Carriage of Dangerous Goods and the requirement of a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA)

Requirement for Consignor companies still needing to appoint a DGSA to do so no later than 31 December 2022.

Background

Consignor only companies, unlike those involved in the packing, filling, loading, unloading and transport, had previously been exempt from the requirement to formally appoint a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor.

However, in 2019, amendments were made to the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations for road (ADR) and rail (RID) requiring consignors to appoint a DGSA. This is a legal requirement within Great Britain and Northern Ireland through the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations (as amended).

Further information can be obtained from the links below:

• Carriage of Dangerous goods for road (ADR) - UNECE (www.unece.org)
• Carriage of Dangerous goods for rail (RID) - OTIF (www.otif.org)
• The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 - www.legislation.gov.uk

Given this regulatory change was first written within the 2019 versions of ADR and RID, there has been a 4 year transitional period to adapt to this requirement. Therefore, this video serves as a reminder that this transitional period is nearing its end, and those organisations still needing to appoint a DGSA shall do so no later than 31 December 2022.

The Dangerous Goods team at the Department for Transport (DfT) have created a video to explain, in simple terms:

• the requirement for consignor only companies involved in the carriage of dangerous goods to appoint a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA) no later than 31 December 2022.
• The content of this video applies to the transport of dangerous goods by road and/or rail.

Follow the link below to view the video:

DfT informational video - YouTube (www.youtube.com)

Further information can be found at the following link:

Moving dangerous goods - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Exemptions

There are several exemptions to appointing a DGSA. However, if you are unable to ascertain whether these exemptions are applicable to your business, it can be useful to consult with a DGSA (as a one-off service) to bottom out whether you fall within scope of this requirement. Alongside companies or individuals offering DGSA consultancy services, there are also qualified DGSAs within the Dangerous Goods team. It is advisable that organisations can confidently explain how they are exempt.

More information/Questions?

Please consult Gov.uk guidance on employing a dangerous goods safety adviser - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk),

However, if neither the video nor the links to further information answer your query, then please contact the team directly at 
DGSAconsignors@dft.gov.uk or mail@hseni.gov.uk

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