PREPIQ RHODE ISLAND UNDERGROUND UTILITY
CONTRACTOR ULTIMATE EXAM
Practice Exam — 300 Advanced-Level MCQs
1. What Rhode Island state agency oversees the licensing of underground utility contractors?
A) Rhode Island Department of Transportation
B) Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (CRLB) (correct
answer)
C) Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
D) Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission
Rationale: The Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (CRLB)
under the Department of Business Regulation is the licensing authority for contractors
including underground utility contractors; it administers examinations, issues licenses, and
enforces contractor licensing laws under RIGL Chapter 5-65.
2. Under Rhode Island General Laws, what minimum liability insurance coverage is required for
a licensed underground utility contractor?
A) $100,000 per occurrence / $300,000 aggregate
B) $500,000 per occurrence / $1,000,000 aggregate (correct answer)
C) $250,000 per occurrence / $500,000 aggregate
D) $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate
Rationale: Rhode Island CRLB requires underground utility contractors to maintain
general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate;
proof of insurance must be maintained continuously and updated annually as a condition
of licensure.
3. What is the required notice period before excavating near underground utilities in Rhode
Island under the "Dig Safe" law?
A) 24 hours
, B) 48 hours (correct answer)
C) 72 hours
D) 5 business days
Rationale: Rhode Island's Dig Safe law (RIGL 39-1.2) requires excavators to notify Dig
Safe (1-888-DIG-SAFE) at least 48 hours but no more than 10 business days before
excavation begins; this allows utility operators time to locate and mark underground
facilities.
4. What does the color WHITE represent in the APWA Uniform Color Code for temporary
marking of underground utilities?
A) Electric power lines
B) Proposed excavation area or route (correct answer)
C) Water mains
D) Sewer lines
Rationale: APWA Uniform Color Code: WHITE = proposed excavation area/route; PINK
= temporary survey markings; RED = electric power lines; YELLOW = gas/oil/petroleum;
ORANGE = communications/CATV; BLUE = water; GREEN = sewer/drain; PURPLE =
reclaimed water/irrigation.
5. In Rhode Island, what color marks natural gas pipelines under the APWA color code?
A) Red
B) Orange
C) Yellow (correct answer)
D) Blue
Rationale: APWA Uniform Color Code designates YELLOW for gas, oil, petroleum, and
gaseous materials; this is universally applied in Rhode Island and across the US by all Dig
Safe participants; natural gas distribution lines operated by National Grid in Rhode Island
must be marked yellow.
6. What minimum burial depth is required for water mains in Rhode Island to prevent freezing?
A) 36 inches
B) 42 inches
C) 48 inches (correct answer)
D) 60 inches
,Rationale: Rhode Island's frost depth is typically 48 inches; water mains must be buried
with a minimum of 48 inches of cover to the top of the pipe to prevent freezing; the Rhode
Island Water Resources Board and individual water authorities require minimum 48-inch
cover for potable water distribution mains.
7. What OSHA standard governs excavation and trenching safety for underground utility
contractors?
A) 29 CFR 1926.100
B) 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P (correct answer)
C) 29 CFR 1910.147
D) 29 CFR 1926.50
Rationale: 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P (Excavations) is the primary OSHA standard governing
excavation, trenching, and earthwork safety; it covers soil classification, sloping/shoring
requirements, access/egress, water accumulation, underground installations, and protective
systems — mandatory for all underground utility work.
8. Under OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, what is the maximum depth of an excavation that can
be left open without a protective system in Type C soil?
A) No excavation in Type C soil can be left open without protection
B) 5 feet
C) All excavations deeper than 5 feet require protection; Type C soil has NO allowance
for unprotected excavations deeper than 5 feet (correct answer)
D) 4 feet
Rationale: OSHA 29 CFR 1926.652: excavations 5 feet or deeper in Type C soil (least
stable) MUST have a protective system (sloping at 1.5H:1V, shoring, or shielding); Type A
soil (stiff clay) can be sloped at 3/4H:1V; Type B at 1H:1V; Type C requires 1.5H:1V slope
— the most conservative; NO excavation in Type C deeper than 5 feet can be left
unprotected.
