CSCS Operatives Mock Test 3 – 50 Practice Questions

Ready for a harder run? This free CSCS Operatives mock test gives you 50 new questions with a pass mark of 45 and your score the moment you finish. Work through it at your own pace, then check where you stand.

This mock test also includes a few questions where you must pick two correct answers, exactly as the CITB test does. If you’ve only practised single-answer questions so far, this is where you find out whether you’re truly ready.

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1. A workmate cuts his hand on a sharp edge. It's not serious but it's bleeding. He says he doesn't want to bother anyone with it. What should you do?

Tell him it's his choice and leave it

Give him a plaster from your bag and carry on working

Tell the site manager he's refusing to follow the rules

Get him to see a first aider and record it in the accident book

Question 1 of 50

2. Your supervisor tells you to fit trunking along a corridor ceiling using a stepladder. The job will take most of the morning. What should you do?

Ask for a podium step or mobile tower instead

Use the stepladder but come down for regular breaks

Use the stepladder because that's what you've been given

Stand on a workbench so you can reach more easily

Question 2 of 50

3. You're working near a breaker and realise you have to shout to be heard by someone standing an arm's length away. What should you do?

Wait until the breaker stops before trying to talk

Put on hearing protection and tell your supervisor

Move a few metres further away and carry on working

Put your fingers in your ears whenever it gets loudest

Question 3 of 50

4. You see a subcontractor setting fire to offcuts and packaging in a corner of the site to get rid of them. What should you do?

Tell him to stop and report it to your supervisor

Add your own waste while the fire is going

Leave him to it because it saves space in the skip

Throw a bucket of water on it once he has gone

Question 4 of 50

5. A supervisor asks you to pop into a manhole "for a minute" to retrieve a dropped tool. There's no permit and no one has tested the air. What should you do?

Go in quickly, grab the tool and get straight back out

Go in as long as someone stays watching from the top

Refuse until a permit, gas test and rescue plan are in place

Tie a rope around your waist and ask someone to hold it

Question 5 of 50

6. A dumper driver offers to give you a lift across site in the dumper's skip. What should you do?

Accept, because it saves you a long walk

Accept, but hold on tightly to the sides

Accept, as long as the dumper goes slowly

Refuse and walk using the pedestrian route

Question 6 of 50

7. A colleague who uses a breaker most days mentions his fingers have gone tingly and white a few times. He says it's nothing. What should you do?

Offer to swap tools with him for the rest of the week

Agree with him that it's probably just the cold weather

Encourage him to report it so it can be assessed

Suggest he wears thicker gloves when using the breaker

Question 7 of 50

8. You see a painter rinsing brushes and tipping the dirty water into a surface water drain. What should you do?

Ask him to stop and tell your supervisor

Nothing, because it's mostly just water

Pour a bucket of clean water down after it

Tip your own brush water into the same drain

Question 8 of 50

9. You're behind schedule and tempted to skip the pre-use check on the grinder you're about to use. What should you do?

Carry out the full pre-use check as normal

Skip it just this once to save time

Ask someone else to check it later on

Do a quick glance over it if it looks fine

Question 9 of 50

10. You notice that overhead power lines cross the area where a tipper lorry is about to raise its body to unload. What should you do?

