CSCS Test Questions on Working at Height (2026 Update)

Taking the CSCS Card Test soon? These 50 multiple-choice CSCS Working at Height test questions will help you assess your knowledge of safe working at height practices commonly found on construction sites.

Topics covered include ladder safety, scaffolding, mobile access towers, MEWPs, fall-prevention and fall-arrest equipment, fragile roofs, falling object protection, equipment inspections, and safe loading and unloading procedures.

To pass this, or any of our full CSCS mock exams, you must correctly answer at least 45 out of 50 questions (90%). There is no time limit, and where a question has more than one correct answer, you must select all correct options to receive full marks. Good luck.

1. All of the following are true about ladders EXCEPT: (Choose 2 answers)

When using a ladder you should always maintain 3 points of contact with the ladder

Class 3 ladders are meant for domestic use

Ladders should be painted to prevent wear and tear

Two people can work on the same ladder as long as the supervisor approves

Question 1 of 50

2. What is the most effective way to prevent people from falling through fragile surfaces, roof openings or voids?

Mark the hazards with warning tape

Fit secure load-bearing covers and display suitable warning signs

Tell workers where the hazards are located

Install safety netting and remind workers to take care

Question 2 of 50

3. What action should you take if you discover that your harness or lanyard is damaged?

Report the damage but keep using it until a replacement arrives

Continue using it and report the issue later

Stop using the equipment and report the defect to your supervisor immediately

Borrow a colleague's harness and continue working

Question 3 of 50

4. Under the Work at Height Regulations, when is it acceptable to use a ladder at work?

Only when no one else needs to use the ladder

For low-risk tasks of short duration

Ladders should never be used on construction sites

For high-risk tasks that take a long time to complete

Question 4 of 50

5. You are asked to use access equipment that you have not been trained to operate. What should you do?

Ask a colleague to carry out the task

Use a ladder instead

Proceed if the job will only take a few minutes

Stop and speak to your supervisor before continuing

Question 5 of 50

6. Materials are being stored above toe-board height on a scaffold. How should people below be protected from falling objects?

Secure the materials using string

Stop work whenever someone approaches

Warn people verbally when they walk underneath

Install brick guards or suitable debris netting

Question 6 of 50

7. On which type of surface should a mobile access tower never be used?

Paved ground

Smooth concrete

Soft, unstable or uneven ground

Tarmac or asphalt

Question 7 of 50

8. What should you do if you believe a scaffold is unsafe to use?

Report it at the end of your shift

Continue working and wait for someone else to report it

Raise your concerns with your supervisor immediately

Attempt to repair it yourself before reporting it

Question 8 of 50

9. What is the safest way to reposition a mobile access tower?

Pull it manually from both the top and bottom

Move it manually by pushing from the base only

Tow it with a vehicle using a rope attached to the top

Tow it using a site vehicle and a rope attached to the base

Question 9 of 50

10. How can you check the permitted load capacity of a scaffold platform?

Ask a colleague

Check the scaffold handover certificate or the load information displayed on site