9. What is the OSHA-required maximum slope ratio for excavations in Type C soil?
A) 1/2H:1V (26.6°)
B) 3/4H:1V (53.1°)
C) 1H:1V (45°)
D) 1.5H:1V (34°) (correct answer)
, Rationale: OSHA Appendix B to Subpart P: Type C soil (granular soils, submerged soil,
fissured soil, previously disturbed soil) requires 1.5H:1V slope (approximately 34° from
horizontal); Type B requires 1H:1V; Type A requires 3/4H:1V; simple slope is the simplest
protective system but requires significant space.
10. In Rhode Island, who has authority to classify soil type at an excavation site for OSHA
compliance purposes?
A) The project engineer only
B) A competent person designated by the employer (correct answer)
C) The Rhode Island OSHA inspector
D) The utility company representative
Rationale: OSHA 29 CFR 1926.650 defines "competent person" as someone capable of
identifying existing and predictable hazards and authorized to take corrective action; the
competent person is responsible for daily soil classification using at least one visual test
(crack patterns, fissuring) and one manual test (thumb penetration, pocket penetrometer)
before each shift.
11. What is the minimum required access/egress distance in an excavation under OSHA
standards?
A) Lateral travel no more than 25 feet from a means of egress (correct answer)
B) Stairway or ladder every 10 feet
C) One egress per excavation regardless of length
D) Egress required only when workers are in the excavation more than 30 minutes
Rationale: OSHA 1926.651(c): structural ramps, ladders, stairways, or other means of
egress must be located so workers never travel more than 25 feet laterally to access egress;
in excavations 4 feet or deeper, a means of egress must be provided; ladder must extend 3
feet above the excavation edge.
12. What does RIGL Chapter 39-1.2 specifically require regarding the tolerance zone around
marked utilities?
A) Do not excavate within 1 foot of the marks
B) Do not excavate within 18 inches of the marks using mechanical equipment — hand
dig within the tolerance zone (correct answer)
C) No excavation within 5 feet without supervisor approval
D) Any distance is acceptable with careful mechanical operation
CONTRACTOR ULTIMATE EXAM
Practice Exam — 300 Advanced-Level MCQs
1. What Rhode Island state agency oversees the licensing of underground utility contractors?
A) Rhode Island Department of Transportation
B) Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (CRLB) (correct
answer)
C) Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
D) Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission
Rationale: The Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (CRLB)
under the Department of Business Regulation is the licensing authority for contractors
including underground utility contractors; it administers examinations, issues licenses, and
enforces contractor licensing laws under RIGL Chapter 5-65.
2. Under Rhode Island General Laws, what minimum liability insurance coverage is required for
a licensed underground utility contractor?
A) $100,000 per occurrence / $300,000 aggregate
B) $500,000 per occurrence / $1,000,000 aggregate (correct answer)
C) $250,000 per occurrence / $500,000 aggregate
D) $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate
Rationale: Rhode Island CRLB requires underground utility contractors to maintain
general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate;
proof of insurance must be maintained continuously and updated annually as a condition
of licensure.
3. What is the required notice period before excavating near underground utilities in Rhode
Island under the "Dig Safe" law?
A) 24 hours
, B) 48 hours (correct answer)
C) 72 hours
D) 5 business days
Rationale: Rhode Island's Dig Safe law (RIGL 39-1.2) requires excavators to notify Dig
Safe (1-888-DIG-SAFE) at least 48 hours but no more than 10 business days before
excavation begins; this allows utility operators time to locate and mark underground
facilities.
4. What does the color WHITE represent in the APWA Uniform Color Code for temporary
marking of underground utilities?
A) Electric power lines
B) Proposed excavation area or route (correct answer)
C) Water mains
D) Sewer lines
Rationale: APWA Uniform Color Code: WHITE = proposed excavation area/route; PINK
= temporary survey markings; RED = electric power lines; YELLOW = gas/oil/petroleum;
ORANGE = communications/CATV; BLUE = water; GREEN = sewer/drain; PURPLE =
reclaimed water/irrigation.
