lift heavier than half the crane's rated capacity
   2. Every lift on a site with more than one crane
   3. The load's landing area is out of the operator's full view
   4. Any lift made after sunset
   Show answer

   Answer: C. A signal person is required when the point of operation (the load's travel or the area near or at placement) is not in full view of the operator, when the view in the direction of travel is obstructed, or when the operator or load handler decides one is needed because of site-specific safety concerns. Load percentage, crane count and time of day are not the triggers. (29 CFR 1926.1419(a))

6. Signal person

   How does a signal person become qualified under Subpart CC?

   1. By having at least one year of experience as a laborer on crane jobs
   2. By passing an oral or written test and a practical test, through a third-party or employer qualified evaluator
   3. By being certified as a crane operator
   4. By completing any online course, with no practical demonstration
   Show answer

   Answer: B. 1926.1428 lets the employer use a third-party qualified evaluator or its own qualified evaluator, and the signal person must show knowledge of the signals used and pass both an oral or written test and a practical test. Experience alone or an online course with no practical demonstration does not qualify someone. (29 CFR 1926.1428)

7. Keeping clear of the load

   Which worker may be inside the fall zone of a suspended load that isn't moving?

   1. A foreman watching the lift to check progress
   2. A laborer taking a shortcut to the material yard
   3. An inspector photographing the rigging from below
   4. A rigger making the initial attachment of the load to the structure
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Only workers hooking, unhooking or guiding the load, making the initial attachment to a component or structure, or operating a concrete hopper or bucket may be in the fall zone. Even then the load must be rigged by a qualified rigger to prevent unintended displacement, with self-closing hook latches or equivalent. (29 CFR 1926.1425(b)-(c))

8. Assembly/disassembly

   Who may direct the assembly or disassembly of a crane?

   1. A person who is both a competent person and a qualified person, or a competent person assisted by one or more qualified persons
   2. Any certified operator, regardless of other qualifications
   3. The most senior laborer on the crew
   4. Only a licensed professional engineer
   Show answer

   Answer: A. The A/D director must meet both the competent person and qualified person criteria, or be a competent person assisted by qualified persons. Job title does not decide it, and an engineer is not required. (29 CFR 1926.1404(a))

9. Inspections

   Which pairing of crane inspection and inspector matches Subpart CC?

   1. Shift inspection: qualified person. Annual inspection: competent person
   2. Shift inspection: any crew member. Annual inspection: the operator
   3. Shift inspection: competent person. Annual inspection: qualified person
   4. Shift and annual inspections: OSHA compliance officer only
   Show answer

   Answer: C. A competent person performs the visual inspection each shift. The annual (comprehensive) inspection must be done by a qualified person, and it is documented and kept on file. Mixing up competent and qualified is a common exam trap. (29 CFR 1926.1412(d) and (f))

10. Signals

    During a lift, a carpenter who is not the designated signal person gives you an emergency stop signal. What do you do?

    1. Ignore it and wait for the designated signal person
    2. Stop, because the operator must obey a stop or emergency stop signal no matter who gives it
    3. Finish the current motion, then stop
    4. Radio the supervisor to ask whether the signal counts
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Anyone who sees a safety problem may give the stop or emergency stop signal, and the operator must obey it regardless of who gives it. Work resumes only after the problem is resolved. (29 CFR 1926.1417(y))

11. Hand signals

    Which hand signal means EMERGENCY STOP in the standard crane signal chart?

    1. Both arms extended horizontally to the sides, palms down, swung back and forth
    2. One arm extended horizontally, palm down, swung back and forth
    3. Hands clasped in front of the body
    4. Fist tapped on top of the head
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Emergency stop uses both arms out to the sides, palms down, moving back and forth. One arm doing the same motion is a regular STOP. Clasped hands means dog everything, and tapping the head means use the main hoist. (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, Appendix A)

12. Hand signals

    The signal person bends one arm at the elbow with the forearm vertical and taps that elbow with the other hand. What are they telling you?

    1. Use main hoist
    2. Extend boom
    3. Use auxiliary hoist (whipline)
    4. Swing
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Tapping the elbow selects the auxiliary hoist, or whipline, and is followed by a regular signal for the motion wanted. Tapping the head selects the main hoist. (29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC, Appendix A)

13. Signals

    A signal person standing on the opposite side of the load from the cab wants the boom to swing toward the operator's left. How should the direction be given?

    1. From the signal person's own left and right
    2. From the operator's direction perspective
    3. By compass direction only
    4. By whichever side the load is closer to
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Subpart CC requires that all directions from the signal person to the operator be given from the operator's direction perspective. A signal person facing the cab has left and right reversed, which is exactly how swing errors happen. (29 CFR 1926.1419)

14. Rigging

    A 10,000 lb load hangs from a two-leg bridle with both legs at 30 degrees from horizontal and the load centered. Roughly how much tension is in each leg?

    1. 2,500 lb
    2. 5,000 lb
    3. 7,070 lb
    4. 10,000 lb
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Each leg carries half the load (5,000 lb) divided by the sine of the angle from horizontal. Sin 30° is 0.5, so 5,000 ÷ 0.5 = 10,000 lb per leg. Flatter sling angles raise leg tension quickly, which is why low angles call for heavier slings or a spreader.

15. Rigging

    What does the working load limit (WLL) on a shackle or sling tag represent?

    1. The maximum load the manufacturer allows for that item in normal service
    2. The load at which the item will break
    3. The average load the item carried during factory testing
    4. A figure that only applies to overhead cranes
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The WLL is the maximum load the manufacturer rates the item to carry in service. It sits well below the breaking strength because of the design factor. Sling capacity also depends on the hitch and angle, so the tag may list several values.

