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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: STS Exam

Pass/Fail

Result Reporting

BCSP modified-Angoff cut score

100

Questions

Multiple choice

2 hours

Exam Duration

Computer-based

$185

Exam Fee

BCSP

Domains

STS5 blueprint V.2025.07.15

The STS (Safety Trained Supervisor) exam is a 2-hour, 100-question multiple-choice exam administered by BCSP. The passing score is a criterion-referenced cut score set by a modified Angoff procedure rather than a published percentage. The STS5 blueprint (V.2025.07.15, effective March 1, 2026) covers 6 domains: Safety Program Implementation & Management (15%), Hazard Awareness (20%), Hazard Controls (20%), Basic Industrial Hygiene (12%), Emergency Preparedness & Management (11%), and Life Critical Activities (22%). The exam fee is $185 plus a $120 application fee.

Sample STS Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your STS exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 197+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is the primary purpose of new employee safety orientation?

A.To complete required paperwork for HR files

B.To introduce employees to workplace hazards and safety expectations

C.To assign employee ID badges and parking permits

D.To schedule employees for their first performance review

Explanation: New employee safety orientation introduces workers to workplace hazards, safety rules, emergency procedures, and the company's safety culture. It ensures employees understand expectations before beginning work. While HR paperwork may be part of orientation, the primary safety purpose is hazard awareness and expectation setting.

2A supervisor observes an employee performing a task incorrectly and unsafely. What should be the supervisor's FIRST action?

A.Document the incident for the employee's personnel file

B.Immediately correct the unsafe behavior and ensure the task is performed safely

C.Wait until the end of the shift to discuss the issue privately

D.Report the violation to upper management

Explanation: When unsafe behavior is observed, the supervisor's immediate priority is to stop the unsafe act and correct the behavior to prevent injury. Documentation and reporting are important follow-up steps, but the first action must address the immediate hazard. Waiting to address the issue could result in an accident.

3Which of the following is an essential element of a Job Safety Analysis (JSA)?

A.Employee salary information

B.Breaking down the job into specific steps and identifying hazards for each

C.Production quotas for the job

D.Customer satisfaction ratings

Explanation: A JSA breaks down a job into specific sequential steps, identifies hazards associated with each step, and develops controls to eliminate or reduce those hazards. Salary, production quotas, and customer satisfaction are not elements of a JSA, which focuses exclusively on safety.

4During an incident investigation, a supervisor should focus on:

A.Determining who is at fault and should be disciplined

B.Identifying root causes to prevent recurrence

C.Minimizing the company's legal liability

D.Completing the investigation as quickly as possible

Explanation: Effective incident investigation focuses on identifying root causes rather than assigning blame. The goal is to understand what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent similar incidents. A blame-focused approach discourages reporting and prevents learning from incidents.

5A supervisor notices an employee appears fatigued and is having difficulty concentrating. What is the BEST course of action?

A.Ignore it unless the employee makes a mistake

B.Assess fitness for duty and consider reassigning safety-sensitive tasks

C.Send the employee home without pay immediately

D.Document the observation for the next performance review

Explanation: Supervisors have a responsibility to assess fitness for duty. Fatigue can impair judgment and reaction time, creating safety risks. The appropriate response is to assess the situation and consider temporary reassignment of safety-sensitive tasks while addressing the underlying cause. Immediate suspension without pay is premature without understanding the cause.

6What is the purpose of conducting safety audits?

A.To identify deficiencies in the safety program and ensure compliance

B.To find employees who are not following procedures

C.To satisfy insurance requirements only

D.To reduce the frequency of safety meetings

Explanation: Safety audits systematically evaluate the effectiveness of safety programs, identify deficiencies, and ensure compliance with regulations and company policies. While audits may reveal non-compliance, their primary purpose is program improvement, not punishment. They are proactive tools for continuous improvement.

7When developing a safety program for a work crew, which approach is MOST effective?

A.Have management create all rules without employee input

B.Involve employees in identifying hazards and developing solutions

C.Copy another company's safety program exactly

D.Focus only on OSHA compliance requirements

Explanation: Employee involvement in safety program development creates ownership, improves hazard identification (workers know their jobs best), and increases compliance. Programs imposed without input often fail to address actual workplace conditions and lack employee buy-in. OSHA compliance is the minimum, not the goal.

8A near-miss incident occurs on a work site. According to safety management principles, how should the supervisor respond?

A.Ignore it since no one was injured

B.Investigate it the same as an actual injury incident

C.Document it only if management requires it

D.Wait to see if similar incidents occur before taking action

Explanation: Near-misses are opportunities to prevent future injuries. They indicate system failures that could result in injuries under slightly different circumstances. Best practice is to investigate near-misses with the same rigor as injury incidents to identify and correct root causes before injuries occur.

9What is the primary purpose of workplace safety inspections?

A.To identify and correct hazards before they cause injuries

B.To catch employees breaking safety rules

C.To satisfy insurance company requirements

D.To document that safety meetings occurred

Explanation: Safety inspections are proactive tools to identify workplace hazards before they result in injuries or illnesses. The goal is hazard identification and correction, not punitive enforcement. Regular inspections are a fundamental component of an effective safety program.

