The National Bulk Tanker Association (NBTA) has this week launched an education program for those involved in the bulk road transport of dangerous goods.
The DG101 online education and awareness program provides detailed information about the obligations of all personnel involved in the dangerous goods industry.
It consists of 12 modules aimed at drivers, loaders, supervisors, maintenance staff and transport managers.
Chairman of the NBTA, Justin Keast, said the dangerous goods industry is governed by strict rules and regulations that must be followed, adding that the association has spent the last 12 months developing an online program that is easy to use and interactive.
The 12 modules cover legal requirements, codes, placarding, safety equipment, procedures on the road, maintenance and Transport Emergency Response Plans.
Funded by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI), supported by the Australian Government, the program has been developed together with experts from the NBTA and industry.
According to NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto, the dangerous goods education program will deliver tangible safety benefits for those involved in the road transport of dangerous goods.
“Congratulations to NBTA on releasing a practical resource that will raise awareness and provide helpful information on mitigating the risks of dangerous goods incidents across Australia,” he said.
“This initiative will help drivers, operators, contractors, consignors, loaders and their supervisors and managers better understand their responsibilities when it comes to ensuring their own safety as well as the safety of the emergency response sector and wider community.”
The DG101 dangerous goods education program is available here and is free for NBTA members or $149 for non-members. With each module participants are given an instructional video followed by a short test and a Certificate of Completion.
The launch of the dangerous goods education program comes at the same time as the National Transport Commission (NTC) has announced a full review of the Australian Dangerous Goods (ADG) Code.
Though an update happens every two years, this will be the first full review since the current edition was released in 2007.
The NTC says the review will aim to better align Australia with international practices, and improve intermodal operations, covering both road and rail.
Two working group papers have been released so far, focussing on reviewing the classifications of dangerous goods, and the current dangerous goods listing. Feedback on both is open until late March.
These papers are part of a series of topic-specific discussion papers, with further opportunities to comment on other provisions in the code provided by the NTC over the next 12 months.