5. In Rhode Island, what color marks natural gas pipelines under the APWA color code?
A) Red
B) Orange
C) Yellow (correct answer)
D) Blue
Rationale: APWA Uniform Color Code designates YELLOW for gas, oil, petroleum, and
gaseous materials; this is universally applied in Rhode Island and across the US by all Dig
Safe participants; natural gas distribution lines operated by National Grid in Rhode Island
must be marked yellow.
6. What minimum burial depth is required for water mains in Rhode Island to prevent freezing?
A) 36 inches
B) 42 inches
C) 48 inches (correct answer)
D) 60 inches
,Rationale: Rhode Island's frost depth is typically 48 inches; water mains must be buried
with a minimum of 48 inches of cover to the top of the pipe to prevent freezing; the Rhode
Island Water Resources Board and individual water authorities require minimum 48-inch
cover for potable water distribution mains.
7. What OSHA standard governs excavation and trenching safety for underground utility
contractors?
A) 29 CFR 1926.100
B) 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P (correct answer)
C) 29 CFR 1910.147
D) 29 CFR 1926.50
Rationale: 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P (Excavations) is the primary OSHA standard governing
excavation, trenching, and earthwork safety; it covers soil classification, sloping/shoring
requirements, access/egress, water accumulation, underground installations, and protective
systems — mandatory for all underground utility work.
8. Under OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, what is the maximum depth of an excavation that can
be left open without a protective system in Type C soil?
A) No excavation in Type C soil can be left open without protection
B) 5 feet
C) All excavations deeper than 5 feet require protection; Type C soil has NO allowance
for unprotected excavations deeper than 5 feet (correct answer)
D) 4 feet
Rationale: OSHA 29 CFR 1926.652: excavations 5 feet or deeper in Type C soil (least
stable) MUST have a protective system (sloping at 1.5H:1V, shoring, or shielding); Type A
soil (stiff clay) can be sloped at 3/4H:1V; Type B at 1H:1V; Type C requires 1.5H:1V slope
— the most conservative; NO excavation in Type C deeper than 5 feet can be left
unprotected.
9. What is the OSHA-required maximum slope ratio for excavations in Type C soil?
A) 1/2H:1V (26.6°)
B) 3/4H:1V (53.1°)
C) 1H:1V (45°)
D) 1.5H:1V (34°) (correct answer)
, Rationale: OSHA Appendix B to Subpart P: Type C soil (granular soils, submerged soil,
fissured soil, previously disturbed soil) requires 1.5H:1V slope (approximately 34° from
horizontal); Type B requires 1H:1V; Type A requires 3/4H:1V; simple slope is the simplest
protective system but requires significant space.
10. In Rhode Island, who has authority to classify soil type at an excavation site for OSHA
compliance purposes?
A) The project engineer only
B) A competent person designated by the employer (correct answer)
C) The Rhode Island OSHA inspector
D) The utility company representative
Rationale: OSHA 29 CFR 1926.650 defines "competent person" as someone capable of
identifying existing and predictable hazards and authorized to take corrective action; the
competent person is responsible for daily soil classification using at least one visual test
(crack patterns, fissuring) and one manual test (thumb penetration, pocket penetrometer)
before each shift.
11. What is the minimum required access/egress distance in an excavation under OSHA
standards?
A) Lateral travel no more than 25 feet from a means of egress (correct answer)
B) Stairway or ladder every 10 feet
C) One egress per excavation regardless of length
D) Egress required only when workers are in the excavation more than 30 minutes
Rationale: OSHA 1926.651(c): structural ramps, ladders, stairways, or other means of
egress must be located so workers never travel more than 25 feet laterally to access egress;
in excavations 4 feet or deeper, a means of egress must be provided; ladder must extend 3
feet above the excavation edge.
12. What does RIGL Chapter 39-1.2 specifically require regarding the tolerance zone around
marked utilities?
A) Do not excavate within 1 foot of the marks
B) Do not excavate within 18 inches of the marks using mechanical equipment — hand
dig within the tolerance zone (correct answer)
C) No excavation within 5 feet without supervisor approval
D) Any distance is acceptable with careful mechanical operation