There is no maximum load capacity

If the scaffold starts to bend, the load limit has been reached

Question 10 of 50

11. Why are one-way traffic systems used in loading and unloading areas?

To allow vehicles to travel at higher speeds

To reduce or eliminate the need for reversing vehicles

To lower site speed limits

To increase reversing movements

Question 11 of 50

12. Materials need to be stacked on a working platform. What is the best way to prevent them from falling over the edge?

Place a warning sign on the stack

Stack the materials so they lean away from the edge

Cover the materials with a plastic sheet

Fit brick guards or suitable debris netting along the edge

Question 12 of 50

13. Who is responsible for carrying out a ladder check before it is used?

The site safety adviser

The person intending to use the ladder

The ladder manufacturer

The site manager

Question 13 of 50

14. What is the main purpose of personal fall-prevention equipment?

To stop falls from happening

To reduce the severity of injury after a fall

To provide protection for more than one worker at the same time

To be used only when working in confined spaces

Question 14 of 50

15. At what angle should a leaning ladder be positioned for safe use?

85°

60°

75°

45°

Question 15 of 50

16. You need to use a mobile tower, but its wheel brakes are defective. What should you do?

Do not use the tower and report the fault

Use the tower if the surface is level

Ask someone to hold the tower while you work

Stop the wheels moving by wedging them with timber

Question 16 of 50

17. When referring to ladders, which out of these four statements is NOT true?

Ladders need to be footed for angles less than seventy-five degrees

A ladder should always be painted to avoid excess wear and tear

Three points of contact need to be maintained when using a ladder

Fibreglass ladders can help lessen the chances of electrical grounding

Question 17 of 50

18. What is the maximum recommended time a worker should remain in one position on a stepladder?

Less than 90 minutes

Less than 30 minutes

Less than 2 hours

Less than 1 hour

Question 18 of 50

19. When assembling a mobile access tower near overhead power lines, which statement is correct?

Treat all power lines as live until confirmed otherwise by the appropriate authority

The power lines can be treated as dead if the work is brief

PPE alone will provide adequate protection until the power is isolated

Mobile access towers do not present a risk because they are insulated

Question 19 of 50

20. What is the correct way to access the working platform of a mobile access tower?

Lean a separate ladder against the tower and climb that

Climb the outside diagonal braces

Use the internal ladder provided within the tower structure

Climb the outside frame of the tower

Question 20 of 50

21. When using a ladder you should always enure that you have at least ____ points of contact.

Question 21 of 50

22. When is it safe to remove a protective cover from a deep service opening on site?

After informing a few workers that the cover will be removed

After placing a safety cone next to the opening

After putting on a safety helmet and waiting until the site is quiet

When authorized to do so and suitable measures are in place to prevent a fall

Question 22 of 50

23. During which activity are materials most likely to fall from a vehicle on site?

Repainting

Cleaning

Refuelling

Unloading

Question 23 of 50

24. Which statement about podium steps is incorrect?

Any wheels should be locked before access

Overreaching can make podium steps unstable

Podium steps cannot tip over during use

Podium steps should be checked before use

Question 24 of 50

25. Which of the following is least likely to be considered fragile?

A glass panel roof

A slate-tiled roof

A reinforced concrete roof

A fibre-cement sheet roof

Question 25 of 50

26. Who should carry out pre-use checks on ladders and other equipment used for work at height?

The employer

The supervisor

The person who will be using the equipment

The site manager

Question 26 of 50

27. What measure may be required to protect members of the public from falling objects during construction work?

A temporary pavement closure or pedestrian diversion

Issuing high-visibility clothing to the public

Directing pedestrians onto the road

Providing hard hats to members of the public

Question 27 of 50

28. Which statement about the wheels on a mobile access tower is correct?

The wheels should be locked while the tower is being moved

The wheels should remain locked when the tower is being used

The wheels should remain locked at all times

The wheels only need to be locked at the end of the working day

Question 28 of 50

29. A roof coating has been applied that makes fragile areas difficult to identify. What should be done?

Rely on workers being careful

No further action is required

Ensure fragile areas are clearly identified and adequately protected

Paint the fragile areas green

Question 29 of 50

30. When should personal fall-arrest equipment be used when working at height?

Only during daytime operations

For most work carried out at height

Only when safer methods of fall prevention are not reasonably practicable (as a last resort)

Only when working night shifts

Question 30 of 50

31. A worker is asked to operate a MEWP but has not received the required training. What should they do?

Use the equipment when the area is quiet

Inform their supervisor that they are not trained to operate the equipment

Ask a colleague for instructions and continue

Complete the task as quickly as possible

Question 31 of 50

32. A repair is required on a fragile roof. Which method provides the highest level of safety?

Carry out the work from a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) positioned below the roof

