General Principles

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Course structure:

Core

Packages

Classes 2,3,4,5,6,8 and 9

Tankers

 

The ADR training certificate (and photo ID) will arrive to your home address shortly after the course is completed and the exams are passed.

 

The ADR card is valid for five years.  A refresher training course can be taken within the first four years of the ADR, this will be valid for five years from when you passed the examinations.  If the refresher training is passed in the fifth year the new ADR that will be valid for five years, plus what was remaining on the original card.

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Everyone involved in the carriage of dangerous goods must receive training, and carry photo ID.  Other participants (fillers, packers, loaders, etc.) need dangerous goods awareness training.

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ADR training must include:

General awareness training – a basic training course that makes drivers aware of the hazards and how to prevent incidents. 

Safety training - this includes measure drivers take to ensure their own safety and that of the public.

Function specific training  - undertaken at the operational centre, specific to vehicles, products and equipment.

Security training – recognising security risks and methods to reduce them.

 

Can dangerous goods be handled and transported without ADR? Yes, under the following circumstances:

Excepted quantities (very small amounts);

Limited quantities (small quantities in receptacles such as bottles);

Private use – retail items, and for flammable liquids a maximum of 60l per receptacle and 240l per vehicle;

Recovery – under supervision of an ADR holder to a safe place nearby;

Emergency – under instruction of authority;

Vehicle fuel – fixed tank limit of 1500l per vehicle and a trailer with a tank not exceeding 500l.

 

An ADR photo ID card must be carried by the driver when under regulations, and photo ID for all other handlers of dangerous goods.

 

The ADR agreement operates between 52 member states, through which goods can be transported in different modes:

 

Air

IATA - International Air Transport Association

ICAO - International Civil Aviation Organisation

Sea

IMDG - International Maritime Dangerous Goods

Rail

RID - The Regulation concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail

Road

ADR - Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road

CDG - Carriage of Dangerous Goods and the Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations

 

ADR rules govern transport between two or more member states of ADR and is an agreement between those states.  CDG (domestic rules) apply with transport operations within the UK only.

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The United Nations set out the Model Regulations, which is summarised in two large volumes known as the orange book.  It takes a year for the ADR volumes to be written based on the orange books.  Both volumes are revised every two years, the last ADR revision being 2025.

 

List of countries in ADR:   Country information (Competent Authorities, Notifications) | UNECE

Vehicles that in scope of regulations must fully adhere to all the requirements for the vehicle (eg. markings and equipment) and the driver (eg. ADR card).  Once all the dangerous goods have been removed (and in tankers this means cleaning and purging otherwise the tanker is still in scope but nominally empty), the vehicle ceases being in regulations.  This means all the ADR equipment and documents are no longer needed.

 

Environment

Drivers must prevent dangerous goods contaminating the environment, especially drains and watercourses. Vehicles in scope must carry equipment to safely contain spillages, and all incidents must be reported.  The mechanism for doing this forms part of driver training at a business on recruitment.

 

Waste

Dangerous goods wastes are in scope, and are described in section 75 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.  Except for hospitals, businesses and shops generating less than 500kg of waste per year, dangerous goods wastes have to be disposed of at authorised sites.  Wastes cannot be collected from sites that have not registered with the Environment Agency.  Notification of carriage of waste internationally is required through a Hazardous Waste Consignment Note.

 

Laws

The UK law consists of criminal law – these are offences against society, prosecuted by the state. The result of this may be fines, loss of licence and a custodial sentence.  The HSE have the authority to prosecute over breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act, to which ADR is part.  Civil law operates when a person or party suffers damage or loss.  The result is compensation or injunctions.

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