Regulations
2 hours
Learning Objectives
- •State the minimum age, exam passing score, and license duration for a 2B license
- •Identify the threshold conditions that trigger a hoisting license requirement under MGL Chapter 146
- •Explain the relationship between MGL Chapter 146 and 230 CMR 6.00
- •List the key exemptions and the penalties for unlicensed operation
Topics Covered
- •MGL Chapter 146 § 53 — who must hold a hoisting license to operate hoisting machinery
- •Minimum age requirement: 18 years old
- •License duration and renewal: 2-year cycle through the MA Office of Public Safety and Inspections (OPSI)
- •Exam passing score: 70% minimum; 60-day waiting period after a failed attempt
- •$75 non-refundable application fee per restriction class
- •230 CMR 6.00 — the regulation that implements MGL Chapter 146 with technical and safety standards
- •Exemptions under MGL §53: agricultural operators on their own land, public utility supervised programs, industrial lift trucks on company property, vocational schools, approved apprenticeship programs
- •Civil penalty up to $500 per day for unlicensed operation; employer shares liability under MGL §66
- •License classification: Group 2 (Excavating) — the 2B restriction within that group
Resources
Self-Check Questions
Question 1: What is the minimum passing score on the Massachusetts 2B hoisting engineer exam?
- A. 60%
- B. 65%
- C. 70%(correct)
- D. 75%
Show Explanation
Explanation:
The passing score is 70%. Score below 70% and you must wait 60 days before retesting — use that time to study the areas where you scored poorly.
Question 2: How long is a Massachusetts hoisting engineer license valid before renewal is required?
- A. 1 year
- B. 2 years(correct)
- C. 3 years
- D. 5 years
Show Explanation
Explanation:
The hoisting license is valid for 2 years. Always verify the current renewal cycle and any continuing-education requirement at mass.gov, since the rules can change.
Question 3: Which of the following operators is EXEMPT from holding a Massachusetts hoisting license?
- A. A utility contractor operating a backhoe loader on a city street
- B. A farmhand operating a backhoe loader exclusively on agricultural land(correct)
- C. A landscaper operating a front-end loader on a residential job site
- D. A municipal worker operating a backhoe loader to repair a water main
Show Explanation
Explanation:
Agricultural operators working on their own land are explicitly exempt under MGL §53. The other operators are doing construction or utility work that requires a hoisting license regardless of who owns the property.
Question 4: What is the relationship between MGL Chapter 146 and 230 CMR 6.00?
- A. MGL Chapter 146 is federal law; 230 CMR 6.00 is state law
- B. MGL Chapter 146 is the statute passed by the legislature; 230 CMR 6.00 is the implementing regulation with technical and safety standards(correct)
- C. They are two names for the same document
- D. 230 CMR 6.00 supersedes MGL Chapter 146 in all cases
Show Explanation
Explanation:
MGL (Massachusetts General Law) is statute — passed by the legislature. 230 CMR 6.00 is a regulation that implements and expands Chapter 146 with the specific technical and operating requirements you must follow.
Question 5: What is the non-refundable application fee for each restriction class when applying for a Massachusetts hoisting engineer license?
- A. $25
- B. $50
- C. $75(correct)
- D. $100
Show Explanation
Explanation:
The application fee is $75 per restriction class and is non-refundable — you do not get it back if you fail the exam or your application is denied. Confirm the current fee at mass.gov before applying.
Question 6: What is the minimum age to obtain a Massachusetts hoisting engineer license?
- A. 16
- B. 17
- C. 18(correct)
- D. 21
Show Explanation
Explanation:
MGL Chapter 146 sets the minimum age at 18. Applicants under 18 cannot obtain a hoisting license regardless of experience or training.
Question 7: A contractor directs an unlicensed worker to operate a backhoe loader "just for the morning." Who can face penalties?
- A. No one, if no accident occurs
- B. Only the worker
- C. Only the contractor
- D. Both the worker and the contractor — each day of unlicensed operation is a separate violation(correct)
Show Explanation
Explanation:
MGL §53 and §66 create liability for both the person operating without a license and the employer who directs or permits it. Civil penalties run up to $500 per day, and "just for the morning" does not reduce the violation.