TRAINING AND SAFETY
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ADR regulations mean drivers need to know what they are carrying, what the potential dangers are, and what needs to be done in the event of an emergency—first aid, how to use fire extinguishers, and so on. They must hold the City 8E. Guilds certificate before taking a hazardous load out. In addition to the fees listed below, the cost of having the driver out of the cab for days on end is far from inconsiderable.
ADR: 4-7 days
Course and exams: 1250-400 (ex-VAT).
The DGSA exam has one core module, another covering road transport and a third split into a potential seven parts covering radioactivity, gases and so on. There is a "general chemical classes" option. To put a member of your staff through the DGSA exam you can expect to pay somewhere around the following amounts:
NSA: 5-6 days.
Course: £500-700.
Books: £150-190.
Exam: £170.
Total: £820-1,060 (ex-VAT).
Of course, different training organisations charge their own rates, and the quotes CM received varied wildly. As with insurance, shopping around is the best option. And as the DGSA certificate itself is good for five years, it is possible to calculate the viability of hiring a consultant rather than training one yourself. Charges can be as low as £150 a year to help out a one-man band, so get on the phone and find out what's available. Some firms charge according to the number of
wagons you have, others by the number of sites. And anyone taking the exams privately may be able to claim back £150 from the government as part of an "individual learning account".
CONTACTS
RAINING FIRMS:
Aberdeen—Dangerous Goods Management: 01224 773776. Runcorn—Chemfreight Dangerous Goods Training: 01928 580505. Manchester—Enterprise Transport Training:
08080 284999.
leatherhead—EP Training Services: 01372 450800
INSURANCE BROKER: The lvlarkfield Group (Wergs Hall Schemes Division): 0990 084240.