British Pyrotechnists Association
Display Operators Certificate
My Firers ID No.
SP886545
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Examination
Specimen Paper (L1 Exam) Printer friendly version
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Instructions
This paper consists of three parts
Part 1 (Foundation) 30 Multiple choice items
1 Hour
(Questions 1 to 30)
Part 2 (Intermediate) 15 Multiple choice items 1/2
Hour
(Questions 31 - 45)
Part 3 (Advanced) 1 Extended Question
1/2 Hour
Foundation level candidates Attempt questions 1
to 30 only 1 Hour
Intermediate level candidates Attempt questions 1 to 45 only
1 1/2 Hours
Advanced level candidates Attempt all
questions 2 Hours
Multiple choice questions (1 to 45)
Select ONE response [A, B, C or D] which you consider to be the correct answer
in each case.
Attempt all questions (do not leave blanks)
No marks are rewarded for incorrect answers or omissions.
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Section 1
Level 1 (Foundation)
Attempt all 30 questions
1. An 'explosive' substance is one which is
best
described as
A Something used to
make a firework
B A substance which
makes a loud noise when ignited
C A substance which
produces energy very rapidly when ignited
D A substance which
needs to be handled very carefully
Ref: section 1.1(a)
2. 'Black powder' may be found in each of the following
except
A Paper sleeved
quickmatch (eg 'Spanish match')
B The lifting
charge of a shell
C ICI 'slow'
(green) igniter fuse (PIC)
D The composition
of a rocket motor
Ref: section 1.1(a), 1.1(c), 1.2(b), 1.2(d)
3. According to the British Standard BS7114, relating to
fireworks,
which of the following is correct
A 'Category 3'
fireworks cannot be used by members of the public
B If a firework is
to be used in a domestic garden, it must belong to 'Category 2'
C 'Category 4'
fireworks are for professional use only
D Roman candles
always belong to 'Category 3'
Ref: section 1.1(b)
4. The familiar ICI 'plastic igniter cord' (PIC) is
available in a variety of colours, Which
of the following burns at the slowest speed
(ie has the lowest burn rate)?
A Green
B Blue (PW6)
C Brown
D All burn at
approximately the same speed
Ref: section 1.1(c)
5. Which of the following types of fuse burns almost as
rapidly as 'tapematch'
A Piped (or
sleeved') blackmatch
B Green PIC
C Chinese green
braided fuse
D A pressed delay
fuse
Ref: section 1.1(c)
6. The diagram above
shows a typical spherical aerial shell. The Part of the shell labelled 'X'
contains:
A The lifting
charge
B The 'stars' or
units
C The slow ignition
fuse
D The Bursting
charge
Ref: section 1.2(b)
7. Which of the following statements about a typical
aerial shell is incorrect?
A The calibre of
the shell is normally described by its diameter
B The quickmatch
leader fuse normally goes into the lifting charge
C A time delay fuse
separates the star chamber bursting charge from the lifting charge
D The quickmatch
fuse burns very slowly
Ref: section 1.2(b)
8. Which of the following malfunctions (failures) will
cause a shell to leave the mortar effectively but not 'burst'
(eject the stars) in the normal way?
A The quickmatch
fuse does not burn fully and extinguishes
B The internal time
delay fuse fails to ignite
C Moisture in the
mortar tube causes the lifting charge to get wet and fail to provide full
power
D If the shell is a
very 'tight fit' in the mortar tube
Ref: section 1.2(b)
9. In relation to visual shell performance, another word
or term for 'pistil' is
A Colour change
B Kamuro
C Heart (or
'core')
D Strobe
Ref: section 1.2(b)
10. Which of the following best describes the performance
of a mortar loaded mine?
A An instantaneous
ejection of stars and/or noise effects from ground level to a good height
B A pyrotechnic
device which is placed in the ground and subsequently explodes
C A device similar
in performance to a shell
D A device similar
in performance to a 45mm single shot comet Roman candle
Ref: section 1.2(c)
11. Which of the following statements about sky rockets is
incorrect?
