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Training and Consultancy

Training Courses

The Dangerous Goods Group provide five specialist training courses. These are:

• Dangerous goods safety adviser course (DGSA )
• Safe transport of dangerous goods by air
• Dangerous goods by sea IMDG
• Dangerous goods by road to Europe ADR
• USA dangerous goods and regulations 49 CFR
• For further information see: Dangerous Goods Training Courses

Consultancy

Packaging aspects of the dangerous goods' regulations have been developed and partially implemented over the last 20 years. During this period, the team have carried out work in close liaison with industrial companies, trade associations and the government. This benefits all UK companies handling dangerous goods or manufacturing packaging. The work includes:

• periodic reviews of the situation in the UK and in the main export destination countries;
• monitoring ways in which UK systems should be operated or changed to result in more effective packaging, more competitive exports, etc. This includes consideration of changes in certification procedures;
• periodic updating of test procedures. This can be carried out effectively only through detailed consultation with industry. Companies which themselves operate test stations need to be involved together with users of the tested packaging;

Several forms of consultancy are carried out including that requested by the authorities, by individual companies, by a number of companies collectively, etc.

A major area where R&D has been carried out recently is that of shrink wrapping where there are special problems relating to test performance. Other areas, where research is being demanded by industry or is seen by Pira International as highly desirable, include standards and the development of testing and certification for Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs), various specific topics related to plastics drums and co-operative research for harmonisation with overseas 'opposite numbers' and investigations of leaking drums on aircraft.

The Dangerous Goods Group also recently completed a study for DG Transport and Energy entitled Evaluation of EU policy on the Transport of Dangerous Goods since 1994. The report and annex of statistics for qualtities of goods moved around Europe by country are available for downloading from the Security in Transport & Energy website.

For further information contact: