New York City Site Safety Manager Exam: A Practical Study Guide
The New York City Site Safety Manager exam tests the rules and the reference books behind the work. This guide lays out the job: the key facts from the official bulletin, what the exam covers, the books you need, sample questions with answers, and how to get ready. CPS HR Consulting gives the exam.
The New York City Site Safety Manager Exam at a Glance
Here's the rundown from the official bulletin:
| Questions | 80 questions |
| Time limit | 3 hours |
| Passing score | 56 correct answers out of 80 scored questions |
| Books in the exam room | Closed book (no books in the room) |
| Exam fee | $525 |
On exam day
- The exam is a computer-administered, 80-question multiple-choice test scored on the number of correct answers with no guessing penalty.
- Two IDs are required: a current, valid, signed government-issued photo ID matching your registration name, plus any non-expired photo ID.
- Candidates should arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment.
- No reference materials, books or notes may be brought in, and the test center administrator inspects candidates and collects violating materials before the exam begins.
- Personal calculators are not permitted; an online calculator is available for all written exams.
- Scratch paper, pens, pencils and an online calculator are provided, while personal aids, electronics, hats, bags, extra pocket items and weapons are prohibited.
Study references listed in the bulletin (not allowed in the exam room)
- 2014 NYC Administrative Code, Title 28, Chapter 1: Administration; Chapter 4: Licensing and Registration of Businesses, Trades and Occupations Engaged in Building Work
- 2014 NYC Construction Codes, Building Code: Chapter 14: Exterior Walls; Chapter 18: Soils and Foundation; Chapter 19: Concrete; Chapter 22: Steel; Chapter 33: Safeguards During Construction or Demolition
- Rules of the City of New York, Title 1, §104-08 Site Safety Manager and Site Safety Coordinator Certificates; §3310-01: Site Safety
- New York City Fire Code, 2014, Chapter 9: Fire Protection Systems; Chapter 33: Fire Safety During Construction, Alteration and Demolition
Scheduling, changes and retakes
- Candidates schedule online using the link in the eligibility confirmation email, and may call CPS HR Consulting at 855-224-6977 with scheduling questions.
- The Department must accept your application and fee before scheduling, and you have six months from your application date to test, testing only once per notice of eligibility.
- Cancellation or rescheduling must be received two calendar days before the exam date to avoid forfeiting the fee, and cancelling does not extend the six-month eligibility.
- Missing the appointment, arriving after the start time, failing to cancel in time, or lacking proper ID invalidates the application and forfeits the examination fee.
- After failing, you must wait 14 days to re-apply and may retake up to three times in six months; three failures in six months require a six-month wait.
- Passing candidates must submit a Background Investigation Questionnaire in person within one year, then after qualifying must appear within one year of the notice of qualification to obtain the license.
Source: Candidate Information Bulletin — Site Safety Manager License Examinations, Last Updated 04.07.2026. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
What the New York City Site Safety Manager Exam Covers
The official content outline breaks the exam into 6 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements for Construction or Demolition of a Major Building | 12 | 15% |
| Administrative Requirements | 12 | 15% |
| Construction of a Major Building | 24 | 30% |
| Alterations of a Major Building | 11 | 14% |
| Temporary Construction Equipment | 13 | 16% |
| Demolition Operations | 8 | 10% |
How to Get Ready for the New York City Site Safety Manager Exam
This is a closed-book exam, so the knowledge has to be in your head, not in a book. Work through the topics in the outline.
Do the big jobs first. Construction of a Major Building and Temporary Construction Equipment make up 46% of the exam.
Put in the reps with timed practice exams. The clock trains you to work at the real exam's pace: about 2 minutes 15 seconds per question.
When you miss a practice question, read the explanation and the reference behind it until the rule sticks. Keep at it until you pass practice exams consistently.
The Books for the New York City Site Safety Manager Exam
The bulletin lists four suggested study references (NYC Administrative Code Title 28, NYC Building Code chapters, Rules of the City of New York Title 1, and the 2014 NYC Fire Code), none of which may be brought into the testing site.
Where to get them:
Working the Exam on Test Day
Work the exam in two passes. On the first pass, answer everything you know and bookmark the rest. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions. On the second pass, go back to your bookmarks and take them one at a time.
