The DGSA role in transporting hazardous waste & dangerous goods
The carriage of dangerous goods on the road network is a potentially dangerous undertaking. This activity is heavily regulated to maximise safety before, during and after transportation. One key aspect is ADR, which stands for Accord européen relatif au transport international des marchandises Dangereuses par Route. The key objectives of ADR are to prevent, as far as possible, accidents to persons or property and damage to the environment. All aspects of ADR are comprehensively covered within two orange books:
In an effort to maximise safety, ADR has laid down actions companies must take if their primary and/or secondary activities include the consignment, carriage, or the related packing, loading, filling or unloading of dangerous goods. If their activities include one or more then the company must employ the service of a DGSA (Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor)
A Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA) is a person certified to provide advice to companies whose activities include the consignment, carriage, or the related packing, loading, filling or unloading of dangerous goods.
The DGSA has numerous duties laid out in ADR which include: –
- monitoring compliance with the requirements governing the carriage of dangerous goods
- advising the company on the carriage of dangerous goods
- preparing an annual report to the management of the company. Such annual reports shall be preserved for five years and made available to the national authorities at their request.
The adviser’s duties also include monitoring the following practices and procedures relating to the relevant activities of the company including:
- the procedures for compliance with the requirements governing the identification of dangerous goods being transported.
- the procedures for checking the equipment used in connection with the carriage, packing, filling, loading, or unloading of dangerous goods;
- the proper training of the undertaking’s employees, including on the changes to the regulations, and the maintenance of records of such training;
- the implementation of proper emergency procedures in the event of any accident or incident that may affect safety during the carriage, packing, filling, loading, or unloading of dangerous goods; investigating and, where appropriate, preparing reports on serious accidents, incidents, or serious infringements recorded during the carriage, packing, filling, loading or unloading of dangerous goods;
- the implementation of appropriate measures to avoid the recurrence of accidents, incidents, or serious infringements;
- the verification that employees involved in the consigning, carriage, packing, filling, loading, or unloading of dangerous goods have detailed operational procedures and instructions;
- the introduction of measures to increase awareness of the risks inherent in the carriage, packing, filling, loading, and unloading of dangerous goods;
- the implementation of verification procedures to ensure the presence on board the means of transport of the documents and safety equipment which must accompany transport and the compliance of such documents and equipment with the regulations;
- the implementation of verification procedures to ensure compliance with the requirements governing packing, filling, loading, and unloading;
- the existence of the security plan where relevant
DGSA are highly trained individuals and must pass three open book examinations that cover all aspects of dangerous goods transportation including, documentation, container selection, labelling, and marking. Fully qualified DGSA are issued with a certificate that remains valid for five years.
DGSA are highly trained individuals and must pass three open book examinations that cover all aspects of dangerous goods transportation including, documentation, container selection, labelling, and marking. Fully qualified DGSA are issued with a certificate that remains valid for five years.
Kleenwaste employs the services of four fully qualified DGSA to ensure dangerous goods are transported safely. These four DGSA are longstanding employees of Kleenwaste and have comprehensive expertise within the hazardous waste industry. This provides peace of mind to our customers that their queries will be handled effectively, and the services provided will fully adhere to the current ADR.