Legislation

Why is Dangerous Goods training required?

EU and international legislation states that all staff directly or indirectly involved in the transport of goods classed as dangerous by air, road, sea, rail, or inland waterway, must receive training appropriate to their job. The scope and content of this training is defined in law.

The legal requirement for this training is defined in the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Technical Instructions for The Safe Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Air. The Technical Instructions are incorporated in the aviation law of Sovereign States world wide. In the Technical Instructions staff are divided into categories according to the training required appropriate to each category.

Details of these requirements are listed below in ‘International Air Requirements’.

Training requirements for staff involved in road transport are detailed in ADR in the EU, (and in those countries that have adopted ADR). Where individual countries have not adopted ADR, or there are additional requirements, specific national legislation applies.

Training requirements for staff involved in sea transport are detailed in the IMO (international Maritime Organisation) regulations. 

The on-line training courses on this website are designed to meet specific aspects I these requirements.

Online Dangerous Goods Training Courses

1. Introduction to Dangerous Goods

The course Introduction to Dangerous Goods by Air, Road, and Sea; Overview for Management and Staff provides the general introduction and familiarization referred to in legislation for management, and for staff in a support or associated role who do not require more detailed training. The course gives an overview of the legislation and responsibilities applying to the handling and carriage of Dangerous Goods by Air, Road, and Sea.

The following online Dangerous Goods by Air training courses we offer on this website are designed to meet the dangerous goods training requirements of EASA-OPS for aircraft operator personnel.

Note; The following courses are applicable whether or not a carrier holds an approval to carry dangerous goods.

2. Dangerous Goods by Air for Cargo Staff and Airport Ground Handling Staff (ICAO/IATA Cat. 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13 and 14), and staff of Designated Postal Operators in Categories b and c.

This course covers the requirements for staff in many on and off airport roles (other than those in categories 1,2,3, and 6) with Freight Forwarders, Cargo Agents, Ground Handling Agents, Operators, including (but not limited to)

• cargo staff (in office, warehouse, sales, reservations, and customer contact roles) and their supervisors and managers, etc.
• Operator and Airport Ground Handling Staff, including cargo and baggage loaders; staff loading/unloading aircraft, ULDs, and vehicles; staff in support and supervisory roles, e.g. ramp coordinators, operations staff, crew check-in staff, etc.
• Staff of Designated Postal Operators (as shown in Table ‘C’).

3. Dangerous Goods by Air for Passenger Handling Staff and Security screeners (ICAO/IATA Categories 9, 12 and 15)

This course covers the requirements for staff in many on and off airport passenger handling and security roles, including (but not limited to) passenger check-in, passengers requiring special attention, (including lounge staff, and unaccompanied minors staff etc), passenger escort and boarding staff, porters and baggage handlers, baggage services, ticket desk and reservations, information desk, on and off airport baggage drops, etc., and security staff undertaking passenger and baggage screening; and supervisors and managers of these staff.

4. Dangerous Goods by Air for Flight Crew Members, Load Planners, Flight Operations Officers/Flight Dispatchers and Loadmasters (ICAO/IATA category 10 and 16)

This course covers the requirements for all Flight Crew (pilots) of any passenger or cargo aircraft, whether or not the carrier accepts dangerous goods, Load Planners, Flight Operations Officers/Flight Dispatchers and Loadmasters, whether or not dangerous goods are accepted for carriage. These are staff in category 10 as defined in the ICAO Technical Instructions.

5. Dangerous Goods by Air for Crew Members (other than flight crew members) (ICAO/IATA category 11 and 17)

This course covers the requirements for aircrew, other than flight crew, e.g. flight attendants, cabin service staff, and any other staff who have duties on board the aircraft.

NOTES

The courses listed above are generic and further training may be required to meet specific employer and local requirements.

ICAO Staff categories 1, 2, 3, and 6, and staff of Designated Postal Operators category a, require ‘in depth’ training, which is usually by a three-day classroom course. If you need this training please follow the links on the ‘contact us’ page.

International Air Requirements

The International Civil Aviation Organization has produced detailed requirements for the international air transport of dangerous goods and these are in the Technical Instructions.

They contain all the requirements that are applicable to consigning dangerous goods by air. For training, there are specific responsibilities placed on both shippers and operators; and there are general requirements for the training of everyone who is involved in the transport of dangerous goods by air, irrespective of where they are in the transport chain and no matter whether they are dealing with cargo, mail, aircraft stores or passengers. All of the provisions of EASA-OPS, the Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations in the United Kingdom stem from the requirements of the Technical Instructions.

For the training of those who consign dangerous goods, Part 5, paragraph 1.4 of the Technical Instructions contains this shipper’s responsibility: ‘Before a consignment of dangerous goods is offered for air transport, all relevant persons involved in its preparation must have received training to enable them to carry out their responsibilities, as detailed in Part 1 [of the Technical Instructions]. Where a shipper does not have trained staff, the “relevant persons” may be interpreted as applying to those employed to act on the shipper’s behalf and to undertake the shipper’s responsibilities in the preparation of the consignment. However, such persons must be trained as required by Part 1, Chapter 4 [of the Technical Instructions].’

