Alabama Municipal and Utility Contractor Examination

Under OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, when is a protective system generally required for employees working in a trench?

• AWhen the trench is 3 feet or deeper
• BWhen the trench is 5 feet or deeper, unless made entirely in stable rock
• COnly when the trench is 10 feet or deeper
• DOnly when groundwater is present

Per OSHA, what is the maximum lateral travel distance to a means of egress in a trench that is 4 feet or more deep?

• A10 feet
• B15 feet
• C25 feet
• D50 feet

How far must excavated spoil piles and other materials be kept from the edge of a trench under OSHA rules?

• AAt least 1 foot
• BAt least 2 feet
• CAt least 4 feet
• DAt least 6 feet

What is the maximum allowable slope for Type C soil in excavations less than 20 feet deep (simple slope) under OSHA Appendix B?

• AVertical (90°)
• B3/4 horizontal to 1 vertical (53°)
• C1 horizontal to 1 vertical (45°)
• D1½ horizontal to 1 vertical (34°)

A trench is 8 feet deep in Type C soil and will be simply sloped on both sides. How wide must each horizontal run be from the trench bottom edge to the top of the slope?

• A4 feet
• B6 feet
• C8 feet
• D12 feet

Who is authorized under OSHA excavation standards to classify soil and select protective systems on a jobsite?

• AAny crew member with one year of experience
• BA competent person as defined by OSHA
• COnly a professional engineer for all depths
• DThe equipment operator alone

Under Alabama’s Underground Damage Prevention Act, how much advance notice must an excavator generally provide to Alabama 811 before starting excavation?

• ASame-day notice is always sufficient
• BAt least 2 but not more than 10 working days, not counting the day of notification
• CExactly 30 calendar days
• DOne calendar week including weekends

Why is tracer wire or an electronic marker installed with a new polyethylene gas main?

• ATo carry cathodic protection current to the plastic pipe
• BTo make the nonmetallic pipe locatable by standard electromagnetic locating equipment
• CTo ground the main against lightning strikes
• DTo reinforce the pipe against internal pressure

Under 49 CFR 192.625, combustible gas in a distribution line must be odorized so that it is readily detectable by a person with a normal sense of smell at what concentration in air?

• AAt the upper explosive limit
• BAt one-half of the lower explosive limit
• CAt one-fifth of the lower explosive limit
• DOnly after the gas has reached an explosive mixture

Federal rules require combustible gas in a distribution line to be odorized so a person with a normal sense of smell can readily detect it at what concentration in air?

• AOne-fifth of the lower explosive limit
• BOne-half of the lower explosive limit
• CAt the upper explosive limit
• DOnly after the gas reaches 10 percent by volume

How many gallons of water will a 12-inch inside-diameter pipe hold per linear foot? (Use π = 3.1416 and 7.48 gal/ft³.)

• AAbout 2.9 gallons
• BAbout 5.9 gallons
• CAbout 8.8 gallons
• DAbout 11.7 gallons

During butt fusion of polyethylene gas main, which set of variables must be controlled for a sound joint?

• AFacing and alignment, heater surface temperature, heat soak time, and fusion pressure wit…
• BOnly the ambient air temperature
• COnly the pipe manufacturer's color coding
• DOnly the length of pipe being joined

A gravity sanitary sewer is designed at a constant grade of 0.40%. What is the invert elevation drop over a 250-foot run?

• A0.40 feet
• B1.00 foot
• C2.50 feet
• D4.00 feet

Heat-fusion joints on a polyethylene gas distribution main must be made by personnel who:

• AHold any general contractor license issued by the state
• BAre qualified under the operator's written procedures and the operator qualification requ…
• CHave completed a manufacturer's sales presentation
• DAre supervised by anyone with five years of pipe-laying experience

What is the primary purpose of pipe bedding in a water or sewer trench?