Walk close to the roof supports while on the roof

Use ladders and ropes beneath the roof as protection

Work directly on the roof while wearing standard PPE

Question 32 of 50

33. Which two statements about roof work are correct? (Select two answers)

It is always safe to walk close to roof supports

Asbestos cement and fibre-cement roof sheets are unlikely to be fragile

Roof work should not take place without suitable fall protection measures

Wired glass roof panels may still be fragile

Fragile roof areas are always easy to identify

Question 33 of 50

34. A worker is using a boom-type MEWP. Which lanyard arrangement is correct?

A restraint lanyard attached to the machine controls

A restraint lanyard attached to the basket handrail

A restraint lanyard connected to the approved anchor point within the basket

A fall-arrest lanyard clipped to the structure being worked on

Question 34 of 50

35. You discover a damaged ladder. What should you do?

Use it while avoiding the damaged section

Remove it from use and make others aware that it is unsafe

Repair it yourself before use

Report the damage at the end of your shift

Question 35 of 50

36. When is it safe to walk across a fragile roof?

Only when fragile roof warning signs are displayed

When suitable crawling boards with handrails are being used

At any time provided you walk along the fixing points

Only if plastic roof panels are avoided

Question 36 of 50

37. What are Class Three ladders designed for?

They are designed to be used with jobs where bucket lifts are not possible

Building site purposes

Home or domestic use

They are to be used with jobs that have heights greater than 30 feet

Question 37 of 50

38. When using a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) above water, which item of PPE is most appropriate?

Waterproof safety boots

A fall-arrest harness

A full-face respirator

A life jacket

Question 38 of 50

39. When working from a MEWP, where should your lanyard be attached?

The platform guardrail

The designated anchorage point inside the platform

A nearby part of the structure being worked on

The machine's control panel

Question 39 of 50

40. Who should be able to carry out pre-use inspections of fall-arrest equipment?

Every worker who is required to use the equipment

Apprentices only

All personnel working on site

Site managers only

Question 40 of 50

41. How many people should be on a ladder at any one time?

One person only

Up to three people if the ladder is long enough

No more than two people

One person on each section of an extension ladder

Question 41 of 50

42. Which item of personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn where there is a risk of falling objects?

Safety harness

Hard hat

Safety goggles

High-visibility clothing

Question 42 of 50

43. What should you do if a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) cannot provide safe access to the work area?

Inform your supervisor that a more suitable MEWP is required

Place pallets on the platform to increase reach

Stand on the guardrails to gain extra height

Use a step ladder on the platform

Question 43 of 50

44. What is the most effective way to protect people below from falling tools or materials?

Create an exclusion zone beneath the work area using barriers and warning signs

Ensure everyone below is wearing a safety helmet

Display warning signs and advise people that work is taking place above

Restrict access to authorised persons only

Question 44 of 50

45. Where should vehicles be loaded and unloaded to reduce the risk of movement?

On firm, level ground

On an uphill slope

On uneven ground

On a downhill slope

Question 45 of 50

46. If a worker is uncomfortable climbing to a certain height on a specific type of ladder, he or she should:

Only climb up to a comfortable height

Notify the site supervisor

Change the ladder

Ask for someone else to foot the ladder

Question 46 of 50

47. What is the most effective way to prevent a ladder from moving or slipping during use?

Ask someone to stand on the bottom rung

Secure the ladder at the bottom

Secure the ladder at the top

Wedge the ladder with wooden blocks

Question 47 of 50

48. What is an inertia reel used for in work at height activities?

A rope-operated fall-arrest system

A pulley-operated fall-protection device

A fixed horizontal fall-arrest system

A retractable fall-arrest device that automatically adjusts as the user moves

Question 48 of 50

49. A worker has fallen and is suspended in a fall-arrest harness. Which statement is correct?

The worker can safely remain suspended for a long period

The worker should be rescued immediately

The worker should rescue themselves without assistance

Emergency services are not required

Question 49 of 50

50. A scaffold guardrail needs to be removed to allow work to take place. If you are not a trained scaffolder, what should you do?

Do not remove it. Only a competent scaffolder should remove and reinstate guardrails

Leave the removal to a scaffolder, but replace it yourself afterwards

Remove it and replace it before leaving site

Remove it and reinstall it once the task is finished

Question 50 of 50

CSCS Test Questions – Working at Height

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