A Rockets
tend to fly into wind when launched
B The
stability of a rocket is affected by the length and weight of its stick
C The 'Flying
Pigeon' is a special type of rocket which is designed to fly horizontally
along a rope
D Rockets are
always safer to use in displays than shells
Ref: section 1.2(d), 1.3(a)
12. Which of the following statements about Roman candles
is
correct?
A The
'calibre' of a roman candle is always described by its length
B Roman candles are
normally designed to produce a series of stars and/or noise effects at
regular intervals
C The 'bouquet' of
Roman candles always contains three candles in a 'fan' formation
D Roman candles
always produce at least eight 'shots'
Ref: section 1.2(e)
13. A 'multishot battery' (cake) performs in much the same
way as
A A series of
single shot Roman candles connected by a delay fuse
B A bundle of
multishot Roman candles fused to fire together
C A repeating mine
Roman candle
D None of the above
Ref: section 1.2(e), 1.2(f)
14. From time to time a multishot battery (cake) will
'explode' when firing with the result that its internal tubes are
separated.
Which of the following could be
responsible for this?
A The cake is not
sufficiently well secured (eg by staking or burying)
B The cake does not
meet the British Standard BS7114:2:88
C The cake is not
heavy enough
D A Unit (for
example, a maroon unit) blows prematurely without being discharged from its
tube
Ref: section 1.2(e), 1.3(b)
15. Which one of the following statements about multishot
batteries (cakes) is incorrect?
A They may be
designed to fire over 100 projectiles (units)
B They do not need
to be stabilised by staking, burying or sand bagging
C They are supplied
in a variety of calibres
D They can be fired
electrically or manually
Ref: section 1.2(e)
16. Which of the following statements about fountains (gerbes)
is incorrect?
A They are often
used to provide effects in static set pieces
B They can often be
manufactured to provide high thrust to turn wheel devices
C They present no
hazard to spectators and operators
D They are
available in a variety of 'calibres' often indicated by diameter or power
weight
Ref: section 1.2(g)
17. Which of the following is not normally a type of
'lancework' device?
A A 'GOOD NIGHT'
set piece
B A 'Waterfall'
C A 'Battle scene'
D A set piece
depicting a portrait
Ref: section 1.2(f)
18. When planning a small public display (a November
school event, for example) the site should always
A Be at least 1
mile from the nearest hospital
B Be large enough
to allow a bonfire
C Allow for
spectators to enter and exit relatively easily
D Have a large
'grassed' area for the fireworks to be set up
Ref: section 1.3(a)
19. When firing a display manually, which of the following
is not sensible advice?
A Always wear a
hard hat or some form of head protection
B Wear overalls
which have an exposed pocket in which to keep unused portfires
C Ensure adequate
eye protection
D Allocate specific
duties to each operator and follow a firing order if possible
Ref: section 1.3(a)
20. Which of the following should always be available to
operators on site?
A An adequate first
aid kit
B A mobile
telephone
C Adequate
refreshments
D A good supply of
portfires
Ref: section 1.3(a)
21. When laying out a display site, which of the following
arrangements is normally used with regard to safety distance?
the first named firework
is
closest to the crowd line
A Shells, Rockets,
Multishot Batteries, Roman Candles
B Roman Candles,
Multishot Batteries, Set Pieces, Shells
C Set Pieces, Roman
Candles, Multishot Batteries, Shells
D Roman Candles,
Set Pieces, Multishot Batteries, Shells
Ref: section 1.3(a)
22. Which of the following pair of fireworks types present
approximately the degree of hazard and risk to spectators.
A Shells and mines
B 30mm bombette
Roman candles and multishot cake of the same calibre
C Set pieces and
roman candles
D Rockets and roman
candles
Ref: section 1.3(a)
23. Several materials can be used for manufacturing mortar
tubes, which of the following is generally considered
to be the safest and most
reliable?
A Glass fibre
composite ('fibreglass')
B Paper (cardboard)
C Steel
D High density
polythene (HDPE)
Ref: section 1.3(b)
24. An operator places a 100mm shell, by mistake, into a
125mm mortar tube. What is the likely result when the shell is
fired?