10Stop Work Authority means that:

A.Only supervisors can stop work when unsafe conditions exist

B.Any employee has the right and obligation to stop unsafe work

C.Work can only be stopped during scheduled breaks

D.Work stoppage requires approval from company headquarters

Explanation: Stop Work Authority empowers any employee to immediately stop work activities when they identify unsafe conditions or behaviors without fear of retaliation. This safety culture element recognizes that anyone can identify hazards and prevents the "it's not my job" mentality that leads to accidents.

About the STS Exam

Professional certification for supervisors overseeing workers in safety-sensitive industries. The STS exam covers the 6 domains of the STS5 blueprint (V.2025.07.15), effective March 1, 2026.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

2 hours

Passing Score

Criterion-referenced cut score (modified Angoff); not published as a percentage

Exam Fee

$185 (BCSP (delivered by Pearson VUE))

STS Exam Content Outline

15%

Safety Program Implementation & Management

New employee orientation, JSA elements, incident investigation, fitness for duty

20%

Hazard Awareness

Safety inspection procedures and corrections, Stop Work Authority, identifying hazards from documentation, safety audits, motor vehicle safety procedures

20%

Hazard Controls

Hierarchy of controls, JSA continuous improvement, mitigating and reducing hazards, risk assessment and management, machine safeguarding

12%

Basic Industrial Hygiene

Biological, chemical, physical, airborne, and ergonomic hazards; chemical routes of entry into the body; hazardous atmospheres

11%

Emergency Preparedness & Management

Routine emergency equipment inspections, equipment emergency shutoff procedures, emergency response plan content

22%

Life Critical Activities

Electrical hazards, confined space hazards, fall hazards, isolation of hazardous energy, ladder safety, fire protection systems, hoisting and rigging

How to Pass the STS Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Criterion-referenced cut score (modified Angoff); not published as a percentage
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: 2 hours
Exam fee: $185

Keys to Passing

Work through all 197 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

STS Study Tips from Top Performers

1Focus on the three largest domains: Hazard Awareness, Hazard Controls, and Life Critical Activities (62% combined)

2Understand the hierarchy of controls and when each level is appropriate

3Master Life Critical Activities requirements - electrical hazards, confined spaces, fall hazards, energy isolation, ladders, fire protection systems, and rigging

4Work through practice questions across all six domains and re-review every missed item until each domain is comfortable

5Review OSHA regulations and ANSI standards referenced in the exam blueprint

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the STS exam?

The Safety Trained Supervisor (STS) exam is a professional certification from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) designed for supervisors who oversee workers in safety-sensitive industries. It validates that supervisors have the knowledge to identify hazards, implement controls, and maintain safe work environments.

What is the passing score for the STS exam?

BCSP does not publish a fixed passing percentage for the STS exam. Minimum passing scores are established by a modified Angoff criterion-referenced procedure, which sets the cut score from subject-matter-expert judgments about how a minimally qualified supervisor should perform on each item. Your result depends only on your own performance, not on how other candidates scored, and BCSP notes that passing scores are subject to change without advance notice. The exam is 100 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours, and results are reported as pass or fail.

How much does the STS exam cost?

The STS exam fee is $185, and there is a separate application fee of $120 — $305 in total, or $293 if purchased as the application-plus-exam combo. An exam bundle with two attempts and one self-assessment costs $325. Once certified, an annual renewal fee of $70 keeps the credential active. Study materials are optional and not included.

What are the STS exam domains?

The STS5 blueprint (V.2025.07.15, effective March 1, 2026) covers 6 domains: (1) Safety Program Implementation and Management (15%), (2) Hazard Awareness (20%), (3) Hazard Controls (20%), (4) Basic Industrial Hygiene (12%), (5) Emergency Preparedness and Management (11%), and (6) Life Critical Activities (22%). The STS5 revision moved Domain 6 from Ethical Leadership to Life Critical Activities and broadened Domain 5 beyond fire safety to include emergency equipment and emergency shutoff procedures.

How should I prepare for the STS exam?

To prepare for the STS exam: 1) Study all 6 STS5 domains, focusing on Hazard Awareness, Hazard Controls, and Life Critical Activities (62% combined). 2) Work through practice questions in every domain and review the ones you miss. 3) Read the official STS blueprint references, which lean heavily on the National Safety Council Supervisors’ Safety Manual and Accident Prevention Manuals, alongside the OSHA standards and ANSI/ASSP consensus standards the questions are drawn from. 4) Aim for consistent, comfortable performance on practice exams across all six domains before scheduling.

Who should take the STS exam?

The STS certification is designed for supervisors in construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, and other safety-sensitive industries who oversee workers but are not primarily safety professionals. It is ideal for foremen, lead workers, and operations supervisors with safety responsibilities. Candidates need 30 hours of safety, health, and environmental training plus one qualifying pathway: two years of supervisory experience, four years of work experience in any industry, an associate degree or higher in occupational safety, risk management, or construction management, or completion of a two-year trade or union training program or apprenticeship.

197+ Free STS Practice Questions

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