CAA (IATA) Dangerous Goods Training

Air freight accounts for only 0.5 per cent of the UK's international goods movements by weight, but 25 per cent by value. Dangerous Goods training is a mandatory requirement for anyone involved in the transport of dangerous goods by air (shippers, packers, freight forwarders, cargo handlers, airline personnel, etc).

The actual course is based on the prevailing IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. All our courses are fully approved in the UK by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and are suitable for all categories of staff, and cover all classes of goods, except for the detailed requirements for radioactive materials (the course syllabus is shown below), and we have an excellent pass rate.

The course is very interactive, and concludes with the completion of the mandatory open-book, examination. Certification is valid for two years, after which time the trainee may attend a shorter revalidation course to maintain their entitlement (though, unless the candidate has remained very familiar with the Regulations, we strongly recommend attending a full initial course again).

At the end of the course, candidates will be familiar with the Regulations and be confidently able to apply them with regards to the classification, packaging, labelling, documentation (shippers' course) and, if appropriate, the handling, stowage and segregation of Dangerous Goods (Operators' course).

We also offer specialised stand-alone courses covering exclusively Infectious substances, biological materials and samples or Lithium ion/metal batteries, as they can be rather complex. These courses are restricted only to these subjects, and are not suitable for those shipping other materials.

Open courses are offered at our fully-equipped Southampton training centre. However, we are specialists at hosting on-site courses at your own premises, nationwide, usually on a "per-course" rather than "per-person" price - typically resulting in very considerable cost savings.

On all courses, we supply copies of the latest Regulations, student work-books and calculators for the trainees to use, and provide free parking and free refreshments during breaks for courses held in Southampton (there is also a good café on site that students are welcome to use).

Open Courses

Three-day initial certification courses - £395.00 + VAT per person
Two-day revalidation course - £295.00 + VAT per person

On-site Courses

Variable, but typically £1000 - 1500 + VAT for initial courses, for up to ten trainees. Please contact us for a formal quotation: 02380 702576 or, [email protected].

Course Syllabus

From the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, Table 1.5.A, the minimum training requirements provided by our courses for the various categories of staff are indicated below:

	Shippers & Packers		Freight Forwarders			Operators & Ground Handling Agents						Security Screeners
Minimum items with which candidates must be familiar.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
General philosophy
Limitations
General shippers requirements
Classification
Dangerous Goods List (the Blue Pages)
General packing requirements
Packing Instructions
Marking and Labelling
Shippers Declaration & documentation
Acceptance procedures
Recognition of hidden Dangerous Goods
Storage and Loading procedures
Pilots’ notification
Provisions for passengers & Crew
Emergency Procedures

Infectious Substances Courses

We can offer a CAA approved one-day specialist course for those specifically shipping infectious substances, diagnostic specimens and associated materials by air. Though these materials are included in the standard IATA course, due to their complexity, additional study may be prudent. As always, these courses can be hosted on-site at your own premises, or at our training centre in Southampton.

The range of subjects covered include:

Classification of Category A (UN2814 and UN2900), and Category B substances, both human and animal
Packaging infectious substances/diagnostic specimens
Biological Substances, Category B (UN3373)
Clinical wastes, including the new Category A classifications
The Excepted Quantity provisions
The Special provisions
Marking and labelling
Shippers' Declarations and airway bills
The requirements for dry ice, cryogenic gases and dry-shippers
Restrictions and limitations
Genetically Modified Micro-organisms (if required)
Exempted materials

It will also cover the requirements for samples that are contained within small amounts of potentially flammable or toxic preservative fluids (using the Excepted Quantity and "de minimus" provisions).

This course will result in the award of a training certificate, valid for 24 months, but restricted only to Class 6.2 goods - therefore is not suitable for those additionally shipping other classes. We will provide a comprehensive course handbook covering all the requirements, therefore the trainees will not need to purchase the full IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations.

The course is suitable for shippers (doctors, medical professionals, veterinarians, drug company employees, zoologists, forensics technicians, etc), packers, cargo agents, acceptance and operators' staff, and is ideally suited for institutions such as hospitals and universities.

The same course is suitable for both initial or revalidation candidates, and we do not impose a maximum number of trainees.

Lithium Batteries Courses

Lithium batteries are now the preferred energy source to power a variety of consumer products - from mobile phones, to children’s toys, and even vehicles. However, lithium batteries are dangerous goods, and can pose a serious safety risk if not prepared in compliance with the transport regulations, and the shipment of lithium batteries by air is a very fast growing, but sometimes very complicated process. It is estimated that 8-10 billion lithium batteries are transported by air every year.

This one-day, examined, course covers these items in far greater detail than the run-of-the-mill IATA course, and is specifically designed for those shipping lithium ion or lithium metal batteries as both fully-regulated or partially exempted packages (i.e. Section II shipments), and includes "bulk", "packed with..." and "contained in..." arrangements. It is kept fully updated to account for changes in the Regulations. We can easily add the requirements for road and sea transport too if required.

As always, these courses can be hosted on-site at your own premises, or at our training centre in Southampton.

It covers such subjects as:

Passenger baggage restrictions
Exemptions
Classification of lithium batteries
Watt-hour calculation
"State Of Charge"
Sections I, IA, IB and II requirements
Packaging requirements (a study of the relevant Packing Instructions)
Special Provisions
Segregation
Marking and labelling
Documentation

This course will result in the award of a training certificate, valid for 24 months, but restricted only to lithium batteries, and will not be suitable if you also consign other dangerous goods. We will provide a comprehensive course handbook covering all the requirements, therefore the trainees will not need to purchase the full IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations.

The same course is suitable for both initial or revalidation candidates, and we do not impose a maximum number to trainees.

To assist shippers in understanding the complex requirements related to the transport of lithium batteries, IATA has prepared the Lithium Battery Shipping Guidelines (LBSG).
These can be downloaded here: Guidance Document (pdf) to help you to comply with the 63rd (2022) Edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations.

Tel: 02380 702576 or [email protected]

Shipping Dry Ice

A specialist half-day course for those shipping goods on Dry Ice (UN1845) by air (IATA), covering subjects such as:

Safe handling
Quantity calculation
Packaging
Marking and labelling of packages
Documentation

This course was produced in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, and is ideally suited to organisations such as universities, medical facilities, food preparation and handling.

The course also outlines the requirements for shipping by road (ADR Section 1.3), and the Excepted Quantities provisions for the safe packing of chemical and biological samples.

This course is available on-site, nationwide, or at our training centre near central Southampton.

This course will result in the award of a training certificate, valid for 24 months, but restricted only to Dry Ice and Excepted Quantities - therefore it is not suitable for those additionally shipping larger quantities of other classes. We will provide a comprehensive course handbook covering all the requirements, therefore the trainees will not need to purchase the full IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations.