Exam Cheat Sheet · Quick Reference
New York City Site Safety Manager Exam
New York · CPS HR Consulting
New York State Portion 80 questions
Key Distinctions
Chutes less than 24 inches (610 mm) in maximum dimension must be constructed of not less than 1-inch (nominal) wood or 1/8-inch thick steel, while chutes more than 24 inches in maximum dimension (e.g., a 30-inch chute) must be of not less than 2-inch (nominal) wood or 3/16-inch thick steel, or a material of equivalent strength and durability acceptable to the commissioner; every chute shall be rigidly supported and braced throughout its height.
New York City Building Code 2014, Section 3303.5.5.2Daily checks verify valves in place at each story below the construction/demolition floor, connection to a water source or fire department/siamese connection, and hose/siamese connections unobstructed and marked by a red light and 'Standpipe Connection' sign, while the weekly check verifies that no breach exists by visually tracing the standpipe including risers, cross connections and fire department connections; all are recorded in the site safety log.
New York City Building Code 2014, Section 3310.8.3.1.1A medium duty supported scaffold supports loads up to 50 pounds per square foot and not more than those imposed by workers and moderate material such as brick and pipe, while a heavy duty supported scaffold supports loads up to 75 pounds per square foot and not more than those imposed by workers and heavy material such as stone (light duty is 25 psf).
New York City Building Code 2014, Section BC 3302.1 (Medium Duty Scaffold)A light duty sidewalk shed is designed to carry a live load of at least 150 psf and is permitted only where the work it protects against is performed at a height of less than 100 feet above the ground and nothing is stored or placed on it, while all other sidewalk sheds must be heavy duty, designed for a live load of at least 300 psf.
New York City Building Code 2014, Section BC 3307.6.4.2A competent person is capable of identifying existing predictable hazards in the surroundings or conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous AND has authorization to take prompt corrective measures, whereas a qualified person is defined by a recognized degree, certificate or professional standing, or by knowledge, training and experience demonstrating ability to solve problems related to the subject matter, with no authorization element.
New York City Building Code 2014, Section 3302.1 (Competent Person; Qualified Person)Deep foundations are relatively slender with lengths exceeding 12 times the least horizontal dimension, while pier foundations have lengths less than or equal to 12 times the least horizontal dimension.
New York City Building Code 2014, Section 1801.3Referenced standards are part of the code's requirements to the extent of each reference, but where differences occur between the code and a referenced standard, the provisions of the Building Code apply; the 'most restrictive governs' rule of Section 102.1 applies only to conflicts between different sections of the code itself.
New York City Building Code 2014, Section 102.4Standpipe connection caps are painted red, sprinkler connection caps green, and combination standpipe and sprinkler caps yellow (marked 'COMBINATION STANDPIPE AND SPRINKLER SYSTEMS'), while a connection serving a non-automatic sprinkler system is distinguished by having the entire connection painted silver.
New York City Fire Code 2014, FC 912.4Hand-held extinguishers with a gross weight exceeding 40 pounds must be installed with the top not more than 3.5 feet above the floor, while units weighing 40 pounds or less may have their top up to 5 feet above the floor; in both cases clearance from floor to bottom of the extinguisher is not less than 4 inches.
New York City Fire Code 2014, FC 906.9.2Hoisting equipment raises and lowers personnel and/or material with intermittent motion (expressly excluding scaffolds, mast climbers and elevators), while material handling equipment is a power or manually operated platform, bucket, car or cage that moves horizontally and is mainly used for transporting material during construction, alteration, repair or demolition.
New York City Building Code 2014, Section BC 3302.1 (Hoisting Equipment)For cast-in-place concrete construction the working deck is the level where the floor is being formed, while for steel construction it is the floor where metal decking and steel components are placed before concrete is poured; a floor where the slab has been poured and formwork stripped is a walkable floor.
New York City Building Code 2014, Section 3302.1 (Working Deck - Concrete Construction)A sidewalk shed must be installed before demolition begins where a structure higher than 25 feet is to undergo full demolition (or exterior partial demolition above 25 feet above curb level), while the 40-foot threshold of Items 2 and 3 applies to new construction and façade work.
New York City Building Code 2014, Section BC 3307.6.2Documents certified by a registered design professional and accepted with less than full examination are stamped or endorsed 'accepted,' which has the same force and effect as approval following full plan examination.
NYC Administrative Code Title 28, §28-104.2.2A registered design professional qualifies with 3 years of experience supervising construction or demolition of major buildings plus a department-approved 40-hour course completed within one year prior to application, while the general pathway requires 8 years of construction supervision experience including 5 on major buildings.
NYC Administrative Code Title 28, §28-402.2Key Terms
Formulas to Know
(2 × buggy outside width) + 3 feet; worked example: (2 × 2 ft 6 in) + 3 ft = 8 feet. Where buggies operate without passing, the rule is 2 feet wider than the buggy width.One competent watchperson where the individual building footprint is between 5,000 and 40,000 square feet; above 40,000 square feet, one additional watchperson for each additional 40,000 square feet or fraction thereof.Enough guards that each floor or area is patrolled at least once an hour, with the area patrolled by each fire guard not exceeding 50,000 square feet of floor area (the department may further limit the area).Article weight ≥ 95 percent of the approved rated capacity of the hoisting or rigging equipment (or wind sail area exceeding 500 square feet, or a tandem pick).Combustible exterior wall coverings including architectural trim shall not exceed 10 percent of the exterior wall surface area on any given story; prohibited where fire separation distance is 5 feet or less; limited to 40 feet in height above grade plane.Materials other than bird friendly materials shall not exceed an aggregate of 10 square feet within any 10-foot by 10-foot square area of exterior wall below 75 feet above grade.A single section is limited to 10 square feet up to 15 feet above the sidewalk or grade level below, and to 6 square feet above 15 feet; in no event installed more than 35 feet above the sidewalk or grade level directly below.Each MCM section limited to 300 square feet, separated a minimum of 4 feet vertically, with a self-ignition temperature of not less than 650°F per ASTM D 1929.Not piled higher than 3 feet (914 mm) where no solid fence or barrier separates it; where a solid fence or barrier is provided, material may be piled to within one foot of the top of that fence or barrier (material in a dumpster or similar solid container and not piled above its top is excepted).Length > 12 × least horizontal dimension = deep foundation; length ≤ 12 × least horizontal dimension = pier foundation.