• ATo permanently waterproof the pipe joints
• BTo provide uniform support and load distribution under the pipe
• CTo eliminate the need for compaction of side fill
• DTo replace all native backfill to grade

A 6-foot-diameter circular manhole base slab is 8 inches thick. Approximately how many cubic yards of concrete are in the slab? (Use π = 3.14.)

• A0.35 cubic yards
• B0.70 cubic yards
• C1.40 cubic yards
• D2.10 cubic yards

A gas service line is being installed to a commercial building. Where must the service line shutoff valve generally be located?

• AInside the building's mechanical room only
• BOutside the building in a readily accessible location upstream of the meter, so gas can b…
• CBuried with no surface access, to prevent tampering
• DAt the gas main, several hundred feet away

OSHA maximum simple slope for Type B soil in excavations less than 20 feet deep is:

• AVertical
• B3/4H:1V
• C1H:1V
• D1½H:1V

What is the main function of a thrust block on a pressurized water main?

• ATo filter sediment from the water
• BTo resist unbalanced forces at fittings such as bends, tees, and dead ends
• CTo serve as a manhole base for access
• DTo reduce pipe diameter for velocity control

A water main hydrostatic test is typically performed to verify which of the following?

• AOnly the color of the pipe exterior
• BPressure integrity of the installed pipeline, joints, and fittings
• CThat the trench is exactly 10 feet deep
• DThe pH of the bedding sand

For flexible pipe such as PVC or HDPE gravity sewer, structural performance depends most heavily on which installation factor?

• APaint color of the exterior coating
• BQuality of bedding and side support (embedment) compaction
• CWhether the pipe is installed only at night
• DUsing only steel fittings

How often must a competent person inspect excavations when employees are exposed, under OSHA rules?

• AOnly at project startup
• BDaily, prior to the start of work, and as needed throughout the shift after events that c…
• COnce per week
• DOnly after a cave-in

What is the maximum simple slope for Type A soil in excavations less than 20 feet deep under OSHA Appendix B (non-short-term)?

• A1/2H:1V
• B3/4H:1V
• C1H:1V
• D1½H:1V

A trench box (shield) is designed primarily to:

• APrevent all groundwater from entering the trench
• BProtect workers from cave-ins by shielding them if a wall fails
• CEliminate the need for a competent person
• DIncrease the allowable spoil pile height against the wall

An 8-inch ID water line 400 feet long is to be disinfected and flushed. Approximately how many gallons does the line hold? (Use 2.61 gal/lf for 8-inch pipe.)

• AAbout 520 gallons
• BAbout 1,044 gallons
• CAbout 2,088 gallons
• DAbout 3,200 gallons

What is a squeeze-off used for on a polyethylene gas distribution main?

• ATo temporarily stop gas flow by flattening the pipe with a controlled tool so work can be…
• BTo permanently seal an abandoned main
• CTo increase pressure in the main during testing
• DTo join two sections of polyethylene pipe

Which soil condition typically requires treating the material as Type C under OSHA classification practice?

• AStable rock that stands vertical
• BGranular soil such as gravel or sand, or submerged soil
• CHighly plastic clay with unconfined compressive strength greater than 1.5 tsf and no fiss…
• DOnly soils above the frost line

When installing a ductile-iron water main, polyethylene encasement is most commonly used to:

• AIncrease internal working pressure rating
• BProvide external corrosion protection in corrosive soils
• CEliminate the need for joint gaskets
• DServe as the sole bedding material

Why is a new gas main purged with an inert gas or by a controlled gas-in procedure when it is placed in service?

• ATo move the air-gas interface through the line quickly so an ignitable mixture does not l…
• BTo dry the exterior coating before backfill
• CTo increase the odorant concentration in the main
• DTo confirm the depth of cover over the main

What is the primary purpose of a sanitary sewer manhole?

• ATo increase water main pressure
• BTo provide access for inspection, maintenance, cleaning, and changes in alignment or grade
• CTo chlorinate potable water
• DTo store stormwater for irrigation

How many standard 4-foot-diameter precast manhole sections (each 2 feet high) are needed to build a 10-foot-deep chamber from invert to underside of cone, not counting the base or cone?