Don't get hung up on one question. You have 3 hours for 80 questions, which is about 2 minutes 15 seconds per question. Before you finish, make sure nothing is left blank.
Study Tips
Reading the material cover to cover usually isn't enough to pass. This is a multiple-choice exam, and multiple choice rewards practice — the more questions you work through under real conditions, the more the terminology and question style become second nature.
Read the explanation for every question — right or wrong. Understanding the underlying rule lets you answer reworded questions you've never seen, instead of memorizing specific answers.
After each practice test, note the topics you miss most and spend your next session there. Re-testing weak areas yields far more score gain than re-reading what you already know.
Practicing against a ticking clock is the best way to beat exam-clock anxiety. Use these timed tests to build your pacing, so you learn to move steadily and never burn too long on a single question. By test day, the format feels routine.
Sample New York City Site Safety Manager Questions
These come from our practice question bank, each with its answer and the reference behind it.
Sample 1 — Administrative Requirements
Question: Section 28-116.4.1 lists types of service equipment that may not be operated until the department issues a certificate of compliance following a satisfactory report of inspection and testing. Which of the following is NOT among the listed types?
- A. Refrigeration systems
- B. Fuel-oil storage equipment
- C. Automatic sprinkler systems
- D. Elevators and escalators
Correct Answer: C
The equipment listed in §28-116.4.1 is: air-conditioning, ventilation and exhaust systems; elevators, escalators, moving walkways and dumbwaiters; fuel burning and fuel-oil storage equipment; refrigeration systems; heating systems; and boilers. Automatic sprinkler systems are not among the listed service equipment requiring a certificate of compliance under this section.
Reference: NYC Administrative Code Title 28, §28-116.4.1
Sample 2 — Alterations of a Major Building
Question: At your alteration site, material is being staged on the sidewalk directly alongside the sidewalk shed, and that area is not closed off by a fence or permanent façade. A solid barrier must be provided at such a work or storage zone extending at least what height from the level of the ground, with the space above it to the deck enclosed by wire screen or equivalent netting?
- A. 4 feet
- B. 8 feet
- C. 6 feet
- D. 3 feet
Correct Answer: A
Where work or storage occurs adjacent to a sidewalk shed or equivalent overhead protection and the area is not closed with a fence or permanent façade, a solid barrier at least 4 feet high from the ground is required, with the gap to the deck enclosed by not less than number 18 gage wire mesh or equivalent netting with openings no larger than ½ inch. Where a hoist, hoistway, or chute is located, the solid barrier must extend from ground to deck.
Reference: New York City Building Code 2014, Section 3307.4.7
Sample 3 — Demolition Operations
Question: In the demolition of a masonry building with wooden floors, no section of wall with a height more than ______ times its thickness shall be permitted to stand without bracing designed by a registered design professional.
- A. 40
- B. 22
- C. 30
- D. 12
Correct Answer: B
Section 3306.8.2 governs demolition of masonry buildings with wooden floors and prohibits leaving any wall section standing whose height exceeds 22 times its thickness unless bracing designed by a registered design professional is provided. The same section requires systematic demolition of walls and partitions, with work above each tier of floor beams completed before supporting members are disturbed.
Reference: New York City Building Code 2014, Section 3306.8.2
Sample 4 — Construction of a Major Building
Question: As the site safety manager reviewing concrete shear wall shop drawings on a major building, you note segments labeled "wall piers." By definition, a wall pier is a wall segment whose clear height is at least two times its horizontal length and whose horizontal length-to-thickness ratio is at least 2.5 but does not exceed:
- A. Six
- B. Three
- C. Five
- D. Four
Correct Answer: A
The definition added to ACI 318, Section 2.2 by the Building Code defines WALL PIER as a wall segment with a horizontal length-to-thickness ratio of at least 2.5 but not exceeding six, whose clear height is at least two times its horizontal length. Segments with a horizontal length-to-thickness ratio less than 2.5 must instead be designed as columns.
Reference: New York City Building Code 2014, Section 1908.1.1 (Wall Pier)
Why Practice Online Instead of With a PDF
A PDF is like reading about a job instead of doing it. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers with the clock running. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results break your score down by topic so you know where to put in more work.
Get Started
Take the free New York City Site Safety Manager practice exam to see where you stand, then put your time into the topics that need it. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.