16. Rigging

    A wire rope sling is bent tightly around a small-diameter pin. In D/d terms, what happens to the sling?

    1. Nothing; D/d only matters for synthetic slings
    2. Its capacity increases because the bend grips the pin
    3. The D/d ratio drops, which reduces the sling's effective strength
    4. The D/d ratio rises, so a heavier load is allowed
    Show answer

    Answer: C. D is the diameter of the object the sling bends around and d is the sling body diameter. A small pin means a low D/d ratio, and the sharper bend reduces the sling's efficiency. Larger-diameter pins or padding protect capacity.

17. Load charts

    At your planned radius and boom length, the chart shows 12,000 lb gross capacity. The hook block weighs 450 lb and the rigging weighs 150 lb, and your manufacturer requires both to be deducted. What is the most the load itself may weigh?

    1. 12,000 lb
    2. 11,400 lb
    3. 11,550 lb
    4. 12,600 lb
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Net capacity is gross capacity minus every required deduction: 12,000 − 450 − 150 = 11,400 lb. Forgetting the hook block or rigging is one of the most common load-chart errors. Always read the chart notes for what must be deducted on your specific crane, such as stowed jibs or auxiliary heads.

18. Load charts

    How is load radius measured on a mobile crane, and why should it be checked with the load in the air?

    1. From the front tires to the load; it never changes during a lift
    2. From the boom tip to the ground; it shrinks under load
    3. From the outrigger pad to the hook; it depends on outrigger setting only
    4. Horizontally from the center of rotation to the center of the load; boom deflection can increase it once the load is lifted
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Radius is the horizontal distance from the axis of rotation to the center of the hook or load. Booms deflect under load, so the radius usually grows once the load is suspended, and a lift planned at the edge of capacity can end up over it.

19. Load charts

    A crane at short radius is near its chart capacity but feels completely stable. Why is that no reason to add more load?

    1. At shorter radii, capacities are usually set by structural strength, so components can fail before the crane shows any sign of tipping
    2. Short-radius capacities are only estimates and can be exceeded by 25%
    3. Stability limits never apply on outriggers
    4. The load moment indicator automatically adds capacity at short radius
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Chart values are limited either by structural strength or by stability (tipping). Close in, the limit is often structural, which means the boom or other components can fail with no warning from the machine. Never use the feel of the crane to judge capacity.

20. Setup

    The load chart in the cab is for fully extended outriggers, but space limits let you extend the outriggers only partway. What is the correct approach?

    1. Use the full-extension chart and reduce the load by about 10%
    2. Use a chart for that partial setting only if the manufacturer provides one and allows it; otherwise do not make the lift with outriggers short
    3. Make the lift as long as the crane is level
    4. Set the outriggers partway and add extra cribbing to make up the difference
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Outriggers must be fully extended, or deployed as the manufacturer's procedures and load chart specify. A full-extension chart never applies to a partial setting, and extra cribbing does not restore the capacity lost. (29 CFR 1926.1404)

21. Setup

    Under Subpart CC, who is responsible for making sure the ground where the crane sets up is prepared so that it is firm, drained and graded enough to meet the manufacturer's support and levelness specs?

    1. The controlling entity for the site
    2. The crane rental company's dispatcher
    3. The local building department
    4. The signal person
    Show answer

    Answer: A. The controlling entity must ensure the necessary ground preparation is provided and tell the user and operator about known hazards below the setup area, such as voids, tanks or utilities. If there is no controlling entity, the duty falls on the employer with authority to arrange ground preparation. (29 CFR 1926.1402)

22. Weather

    During a July afternoon lift near Casa Grande, a dust wall is visible to the southeast and gusts are picking up. The current wind is still under the manufacturer's limit. What is the best decision?

    1. Continue; nothing is required until the wind exceeds the limit
    2. Raise the boom higher to get the load clear faster
    3. Land the load and stop, because monsoon outflow winds can arrive well ahead of the storm and exceed limits suddenly
    4. Swing the load downwind and hold it suspended until the storm passes
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Subpart CC makes the competent person adjust equipment and operations for the effect of wind on stability and rated capacity, and manufacturer wind limits still apply. Outflow gusts from monsoon storms can jump in minutes, so the safe call is to land the load before they arrive, not to keep it hanging. (29 CFR 1926.1417(n))

23. Weather

    Two loads weigh the same: a compact steel casting and a large precast wall panel. Why is the panel the bigger concern on a windy day?

    1. Concrete is heavier per cubic foot than steel
    2. The panel's large surface area catches more wind, adding side load and making it harder to control
    3. Wind only affects loads lifted on a whipline
    4. Steel loads are exempt from wind limits
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Wind force depends on the area it acts on. A panel with a big sail area can swing, spin and push the boom sideways, which the chart does not account for. Many manufacturers give separate guidance or reduced capacities for high-sail-area loads.

24. Arizona

    Which agency enforces crane safety rules on most private construction sites in Arizona?

    1. The Arizona Department of Transportation
    2. The Arizona Registrar of Contractors
    3. The U.S. Department of Energy
    4. ADOSH, the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health, under Arizona's OSHA-approved State Plan
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Arizona runs an OSHA-approved State Plan through ADOSH, part of the Industrial Commission of Arizona, which covers most private-sector and state and local government workplaces. ADOSH enforces crane rules that track federal Subpart CC.

25. Arizona

    You take a crane job at an active open-pit copper mine in southern Arizona. Which agency generally has safety jurisdiction over work on mine property?

    1. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
    2. ADOSH
    3. The Federal Aviation Administration
    4. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Mines are regulated by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, not by ADOSH. Contractors on mine property follow MSHA rules, including its training requirements.