Wave the driver forward so he doesn't lose his slot

Tell the driver to stop and report it to your supervisor

Stand where you can watch and shout if it gets close

Assume the driver has already seen the lines himself

Question 10 of 50

11. Someone slips on a patch of spilled oil in the workshop but isn't hurt. You clean it up. What else should you do?

Nothing more, because the hazard has been removed

Leave a wet floor sign out for the rest of the shift

Have a quiet word and tell them to be more careful

Report it as a near miss so the cause can be found

Question 11 of 50

12. What is the purpose of a toolbox talk?

To check tools have been PAT tested

To record who has arrived on site

To hand out new tools to the workforce

To brief workers on the safety points of a task

Question 12 of 50

13. An HSE inspector serves a prohibition notice on a site activity. What does this mean?

The work can carry on in the lower-risk areas

The work must stop until the risk is dealt with

The work can continue if extra PPE is worn

The site manager can restart it by giving verbal approval

Question 13 of 50

14. How can a person become infected with tetanus?

By breathing in contaminated air

By eating contaminated food

By touching an infected person

Through a wound or puncture in the skin

Question 14 of 50

15. Which item must be included in a workplace first aid kit?

A fire blanket for small fires

A multi-tool kit for general repair

Prescription medicines for migraines

Sterile bandages for minor cuts and wounds

Question 15 of 50

16. What should a worker do if they discover a protected species or its habitat on a construction site?

Remove it to another location

Feed the animal and continue working

Report it and avoid disturbing the species or its habitat

Destroy the habitat so construction can continue

Question 16 of 50

17. After completing a noisy task, you notice a ringing in your ears. What does this indicate?

You are just tired and need rest

You have permanent hearing loss

The noise was not loud enough to cause any harm

You may have temporary hearing damage

Question 17 of 50

18. Which part of the body is most likely to be injured when lifting heavy loads?

Knees

Back

Neck

Legs

Question 18 of 50

19. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, which of these is a legal duty of every employee?

