Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor

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In the European Union, organisations that transport, load or unload dangerous goods in quantities above certain levels, whether by road, rail or inland waterway, are required to appoint a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA). The DGSA can be an owner or employee of the organisation involved, or a consultant.

The rules involving the transport of dangerous goods are complex and each mode of transport, ie road, rail or inland waterway, has its own set of regulations. There are also separate sets of regulations for sea and air transportation. For many elements of trasnsportation the regulations from each mode are similar or identical. All the various sets of regulations are based upon "Recommendations on the transport of Dangerous Goods - Model Regulations", known as "The Orange Book," issued by the United Nationsl Committee of Experts on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods and the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling.

The duties of the DGSA include providing advice to the appointing organisation, preparing accident reports, monitoring the activities of the organisation which involve dangerous goods and preparing an annual report.

To become a DGSA, it is usual for a candidate to be trained by a specialist training organisation, then to sit various examinations. The qualification lasts five years. The examining body in the UK is the Scottish Qualifications Authority.^[1]