Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference

Alabama Marine Construction Contractor

Alabama  ·  PSI Services Contractor

Verified, not estimated. Every figure below is drawn from the official exam structure we maintain — question counts, passing standard and topic weighting. Practice questions are grounded in the source law with statute citations. We omit any figure we can't verify rather than guess at it.
Total questions
50
Passing score
70%
Exam time
120 min
Administered by
PSI Services Contractor
Format
Reference materials allowed

Alabama State Portion 50 questions

Safety 6 Q · 12%
Fall protection systems and requirements (guardrail, safety net, personal fall arrest)Personal protective equipment selection and useCranes and derricks — safe operation, load charts, and riggingConfined spaces — permit-required entry procedures and atmospheric monitoringFire protection and prevention on construction sitesExcavation and trenching safety (shoring, sloping, and cave-in protection)Scaffolding — erection, capacity, and fall protection requirementsBlasting and explosives handling, storage, and transport
Miscellaneous Engineering – Pile Driving 25 Q · 50%
Types of piles and their classifications (timber, concrete, steel, sheet, composite)Pile-driving hammers: types, selection, and energy outputPile-driving equipment operation and driving proceduresDriving stresses and pile cushion requirements for concrete pilesSheet pile installation methods and cofferdam applicationsAir compressors and compressed-air systems for pile-driving hammersCrane selection and configuration for pile-driving operationsEquipment economics and ownership/operating costs for pile-driving equipmentSoil and rock properties, swell and shrinkage factors, and compaction for marine and foundation workExcavator, dozer, scraper and hauling equipment production and cycle-time estimatingCrane selection, load charts, lift planning and rigging for marine constructionDewatering and compressed air: pumps, air compressors and pneumatic tools +3 more
Concrete 15 Q · 30%
Cement types and properties (portland, blended, hydraulic)Concrete mix design and proportioning (water-cementitious materials ratio, aggregate selection, air content)Durability and exposure categories (freeze-thaw, sulfate attack, chloride corrosion, permeability)Admixtures for concrete (air-entraining, water-reducing, accelerating, retarding, supplementary cementitious materials)Placing, finishing, and consolidation of concrete (subgrade preparation, depositing, formwork pressure)Curing methods and materials (wet curing, membrane curing, curing duration and temperature effects)Hot and cold weather concreting precautionsConcrete testing methods (slump, air content, compressive strength, density, fresh concrete sampling)
Concrete - Reinforcing Steel 4 Q · 8%
Reinforcing bar types, grades, and ASTM specificationsBar identification markings and size designationsConcrete cover requirements and placement tolerancesBar supports: types, selection, and placementSplice types: lap, mechanical, and welded splicesPlacing reinforcing bars in footings, walls, and columnsCoated reinforcing steel: epoxy, galvanized, and handling requirementsInspection of placed reinforcing steel

Key Distinctions

Isolation JointvsContraction Joint

Isolation joints extend the full depth of the slab and separate it from walls, columns, and footings to permit horizontal and vertical movement, while contraction joints extend only approximately one-quarter the slab thickness to control cracking.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 282
Ownership CostvsOperating Cost

Ownership costs include major repairs and overhauls (which extend machine service life), while operating costs include fuel, lubricants, and tires consumed during use.

Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 2, Page 80
Crane on Outriggers / Rubber-Tire Mount (rated load limit)vsCrawler-Mounted Crane (rated load limit)

Per PCSA standards, cranes on outriggers or rubber tires shall not exceed 85% of tipping load, while crawler-mounted machines are limited to 75% of tipping load.

Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 16 - Cranes, RATED LOADS FOR LATTICE- AND TELESCOPING-BOOM CRANES
Leasing EquipmentvsOwning Equipment

Leasing is treated as an off-balance-sheet operating expense that preserves bonding capacity, while direct ownership creates a debt liability that can reduce bonding capacity.

Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 2 - Equipment Economics, Lease considerations
Type MV-90 CablevsType MV-105 Cable

Type MV-90 has a maximum operating temperature of 90°C, while Type MV-105 has a maximum operating temperature of 105°C; both are suitable for dry or wet locations.

NEC Table 315.10(A)
Shielded / Lead-Covered Conductors (bend radius)vsNonshielded Conductors (bend radius)

Shielded or lead-covered conductors over 1000 V must not be bent to a radius less than 12 times the overall diameter, while nonshielded conductors require a minimum of only 8 times the overall diameter.

NEC 305.5
Direct-Buried Cable over 1000 V–22 kV (cover depth)vsCable over 22 kV–40 kV in Rigid Metal Conduit (cover depth)

Direct-buried cables rated over 1000 V through 22 kV require 750 mm (30 in.) minimum cover, while cables over 22 kV through 40 kV installed in rigid metal conduit require only 150 mm (6 in.) minimum cover.

NEC Table 305.15(A)
Danger SignvsGeneral Warning Sign

Danger signs—with a red upper panel, black borders, and white lower panel—shall be used only where an immediate hazard exists, distinguishing them from caution or general warning signs used for lesser hazards.

OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 201
Type III Portland CementvsType II(MH) Portland Cement

Type III is ground finer than Type I to achieve high early strength quickly, while Type II(MH) limits its heat index to a maximum of 100 to generate heat at a slower rate, making it suitable for mass concrete.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 113
Type V Portland CementvsType I Portland Cement

Type V has a low C₃A content (≤5%) specifically for severe sulfate exposure environments, while Type I is a general-purpose cement with no special sulfate resistance.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 113
Fly Ash (effect on water demand)vsSilica Fume (effect on water demand)

Adding fly ash generally reduces water demand in a concrete mix, while adding silica fume increases water demand.

Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 363
Emergency Action Plan — 10 or Fewer EmployeesvsEmergency Action Plan — More Than 10 Employees

Employers with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally and need not maintain a written document, while larger employers must maintain a written plan.

OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.35(e)(3)

Key Terms

Competent Person (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 31
Per OSHA 29 CFR 1926.32(f), a person capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
First Aid Kit Inspection Frequency (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 33
Per OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.50, the contents of a first aid kit must be checked before each job and at least weekly on each job to replace expended items.
Qualified Operator Requirement (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, Page 29
Per OSHA 1926 CFR 29 §1926.20(b)(4), only employees qualified by training or experience shall be permitted to operate equipment and machinery.
Minimum Fire Extinguisher Rating (OSHA) OSHA 1926.150(c)(1)(i)
Per OSHA 1926.150(c)(1)(i), a fire extinguisher rated not less than 2A must be provided for each 3,000 square feet of protected building area.
Material Storage Distance from Hoistway (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.250(b)(1)
Per OSHA 1926 CFR 29 §1926.250(b)(1), materials stored inside buildings under construction shall not be placed within 6 feet of any hoistway or inside floor opening.
Minimum Toilet Facilities — Small Crew (OSHA) OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.51(c)(1), Table D-1
Per OSHA 1926 CFR 29 §1926.51(c)(1) Table D-1, a job site with 20 or fewer employees requires a minimum of 1 toilet facility.
High-Voltage Danger Sign Posting (NEC) NEC 305.12
Per NEC 305.12, danger signs stating 'DANGER—HIGH VOLTAGE—KEEP OUT' must be conspicuously posted at all points of access to conductors in raceway and cable systems over 1000 volts.
Type MV Cable Qualified Installer Requirement (NEC) NEC 315.30
Per NEC 315.30, installation and testing of Type MV cable must be performed by a qualified person with documented training and experience.
Raceway Exclusivity Rule (NEC) NEC 300.8
Per NEC 300.8, raceways or cable trays containing electrical conductors shall not also contain any pipe, tube, or conduit for steam, water, air, gas, or drainage.
Separation of High/Low Voltage Conductors (NEC) NEC 305.4
Per NEC 305.4, conductors rated over 1000 V AC / 1500 V DC shall not occupy the same enclosure, cable, or raceway as conductors rated 1000 V AC / 1500 V DC or less unless specific exceptions apply.
Isolation Joint Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 282
A full-depth joint with a premolded filler that separates a concrete slab from walls, columns, footings, and other restraint points to permit both horizontal and vertical movement.
Vapor Retarder (under slab) Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Pages 413-414
A polyethylene film or polyolefin sheet placed directly beneath a concrete slab on ground to slow the upward movement of water vapor and protect moisture-sensitive floor coverings or equipment.
Entrained Air Voids (freeze-thaw protection) Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 324
Microscopic air bubbles intentionally incorporated into concrete that act as empty chambers allowing freezing water to expand into them, relieving hydraulic and osmotic pressure and preventing freeze-thaw damage.
Optimum Economic Life (equipment) Construction Equipment Guide, Chapter 2, Pages 100-103
The ownership duration at which the combined total cost per hour (ownership cost per hour plus operating cost per hour) is at its minimum, representing the ideal replacement point for construction equipment.
Self-Priming Pump Suction Lift at Altitude Chapter 18, p. 1016-1017
A self-priming centrifugal pump loses 1 ft of suction lift for every 1,000 ft of elevation above sea level, reducing its normal 25 ft sea-level suction lift to 18 ft at 7,000 ft elevation.
Shrinkage-Reducing Admixture (SRA) Finishing Risk Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Page 226
SRAs can slow bleed rates and delay set time, so premature steel-trowel finishing of SRA-treated slabs can trap bleedwater beneath the surface and cause delamination.

Formulas to Know

Suction Lift at AltitudeSuction lift = 25 ft − (Elevation in ft ÷ 1,000)
Maximum Aggregate Size — Slab Depth LimitMax aggregate size = Slab depth ÷ 3
Maximum Aggregate Size — Rebar Spacing LimitMax aggregate size = (3/4) × clear spacing between reinforcing bars
Maximum Aggregate Size — Vertical Member LimitMax aggregate size = Narrowest member dimension ÷ 5
Crane Rated Load — Outrigger / Rubber-Tire MountRated load ≤ 0.85 × Tipping load
Crane Rated Load — Crawler MountRated load ≤ 0.75 × Tipping load
Contraction Joint DepthContraction joint depth ≈ Slab thickness ÷ 4
Cross-Section Panel Length-to-Width Ratio LimitLength ÷ Width ≤ 1.5 (to prevent center cracking in concrete panels)
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