Need for a DGSA

Subject to limited exceptions, organisations involved within Europe in the consignment, carriage or related packing, filling, loading or unloading of dangerous goods by road, rail or international inland waterway, must appoint a suitably qualified dangerous goods safety adviser(s) (DGSA).

In the UK, this requirement is given effect through The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (CDG2009) (as amended) and '(Northern Ireland)' regulations of the same title made in 2010 (CDG2010) (as amended).

CDG2009 and CDG2010 (as amended) apply the DGSA provisions laid down in 1.8.3 of:

i) the Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR)

ii) the Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID) and

iii) the Regulations annexed to the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways (ADN).

DGSA exam papers

The DGSA exam syllabus in the UK is divided into three parts. All candidates must take the Core and All Classes papers and then choose at least one paper from the Mode options - Road, Rail or Inland Waterways.

Most candidates are looking to qualify for road transport operations.

A candidate who is intending to be a DGSA for a company involved in more than one mode of transport must take all the relevant modal examinations.

A DGSA qualification is only awarded when a candidate has passed one paper from each of the three parts of the syllabus.

The examination papers for a DGSA Road qualification are as shown below:

The pass mark for each paper is 65%.

Questions are of an academic style and marks are generally awarded for identifying the precise legal source for any particular answer - it is not enough to know the answer, you must know why it is the answer.

There are no multiple choice questions.

The detailed areas of study and the methods for answering questions and providing appropriate references are the key issues for candidates preparing for the exams.

Some subjects appear in more than one exam paper; they are considered in varying detail and from different standpoints.

DGSA training

Our DGSA course is one of the most successful on the UK market.

The course has been created and developed by dangerous goods specialists with many years experience in preparing candidates for external exams.

We have been running courses since 1999 and have a proven track record - around 80% of our DGSA exam candidates pass first time – way above the national average.

Our five day course provides both initial and revalidation candidates with detailed instruction on all aspects of the exam syllabus for road transport operations - all classes.

We can also accommodate rail candidates.

The programme incorporates practical exercise and revision sessions and there is a full mock examination and debrief on the final day.

Tuition is provided by our own experienced trainers with support from carefully selected industry experts.

For details of our public courses please go to dgsa courses.

Our DGSA training is also available on-site. This is probably the most convenient and cost effective option for companies with six or more employees to train.

Please contact us for further information.