29 CFR 1910.178: Powered industrial trucks

Question 1

A safety coordinator is selecting a replacement electric lift truck for a solvent-blending room. Flammable vapors are present in the room's atmosphere. The facility's current electric trucks are an ES unit (extra safeguards against sparks and high surface temperatures) and an EE unit (motors and electrical equipment completely enclosed). Which designation is intended for use in this kind of atmosphere?

1. AEE
2. BEX
3. CES
4. DE

Question 2

During a walk-through of a forklift charging area, a safety professional sees that an operator has parked an electric truck, set the brake, opened the battery compartment cover, and checked that the vent caps work before starting the charge. A contractor is using an angle grinder on a bracket on a workbench inside the same charging area. The grinder is throwing a steady stream of sparks. Which action does the standard require?

1. AAllow the grinding to continue because the area already prohibits smoking
2. BTake precautions to prevent the sparks, such as stopping the grinding or moving it out of the charging area
3. CClose the battery compartment cover so that gases from the battery cannot reach the sparks
4. DContinue the work but require a carboy tilter to be on hand in case electrolyte is spilled

Question 3

A lift truck operator has raised a loaded pallet to the height of the top rack tier. The truck is still in the aisle, and the pallet has not yet reached the rack opening. The pallet is stable with the mast tilted slightly back. To save time, the operator wants to tilt the mast forward now so the pallet will be ready to slide off when it reaches the rack. What should the operator do?

1. ATilt forward now by a few degrees only, as long as the truck advances slowly toward the rack.
2. BTilt the mast fully backward for the approach, and tilt it forward as the pallet nears the rack face.
3. CKeep only enough backward tilt to stabilize the load, move forward until the pallet is in a deposit position over the rack, and tilt forward only then.
4. DTilt forward now, because the pallet is within the truck's rated capacity.

Question 4

While preparing a new battery-changing area for electric lift trucks, a safety professional reviews the plan. It includes a designated charging room with an eyewash-style flushing station for spilled electrolyte, fire extinguishers, ventilation for gassing batteries, and wheel guards protecting the chargers from truck impact. Batteries would be removed from trucks by two workers who slide them onto a cart and then lift them onto the charging rack by hand. The plan also states that a carboy tilter will be used for electrolyte. Which gap in the plan does the standard require to be corrected?

1. AThe plan must provide a conveyor, overhead hoist, or equivalent material handling equipment for handling batteries instead of hand lifting
2. BNo gap exists, because the plan includes spill flushing, fire protection, ventilation, and charger protection, which are the only items required for a battery charging area
3. CThe carboy tilter must be replaced with a siphon, because a tilter is not permitted for handling electrolyte
4. DThe charging room must be relocated to the truck parking area so that trucks do not need to be moved to a designated location

Question 5

During an audit of a warehouse's battery charging area, a safety professional observes four electric lift trucks on charge. Which observation is a deficiency under the standard?

1. AThe charging area has a posted rule prohibiting smoking, and no open flames are present
2. BA truck is being charged with its battery compartment cover latched shut while charging is in progress
3. CA truck is being charged with its compartment cover open and the vent caps checked as functioning
4. DA truck is parked at the charger with its brake applied before the charger was connected