For the training of those who are employed by or act on behalf of operators, Part 7, paragraph 4.9 of the Technical Instructions contains this operator’s responsibility: ‘An operator must ensure training is provided in accordance with the detailed requirements of Part 1, Chapter 4 [of the Technical Instructions] to all relevant employees, including those of agencies employed to act on the operator’s behalf, to enable them to carry out their responsibilities with regard to the transport of dangerous goods.’

The training requirements of the Technical Instructions in Part 1, Chapter 4, are that: ‘Initial and recurrent dangerous goods training programmes must be established and maintained by or on behalf of:

1. shippers of dangerous goods, including packers and persons or organizations undertaking the responsibilities of the shipper;
2. operators;
3. ground handling agencies which perform, on behalf of the operator, the act of accepting, handling, loading, unloading, transferring or other processing of cargo, mail or stores;
4. ground handling agencies located at an airport which perform, on behalf of the operator, the act of processing passengers;
5. agencies, not located at an airport, which perform, on behalf of the operator, the act of checking in passengers;
6. freight forwarders, and
7. agencies engaged in the security screening of passengers and their baggage and/ or cargo, mail or stores.’

Personnel must receive training in the requirements commensurate with their responsibilities. Such training must include:

1. general familiarisation training – which must be aimed at providing familiarity with the general provisions;
2. function specific training – which must provide detailed training in the requirements applicable to the function for which that person is responsible;
3. safety training – which must cover the hazards presented by dangerous goods, safe handling and emergency procedures.

Training must be provided, or verified, upon the employment of a person in a position involving the transport of dangerous goods by air or the processing of cargo or passengers.

Recurrent training must take place within 24 months of previous training to ensure knowledge is current.

A test to verify understanding must be undertaken following training. Confirmation that the test has been completed satisfactorily is required.

A record of training must be maintained which must include

1. the individual’s name;
2. the most recent training completion date;
3. a description of, copy of or reference to training materials used to meet the training requirements;
4. the name and address of the organisation providing the training; and
5. evidence which shows that a test has been completed satisfactorily.

The record of training must be made available upon request by the appropriate authority.

The subject matter relating to dangerous goods transport with which various categories of personnel should be familiar is indicated in the following table, which you will find in the Technical Instructions, the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, and sovereign country legislation. It lists staff by category and then indicates what training they need.

Table ‘A’   Minimum Training Requirements

KEY

1. Shippers and persons undertaking the responsibilities of shippers’, including operator’s staff acting as shippers, operator’s staff preparing dangerous goods as Company Materials (COMAT)
2. Packers
3. Staff of freight forwarders involved in processing dangerous goods
4. Staff of freight forwarders involved in processing cargo, mail or stores (other than dangerous goods)
5. Staff of freight forwarders involved in the handling, storage and loading of cargo, mail or stores
6. Operator’s and ground handling agent’s staff accepting dangerous goods
7. Operator’s and ground handling agent’s staff accepting cargo, mail or stores (other than dangerous goods)
8. Operator’s and ground handling agent’s staff involved in the handling, storage and loading of cargo, mail or stores and baggage
9. Passenger handling staff
10. Flight crew members, Loadmasters, load planners and flight operations officers/flight dispatchers
11. Crew members (other than flight cre members)
12. Security staff who deal with the screening of passengers and their baggage and cargo, mail or stores, e.g. security screeners, their supervisors and staff involved in implementing security procedures

Table ‘B’   Minimum Training Requirements for ‘No Carry’ Operators

Note; These are carriers that do not hold an approval to carry Dangerous Goods.

KEY

13. Operator’s and ground handling agent’s staff accepting cargo or mail (other than dangerous goods)
14. Operator’s and ground handling agent’s staff involved in the handling, storage and loading of cargo or mail and baggage
15. Passenger handling staff
16. Flight crew members, loadmasters, load planners and flight operations officers/flight dispatcher
17. Crew members (other than flight crew members)

Notes

• Depending on the responsibilities of the person, the aspects of training to be covered may vary from those shown in tables A and B.
• The categories of personnel identified in tables A and B are not all encompassing. Personnel employed by or interacting with the aviation industry in areas such as passenger and cargo reservation centres, and engineering and maintenance, except when acting in a capacity identified in the tables, should be provided with appropriate dangerous goods training in accordance with similar requirements in the table.
• Shippers include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, service providers, etc..
• As a rule of thumb full training (i.e. a three day classroom course) is required by anyone who classifies dangerous goods for shipment, or decides on packaging or labeling, or prepares the Shipper’s Declaration or AWB, or accepts or checks consignments for carriage.
• Management is responsible for identifying any training required to comply with the legislation.

Table ‘C’   Minimum Training Requirements for Designated Postal Operators

KEY

1. Staff of designated postal operators involved in accepting mail containing dangerous goods
2. Staff of designated postal operators involved in processing mail (other than dangerous goods)
3. Staff of designated postal operators involved in the handling, storage and loading of mail

Notes

• Category ‘a’ staff require the full 3 day Dangerous Goods by Air course (call us for details)
• Categories ‘b’, and ‘c’ staff are covered by on-line Course 2 (see above)