A The shell will
explode immediately in the tube
B The shell will
perform exactly as expected with no adverse result
C The shell may
leave the tube, but will burst at a much lower height
D The shell will
leave the tube at a much higher speed than normal
Ref: section 1.2(b), 1.3(b)
25. A large (250mm) shell is to be fired from a paper
(card) mortar tube. Which of the following is not advisable?
A The tube should
be buried to at least one third of its length
B The shell should
be lowered into the tube using a string or rope attachment
C The shell can be
fired from a wooden 'rack' consisting of four individual tubes containing
shells to be fired in
sequence
D The shell can be
fired electrically
Ref: section 1.3(b)
26. Which of the following statements about aerial shells
is incorrect?
A Shells belong to
'Category 4' as defined by the British Standard BS7114
B Shells should
always be fired from mortar tubes with an internal diameter slightly larger
than the diameter of the
shell
C Shells generally
present a greater hazard (and risk) to operators than Roman candles
D Shells always
present a lower risk (and hazard) to operators than mines of the same
calibre
Ref: section 1.2(b), 1.2(c), 1.1(b), 1.3(c)
27. A simple risk assessment for a routine firework
display (for example, to be staged on a school playing field) would
consider all of the following points except
A How near the
vehicle carrying the fireworks can be parked to the site
B The size of 'fall
out' zone available
C The types (and
calibre) of fireworks to be used in the display
D The location of
neighbouring houses, which are outside the school grounds
Ref: section 1.3(a), 1.3(c)
28. The main purpose of a risk assessment is to
A Identify the
hazards, groups at risk and ensure adequate precautions are in place
B Comply with
insurance requirements
C Ensure the most
spectacular display
D Eliminate all
hazards and risks from the display
Ref: section 1.3(c)
29. When preparing a lancework set pieces, there are
several options available for fusing together the individual lances.
Which of the following type of
fuse presents the greatest risk of premature ignition of the set piece
during a display?
A Tape match
B 'Brown' PIC
('fast igniter')
C Piped blackmatch
(Spanish match)
D German type fast
igniter cord
Ref: section 1.1(c), 1.3(c)
30. Which of the following statements is correct?
A The length of
mortar tube used to fire a 75mm shell can vary
B Display mines are
designed to fire a series of stars at regular intervals
C A maroon (salute)
shell presents a mush lower hazard to operators than a chrysanthemum shell
D The function of
the 'bursting charge' in a shell is to eject the shell from the mortar tube
when a gas is formed
Ref: section 1.2(b), 1.2(c), 1.3(c)
End of section 1
Now go back and check your work
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Section II
Level 2 (Intermediate)
Attempt all 15 questions
31. Ten 75mm aerial shells, in a rack, are to be fused
together so that they fire in sequence, at approximately 3 second
intervals, during a display. Which of the following is incorrect?
A The leader fuses
of the shells could be connected together using 'green' PIC at roughly 7.5cm
intervals, in a
chain
B The leader fuses
of the shell could be connected together using pressed powder delays, in a
chain
C The leader fuses
could be connected together using piped blackmatch
D The chain
sequence could be initiated by one electrical igniter
Ref: section 2.1(a), 2.1(b)
32. A multishot battery (cake) is to be fired using and
electrical igniter. Which of the following is a reliable 'sequence' of
fusing?
A Electrical
Igniter - Slow PIC - Lift powder in tube
B Electrical
Igniter - Piped Match - Slow PIC - Lift powder in tube
C Electrical
Igniter - Fast PIC - Lift powder in tube
D Electrical
Igniter - Chinese Slow Fuse - Lift powder in tube
Ref: section 1.1(c), 2.1(b)
33. Two identical electrical igniters are connected in
series to a power supply. Which of the following statements is
incorrect?
A The igniters
carry the same current
B The igniters
should, under normal circumstances, 'fire' simultaneously
C The igniters will
fire only if the voltage of the power supply is high enough (ie
exceeds a minimum value)
D If a third
igniter is placed in series, the current will be lower if the same power
supply is used
Ref: section 2.1(b)
34. Which of the following is not the case when comparing
electrical and manual firing methods?
