15 free CSCS sample questions and answers
Each question below is the same multiple-choice format you will see on the real CITB Health, Safety and Environment test at Pearson VUE. We have picked 15 questions across the major CITB topic areas — fire safety, PPE, manual handling, working at height, emergency procedures, noise, scaffolding, RIDDOR, COSHH, electrical safety, hand-arm vibration, asbestos, excavations, CDM 2015 and environmental management — so you get a fair taste of the breadth of the real exam. Read each question, pick your answer mentally, then check the answer panel underneath to see the explanation.
Want a full timed simulation? The real CSCS test gives you 50 questions free at Pearson VUE — well, free if you pass first time. Our 50-question CSCS mock test is the same length and format, properly free, with no signup required.
What colour band does a CO2 fire extinguisher have?
Red
Cream
Black
Blue
Answer: C — Black
CO2 extinguishers carry a black band and are designed for electrical fires (Class E) and flammable liquid fires (Class B). Never use water on electrical equipment.
What does PPE stand for?
Personal Protection Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment
Professional Protection Equipment
Public Protective Equipment
Answer: B — Personal Protective Equipment
PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment. On a UK construction site this typically includes a hard hat, hi-vis vest, safety footwear, gloves and eye protection — and is the last line of defence after other controls.
When lifting a heavy object from the floor, you should:
Bend at the waist and keep your legs straight
Bend your knees and keep your back straight
Lift quickly with a sudden movement
Twist your body while lifting
Answer: B — Bend your knees and keep your back straight
Bend your knees and keep your back straight — this transfers load to your stronger leg muscles and protects your spine. The TILE approach (Task, Individual, Load, Environment) is the standard CITB framework for safe manual handling.
Before using a ladder, you must:
Check it is the right type and in good condition
Ensure it is secured at the top or bottom
Make sure the ground is level and firm
All of the above
Answer: D — All of the above
All three checks are required. Pre-use inspection, secure positioning (tied or footed), and stable ground together prevent the most common ladder accidents — slips, slides and tip-overs. Ladders should also be set at a 75-degree angle (the 1:4 ratio).
If you discover a fire on site, your first action should be:
Try to put it out yourself
Raise the alarm
Call your supervisor
Take photos for the incident report
Answer: B — Raise the alarm
Always raise the alarm first. Alerting others gives everyone the chance to evacuate safely. Only attempt to tackle the fire yourself if it is small, you have been trained, you have the right extinguisher, and you have a clear escape route behind you.
At what daily noise exposure level must hearing protection be worn?
70 dB(A)
80 dB(A)
85 dB(A)
90 dB(A)
Answer: C — 85 dB(A)
85 dB(A) — the upper exposure action value under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Below this, at 80 dB(A) (the lower action value), hearing protection must be made available but is not yet mandatory.
How often must scaffolding be inspected while in use?
Every 24 hours
Every 7 days
Every 14 days
Once a month
Answer: B — Every 7 days
Before first use and at intervals of no more than 7 days. Also after any event likely to have affected stability — high winds, accidental impact or alteration. The inspection must be recorded and the scaffold tagged.
A worker takes 8 days off following a site injury. Under RIDDOR this must be reported as a:
Specified injury
Over-7-day injury
Minor incident
Near miss
Answer: B — Over-7-day injury
Over-7-day injury — any injury keeping a worker away from normal duties for more than 7 consecutive days (excluding the day of the accident) is reportable to the HSE under RIDDOR within 15 days.
Before using a hazardous substance, you should consult:
The product label only
Your supervisor
The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and COSHH assessment
The brand website
Answer: C — The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and COSHH assessment
Always consult the Safety Data Sheet and the site COSHH assessment. The SDS tells you the hazards and required controls; the COSHH assessment tells you how those controls have been applied to the specific task.
What voltage is standard for portable electrical tools on a UK construction site?
230 V
110 V CTE
24 V
400 V
Answer: B — 110 V CTE
110 V centre-tapped to earth (CTE) — this halves the shock voltage to 55 V to earth, dramatically reducing the risk of electrocution. Always use 110 V tools with a yellow transformer on site, not 230 V.
A worker reports tingling and numbness in their fingers after using a breaker. What condition is this an early sign of?
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)
Repetitive strain injury
Normal tiredness
Answer: B — Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)
Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). It is irreversible if exposure continues. The worker must be removed from vibration exposure, referred to occupational health, and the exposure assessment for the task reviewed.
You uncover a suspicious grey-white board while removing ceiling tiles. What is your first action?
Carefully bag it and put it in the skip
Stop work immediately and inform your supervisor
Continue and use a dust mask
Damp it down to control dust
Answer: B — Stop work immediately and inform your supervisor
Stop work immediately and inform your supervisor. Any suspected asbestos-containing material must be left undisturbed pending a licensed asbestos survey. Disturbing it could expose you and others to fatal levels of fibres.
How often must an excavation deeper than 1.2 m be inspected by a competent person?
Once a week
Daily and before each shift
Once a month
Only when something changes
Answer: B — Daily and before each shift
At the start of every shift and after any event likely to affect strength or stability (e.g. heavy rain). A written report is required at least every 7 days.
On a project with more than one contractor, who must appoint the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor in writing?
The HSE
The Client
The Architect
The Lead Contractor
Answer: B — The Client
The Client. Under CDM 2015 the Client has primary duties — failing to appoint a Principal Designer and Principal Contractor in writing is a criminal offence that the HSE prosecutes against clients (including domestic clients on commercial work).
A small fuel spill occurs near a surface water drain. Your first priority is to:
Hose it down with water
Stop the source, contain the spill and prevent it reaching the drain
Cover it with sand and leave it
Call the Environment Agency
Answer: B — Stop the source, contain the spill and prevent it reaching the drain
Stop the source, contain the spill (drain mats / spill kit), and prevent it reaching the drain. Pollution of a watercourse is a criminal offence under the Environmental Protection Act. Only after containment do you report.
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The real CITB HS&E exam is 50 questions in 45 minutes. Our full mock test simulates exactly that — instant scoring, no signup, no credit card.
Take full mock testWhat the real CSCS test is like
The real CITB Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) test is delivered on a touch-screen computer at a Pearson VUE test centre — the same network used for driving theory tests, professional accountancy exams and many trade qualifications. You will be checked in with photo ID, asked to leave your phone and any notes in a secure locker, and shown to a partitioned workstation where the test runs in a browser-style application.
All three CITB tests — Operatives, Supervisors, and Managers and Professionals (MAP) — share the same headline format: 50 multiple choice questions, 45 minutes on the clock, four answer options per question, and no negative marking. The pass mark is the same across all three: 45 out of 50 (90%). The MAP test is regarded as the most demanding because of the broader management-specific content, not because of a higher threshold. Your result is shown on screen at the end and printed for you to take home.
How sample tests help you prepare
Sample tests work because they force active recall — the cognitive process of retrieving information without prompts. Decades of learning research show that active recall produces far better long-term retention than re-reading a textbook or watching a video. Every time you sit a sample question and commit to an answer, you are strengthening the memory link to the underlying knowledge — even if you get it wrong, because your brain will pay extra attention to the correction.
A short sample test like this one is the ideal warm-up before a full mock. Use it to gauge whether you are ready to attempt a 50-question rehearsal, to identify the topic area where you feel least confident, or simply to remind yourself of the multiple-choice format if it has been a while since you last studied. Once you feel comfortable with the rhythm of the questions, move straight into the full free 50-question mock test for a true test-day simulation.