• A3 sections
• B4 sections
• C5 sections
• D8 sections

Atmospheric testing for hazardous atmospheres in excavations 4 feet or deeper is especially critical when employees will enter because trenches can accumulate:

• AOnly oxygen enrichment above 30%
• BOxygen deficiency, flammable gases, or toxic gases such as hydrogen sulfide or carbon mon…
• CNothing more dangerous than open air at grade
• DOnly nitrogen from the spoil pile

Which standard governs the installation of overhead and underground electric supply and communication lines used by utilities?

• AThe National Electrical Safety Code (ANSI C2)
• BThe International Building Code
• CASTM C143
• DAWS D1.4

What does a SWPPP primarily address on a municipal utility construction project?

• AOnly final asphalt mix design
• BStormwater pollution prevention during construction, including erosion and sediment contr…
• CEmployee payroll tax rates
• DPotable water disinfection chemistry only

Silt fence on a utility job is installed primarily to:

• ASupport trench walls against cave-in
• BIntercept sheet flow and trap sediment before it leaves the site
• CReplace the need for inlet protection
• DMark the APWA color for sewer lines

Benching is generally NOT allowed in which OSHA soil type?

• AType A
• BType B cohesive
• CType C
• DStable rock

Why is a concrete-encased duct bank used for primary underground electrical distribution under a roadway?

• AIt protects the conduits from traffic loading and future excavation and keeps the duct al…
• BIt increases the voltage rating of the cable
• CIt eliminates the need for pulling equipment
• DIt removes the requirement for grounding the system

Minimum cover over a potable water main is typically measured from:

• AThe trench bottom to the water table
• BFinished grade to the top of the pipe
• CThe pipe invert to the manhole rim
• DThe bedding thickness only

Which statement best describes the relationship between a water main and a gravity sanitary sewer when both are in the same street (general good practice)?

• AWater mains should always be below sewers with no separation
• BWater mains are typically placed above sewers with required horizontal and vertical separ…
• CThey must occupy the same trench with touching pipes
• DSeparation rules apply only to gas lines

Compaction of trench backfill is commonly verified in the field using:

• AA paint thickness gauge only
• BNuclear density gauge or other density tests compared to a proctor maximum dry density
• COnly visual inspection of spoil color
• DMeasuring pipe ID with a micrometer

A concrete curb inlet is poured 6 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 4 feet deep (solid rectangle for estimating). How many cubic yards of concrete are required (neat)?

• AAbout 1.3 cubic yards
• BAbout 2.7 cubic yards
• CAbout 4.0 cubic yards
• DAbout 8.0 cubic yards

During concrete placement for a utility structure, a vibrator is used primarily to:

• ACool the mix below freezing
• BConsolidate concrete, remove entrapped air, and fill forms around reinforcement
• CAdd extra water after batching
• DReplace the need for formwork

What is the typical purpose of air-entrained concrete in exposed municipal structures in Alabama?

• ATo eliminate all curing requirements
• BTo improve freeze-thaw durability of exposed concrete
• CTo double design compressive strength automatically
• DTo make concrete float on water

A ladder used for trench egress must extend how far above the landing surface under common OSHA ladder practice referenced for excavations?

• AFlush with the top of the trench
• BAt least 3 feet above the landing/point of access
• CAt least 10 feet above grade
• DNo extension is ever required

Which standard is normally referenced for welding on steel water transmission piping and related structural attachments?

• AAWS welding codes, with a qualified procedure and qualified welders for the process and p…
• BASTM C39
• CACI 318
• DNFPA 72

Low-pressure air testing of gravity sewer pipe is used primarily to check for:

• APipe wall thickness only
• BLeakage at joints and defects in the installed line
• CConcrete compressive strength of manholes
• DSoil classification of the trench walls