To carry out risk assessments for every task they do

To take reasonable care of themselves and others

To buy and maintain their own protective equipment

To send a monthly safety report directly to the HSE

Question 19 of 50

20. Which of these should be recorded in the accident book after an injury?

The injured person's bank and insurance details

Only the injured person's name and job title

The cost of repairing any damaged equipment

The date, time, place, what happened and the injury

Question 20 of 50

21. How should drinking water be provided on site?

From a clearly marked drinking water point

From a stream or river running near the site

From any tap that can be found on site

Workers are expected to bring their own bottles

Question 21 of 50

22. Which of these helps prevent work-related dermatitis?

Washing your hands only at the end of each shift

Cleaning your skin with white spirit or solvent

Gloves, prompt washing and moisturising the skin

Ignoring mild redness until it goes away by itself

Question 22 of 50

23. A colleague has a deep cut that is bleeding heavily. What is the first thing to do while help is called?

Wash the wound thoroughly with clean running water

Press firmly on the wound with a clean dressing

Sit them down and give them a hot, sweet drink

Cut away any clothing from around the injury

Question 23 of 50

24. What should you do if you find a fire extinguisher that has been used or has a broken seal?

Report it so it can be replaced or recharged

Put it back where it was for someone else to check

Use it anyway if there's a fire, it may still work

Hide it so nobody uses it by mistake

Question 24 of 50

25. You notice ice or frost forming around the valve of an LPG cylinder. What should you suspect?

The cylinder is empty

The cylinder is leaking LPG

The cylinder is ready for normal use

The cylinder needs to be stored in direct sunlight

Question 25 of 50

26. What is the potential risk of storing batteries loose in a tool bag?

Batteries may corrode

Batteries can become discharged faster

Batteries may short-circuit or leak

Batteries can become damaged by other tools

Question 26 of 50

27. How should you test an RCD before using a power tool?

Press the RCD's test button and check that it trips

Inspect the power tool for signs of overheating

Switch the power tool on and off several times

Check the RCD for scratches or other visible damage

Question 27 of 50

28. If you see that a crane is about to hit something, what should you do?

Call emergency services

Immediately stand in front of the crane with a stop sign

Try to inform the signaller supervising the operation

Ignore it because the crane operator is responsible

Question 28 of 50

29. Why should you use a chin strap on your safety helmet when working at height?

To make the helmet more comfortable to wear all day

It is only needed when the weather is very windy

To keep your ears warm when working outside

To stop it falling off and hitting someone below

Question 29 of 50

30. What eye protection should you wear when using a grinder or cut-off saw?

A pair of ordinary sunglasses with dark lenses

Impact-rated safety goggles or a face shield

None, as long as you keep your head well back

Your normal prescription glasses on their own

Question 30 of 50

31. Why must you have a face-fit test before using a tight-fitting mask?

To check the mask matches the rest of your PPE

To prove the mask seals properly to your face

It is only needed by managers and supervisors

To check the mask hasn't passed its expiry date

Question 31 of 50

32. Which of these creates the most airborne dust when cleaning up a work area?

Using an M-class vacuum cleaner

Damping down and then shovelling

Dry sweeping with a stiff broom

Wiping surfaces with a damp cloth

Question 32 of 50

33. Which TWO of these help protect you from hand-arm vibration when using a breaker?

Wearing anti-vibration gloves

Keeping your hands warm and dry

Gripping the tool as tightly as possible

Taking regular breaks from the tool

Working faster to finish sooner

Question 33 of 50

34. Which of these is a simple sign that noise on site is at a harmful level?

You can hear a radio playing in the site cabin

The birds around the site have stopped singing

You have to shout to be heard two metres away

The noise has been going on for over five minutes

Question 34 of 50

35. In a building constructed before 2000, where might you find asbestos?

Only in the roof and loft space of the building

In lagging, ceiling tiles, floor tiles and coatings

Only in factories and other industrial buildings

In modern plasterboard fitted after the year 2000

Question 35 of 50

36. Which situation would make it unsafe to drive a lorry on a construction site?

The lorry has a damaged or punctured tyre

The site manager is away from the site

The fuel price has increased

The lorry is carrying a normal load

Question 36 of 50

37. A hazard symbol shows liquid pouring onto a hand and a piece of metal. What does this mean?

Hot

Toxic

Corrosive

Flammable

Question 37 of 50

38. Where should your feet be when lifting a load from the ground?

As far apart as you can comfortably manage

Shoulder-width apart with one foot slightly forward

On tiptoe so you can reach the load more easily

Close together with your knees locked straight

Question 38 of 50

39. You're asked to move a stack of paving slabs 40 metres across site by hand. Which TWO questions should be asked before the job starts?

Who is the tallest worker available?

Is there enough room in the skip?

Can the slabs be delivered closer to where they're needed?

Can the job be done before the safety officer arrives?

Can a mechanical aid such as a pallet truck be used?

Question 39 of 50

40. What does a yellow triangle showing a black lightning bolt mean?

Emergency lighting

Thunderstorm expected

Danger, electricity

Charging point

Question 40 of 50

41. What does this symbol indicate?

Slow down for pedestrians

Pedestrian crossing ahead

No pedestrian access

Pedestrians must use this route

Question 41 of 50

42. The fire alarm sounds while you're working. What should you do?

Collect your tools and then leave

Wait to be told if it's a drill

Finish what you're doing first

Go straight to the assembly point

Question 42 of 50

43. What colour label identifies a carbon dioxide (CO₂) fire extinguisher?

Red

Blue

Black

Cream

Question 43 of 50

44. What should be provided if workers need to cross a fragile roof?

Rubber-soled footwear only

A dry and sunny day

Crawling boards with suitable handrails

A supervisor to watch the workers

Question 44 of 50

45. Why should a one-way traffic system be used in a loading or unloading area?

To make vehicles travel faster

To reduce the need for vehicle reversing

To make reversing more frequent

To increase vehicle access to restricted areas

Question 45 of 50

46. Why should you make eye contact with a plant operator before walking near their machine?

It isn't needed if you're wearing hi-vis

Because it's polite to acknowledge the driver

To be sure the operator has seen you

So the operator can stop the machine for you

Question 46 of 50

47. What must a worker have before operating a telehandler on site?

A full driving licence held for at least two years

Written permission from the delivery driver

At least five years' general experience on site

Training, proof of competence and site authorisation

Question 47 of 50

48. While excavating, you notice a strong and unusual smell coming from the soil. What should this make you suspect?

The soil may be contaminated

The ground is naturally dry

The soil is suitable for reuse

The soil contains extra moisture

Question 48 of 50

49. What should be provided to stop workers falling from the edge of a flat roof?

A warning sign fixed near the edge

A first aider waiting at ground level

A length of rope laid along the edge

Guardrails or other edge protection

Question 49 of 50

50. An excavation is being left open overnight next to a public footpath. Which TWO measures must be in place?

A worker sitting beside it all night

A radio playing to warn people

Barriers or fencing around the excavation

Lighting so the excavation can be seen in the dark

A sign asking people to be careful

Question 50 of 50

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What Your Score Means

• 48 to 50 – you’re ready. Book your test and take one more mock the day before to stay sharp.
• 45 to 47 – a pass, but only just. The real test feels harder under pressure, so look at where you dropped marks and revise those areas before booking.
• 40 to 44 – close. Go back over the questions you got wrong, then take the mock test below.
• Under 40 – don’t rush into another full test. Spend an hour on the revision material first, then come back.

Retake or Move On?

If you scored under 45, retake this test once you’ve reviewed your mistakes. The questions and answer positions shuffle each time, so you can’t just memorise the pattern.

If you passed, don’t repeat this one. Move to a different test so you meet new questions:

• CSCS Operatives Mock Test 1
• CSCS Operatives Mock Test 2

Passing three different mock tests in a row is the best sign you’re ready for the real thing.

How Long Does It Take to Prepare for the CSCS Operatives Test?

Most people with some site experience are ready after three to five hours of focused practice spread across a week. If you’re new to construction, allow two weeks and use the official CITB revision book or app alongside these mock tests. The goal isn’t to memorise answers; it’s to understand why the safe option is the safe option, because the real test rewords everything.

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