More detailed dangerous goods training information can be found on the Airworthiness and Operational training area of the website.

Who needs dangerous goods training?

Anybody who handles or processes cargo, baggage, mail or passengers is legally required to receive dangerous goods training.  In the lists below, those categories of staff marked with an asterisk may require dangerous goods training depending upon their involvement with cargo or passengers, whilst those without an asterisk must receive dangerous goods training:

• Operators, including:

• Staff accepting dangerous goods;
• Staff accepting cargo, mail or stores (other than dangerous goods);
• Staff responsible for handling, storage and loading of cargo, mail or stores and baggage;
• Passenger handling staff;
• Flight crew members, other crew members and load planners;
• Cargo reservations staff*;
• Passenger reservations staff*;
• Operations staff*; and
• Commercial staff*.
• Handling agents, including:

• Staff accepting dangerous goods;
• Staff accepting cargo, mail or stores (other than dangerous goods);
• Staff responsible for handling, storage and loading of cargo, mail or stores and baggage;
• Passenger handling staff; and
• Passenger assistance staff*.
• General Sales Agents/Cargo Sales Agents, including:

• Cargo reservations staff.
• Freight forwarders, including:

• Staff involved in processing dangerous goods;
• Staff involved in processing cargo, mail or stores (other than dangerous goods); and
• Staff involved in the handling, storage and loading of cargo, mail or stores.

Shippers and packers, including:

• Persons undertaking the responsibilities of shippers and packers.
• Security screeners, including:
• Security staff who deal with the screening of passengers and their baggage and cargo, mail or stores.
  

Further information on dangerous goods training can be found in CAP 483.

How soon after employment are staff required to receive dangerous goods training?

Dangerous goods training MUST be provided or verified upon employment, BEFORE the staff member carries out ANY of the functions for which they are employed involving dangerous goods, general cargo or passengers.

I have changed companies but I received dangerous goods training from my previous employer.  Is this still valid?

Yes, provided that the training covered the areas required by your new role and you can provide your new employer with a copy of the certificate issued when you were last trained.

My dangerous goods training qualification is no longer valid.  Can I still carry out my duties?

No.  It is a legal requirement that dangerous goods training MUST be kept current.  Failure to receive recurrent dangerous goods training and continuing to carry out a function involved in processing or carriage of cargo (whether or not it includes dangerous goods), passenger baggage or passengers would be a contravention of the Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) Regulations. 

The same rules apply to shippers and freight forwarders.

How often must recurrent dangerous goods training be carried out?

Recurrent training must be carried out within 24 months of previous training. However, if recurrent training is completed within the final three months of validity of previous training, the period of validity extends from the date on which the recurrent training was completed until 24 months from the expiry date of that previous training.

Do employees who only handle general cargo or baggage (i.e. not dangerous goods) still require dangerous goods training?

Yes.  Such staff are still required to receive initial and recurrent dangerous goods training.

What qualifications does an Instructor in dangerous goods training require?

For instructors that will be instructing a course through the CAA Training Approval Scheme, see Part B, Chapter 3 of CAP 483.

For instructors that will be instructing all other courses, see Part A, Chapter 4 of CAP 483.