In these post Northern Ireland Agreement weeks it is worth noting one cross-Border, cross-political initiative that takes place each year the occupational health and safety quiz organised by the National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO) and Northern Ireland Safety Group. This year's final occurs in Limerick in the next fortnight.

Companies were permitted to enter as many teams as they wished. New entrants over the past two years enter a separate competition where questions are taken exclusively from the NISO Book of 1,000 Questions and Answers on Health, Safety and Welfare edited extracts from which appear below to test your health and safety knowledge. The answers appear at the end of this column.

1. What is an accident? An unplanned event.

2. Why remove working gloves before taking off goggles? To prevent contamination of the face or eyes

3. What two precautions must be taken when using a safety belt? It should be fastened to a secure point and the free fall kept to a minimum

4. Why investigate an incident even if no accident has occurred? To prevent a future accident

5. Give two reasons why you should keep a record of all accidents, however small. Accident prevention and in case of litigation

6. If a member of the public injured in a supermarket due to work activity has to receive medical treatment, must the accident be reported to the Health and Safety Authority? Yes

7. If a child has an accident at school and has to receive medical treatment, is the accident reportable to the Health and Safety Authority? Yes

8. Classify accident costs into four categories. Wages losses; production losses; medical costs; property damage; investigation costs; insurance costs

9. Give four safety points about clothing when working near machinery. Single piece; short sleeves; close fit; hip or inside pocket; no loose ties

10. Power tools feature in more accidents than any other factor. What are the three most important safety measures that workers using power tools should take? Wear goggles; check guard is appropriate; use ear protection

11. Who should have prime responsibility for investigating an accident, and who should not investigate it? The company safety officer ideally accompanied by the safety representative. The manager, supervisor or foreperson should not investigate an accident because they can be emotionally involved

12. What is paraquat? A lethal poison, commonly used as a weed killer. There is no known antidote and most cases are fatal

13. Is sniffing chemicals a safe way to identify them? No because some chemicals are harmful even below the threshold of smell

14. Give four ways poisons can enter the body. Ingestion; inhalation; absorption; injection

15. The term LD 50 is often recorded in data dealing with toxic chemicals. What does it signify? Lethal Dose

50 per cent. That is, the dose that killed 50 per cent of test animals

16. What do the letters L.P.G. marked on a cylinder stand for? Liquified Petroleum Gas

17. Give one correct way to test for a gas leak. Brush the suspected point of leak with soapy water or use an appropriate sensitive gas detector

18. Can women be employed in processes connected with lead manufacture? Generally no

19. What category of worker is most exposed to accidents? Young and inexperienced workers

20. Within what period must a worker under 18 be medically examined when first employed under the Factories Act 1955? Within 10 working days

21. Why not used water on an electrical fire? Water is an electrical conductor and could cause a short circuit

22. Give two reasons why a portable electric power tool should not be connected to a light socket. It won't be earthed and could cause an overload

23. A person has received an electric shock and is still in contact with the live circuit. What should you do? Switch off the current if possible or remove the contact using a non conductor. Apply artificial respiration

24. What are the new and old colour codes for live, neutral and earth in a 13 amp plug? New scheme: live brown; neutral blue; earth green/yellow. Old scheme: live red; neutral black; earth green

25. Give three ways in which electricity can cause death. Shock to heart and respiratory organs; burns; involuntary action of the body after shock like fibrillation of the heart (random contraction and disrupted rhythm of the heart)

50 per cent. That is, the dose that killed 50 per cent of test animals.

16. Liquified Petroleum Gas.

17. Brush the suspected point of leak with soapy water or use an appropriate sensitive gas detector.

18. Generally, no.

19. Young and inexperienced workers.

20. Within 10 working days.

21. Water is an electrical conductor and could cause a short circuit.

22. It won't be earthed and could cause an overload.

23. Switch off the current if possible or remove the contact using a non conductor. Apply artificial respiration.

24. New scheme: live brown; neutral blue; earth green/yellow. Old scheme: live red; neutral black; earth green.

25. Shock to heart and respiratory organs; burns; involuntary action of the body after shock like fibrillation of the heart (random contraction and disrupted rhythm of the heart).

The semi-finals and finals of the all-island occupational health and safety quiz takes place on the May 9th at the Limerick Inn Hotel.

Edited extracts from the NISO Book of Questions and Answers, Safety, Health and Welfare used with permission.

The book costs £4 for members or £5 for non-members and is available from: NISO, 10 Hogan Place, Dublin 2. Telephone: 01 662 0399.