A The injury risk
to operators is generally lower in the case of electrical firing
B A greater degree
of control can be achieved using electrical firing
C Electrically
fired displays are generally quicker to set up than manually fired displays
D Electrical firing
is normally preferred for pyromusical shows
Ref: section 2.1(b)
35. Which of the following statements concerning aerial
shells is incorrect?
A Willow or Kamuro
shells always present a lower hazard and risk to spectators than
chrysanthemum shells of the
same
diameter, fired under identical conditions
B Large cylindrical
multibreak shells may require a mortar tube of greater length than a single
break shell of the
same calibre
C It is acceptable
to insert an electrical igniter directly into the lifting charge of a shell
D 'Ring' shells may
appear as either a line, ellipse or circle depending on the angle of viewing
Ref: section 2.2(a)
36. In order to achieve maximum horizontal range, a mortar
tube used for firing aquatic shells should be orientated at
which of the following angles, measured relative to the horizontal?
A 20 Degrees
B 30 Degrees
C 45 Degrees
D 60 Degrees
Ref: section 2.2(a)
37. Which of the following statements, concerning the use
and performance of Roman candles, is not true?
A They may produce
crossette effects
B They may produce
repeating mine effects
C It is common to
combine candles of different calibre on a single frame to achieve varying
visual effects
D They are never
used on set piece devices
Ref: section 2.2(b)
38. When firing a display from a Roof top, which of the
following is the least important consideration?
A The height of the
building
B The material from
which the roof is made
C The type of
fireworks to be included in the display
D The duration of
the display
Ref: section 2.3
39. A comprehensive risk assessment for a display on a
particular site would not include which of the following?
A An assessment of
weather rockets are suitable
B A recommendation
regarding maximum shell calibre to be used
C The most
convenient route to the site from base
D A consideration
of crowd distribution around the site
Ref: section 2.3
40. According to the UN system of classification of
explosives, which of the following is incorrect?
A Many fireworks
are designated by UN number 0336
B All explosives
are designated as 'Class 1'
C Division 1.1
indicates a minor explosion hazard
D Commercial
fireworks mostly belong to compatibility group G
Ref: section 2.4(a)
41. A carton is marked with UN designation 1.3G in a
hazard diamond. This would indicate that the contents present
A A mass explosion
hazard
B A minor blast or
projection hazard
C No significant
hazard
D No hazard at all,
because they are insensitive
Ref: section 2.4(a)
42. The Carriage of Explosives by Road Regulations deal
with a number of requirements except
A Limits on the
quantities of fireworks which can be carried
B
Requirements for the training of drivers
C
Requirements that the firework should meet the appropriate British Standard
D Construction of
vehicles and containers used for transport
Ref: section 2.4(b)
43. Which of the following statements relating to a TREM
card is incorrect?
A It should carry
relevant information about the nature and hazard of the load
B It should be kept
in the load compartment during the journey
C It is primarily
intended for the emergency services, if required
D It should be
discarded when the journey is complete and the load is removed or
transferred
Ref: section 2.4(b)
44. A box containing fireworks of an unknown type is
labelled UN 0335 1.3G The contents could be?
A Aerial Shells
B Sparklers
C 'Category 2'
Roman Candles
D Electrical
Igniters
Ref: section 1.1(b), 2.4(a)
45. In connection with typical multishot batteries
('cakes') which of the following is incorrect?
A They normally
consist of numerous individual tubes connected by a delay fuse
B They all come
within 'Category 4' of BS7114
C They may contain
both mine and bombette units
D They may be
allocated hazard division 1.3G
Ref: section 1.2(f), 2.4(b)
End of
Section II
Now go back and check your work
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Section III
Level 3
Attempt this question
(30
minutes)
46. You are asked to design a five minute firework display
suitable for 'daylight' conditions.
Discuss the various firework
types and effects that would be suitable for such a display.
Your answer should include a
brief survey of the firework types from the point of view
of a spectator safety,
suitability and visual performance.
( 15 marks )
Ref: section 3.1, 3.2