About to use ADR licence for the 1st time. Advice?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

I’m starting a new job, and they wish to make use of my ADR licence.

Since gaining my ADR licence in Oct 2014 I haven’t used it, and consequently I’ve forgotten a lot of what I learnt. However, I want to give it a go, as it’s something a little different, and it pays a little extra.

Can anybody give me any advice, tips, warnings, or insight?

I’m aware that I need the following:

Instructions in Writing, in the cab, and photographic ID for each crew member
The appropriate transport document with a line of code for each UN number, tunnel code, packaging group etc.
If artic, then 2 fire extinguishers, in date, one 2kg and another 6kg

A safety kit (gloves, warning triangles, respirator, etc)

If anybody can add anything to these I’d be grateful.

My concern is that I learnt so much in that 5 day course, that I cannot remember all of it, and therefore become liable. For example, I cannot remember which classes of hazardous goods cannot be mixed with others. I cannot remember specific safety aspects to specific classes of goods, such as oxidising agents, or corrosives. I find it confusing knowing whether I’m in scope or out of scope when I consider mixed loads and limited quantities. My worry is that I’ll never be able to comply with it all 100%, and that my new employer may pull the wool over my eyes, or that I might not know the law entirely, meaning I’m in a weak position to argue my case should they ask me to do something I’m not sure about, such as labelling curtainsiders, or containers.

If any regular ADR drivers can offer advice, insight, tips or warnings, I’d be very grateful. On that first shift where I’m ADR, how do I approach it? How did you approach it?

Thanks in advance.

2

I assume you have the training materials you used when doing the course? Go through them again, if needs be take them with you on the job.

3

The fire extinguishers have to make 12kg. What type of work? Curtains or containers?

4

OVLOV JAY:
The fire extinguishers have to make 12kg. What type of work? Curtains or containers?

I meant 2 x 6kg :blush:

It’ll be both curtainsiders and containers.

Conor:
I assume you have the training materials you used when doing the course? Go through them again, if needs be take them with you on the job.

I’ve got a useful booklet which explains a lot, but there’s tons of stuff in there, and though it’s all legislative and therefore applicable, I’m hoping for some advice and warnings from the real world, from those that do it.

5

Is the company you’re doing it for reputable and professional? If so everything will pretty much be in place and really there will be little more to worry about than if you were doing non-ADR work.

6

switchlogic:
Is the company you’re doing it for reputable and professional? If so everything will pretty much be in place and really there will be little more to worry about than if you were doing non-ADR work.

As far as I’m aware, yes. They’re a large, well known firm, and I don’t hear anything bad from the lads who work at my depot. But then they only have 2 ADR drivers, and I’m the 3rd, so who knows how experienced they are in this line of work?

7

ezydriver:

switchlogic:
Is the company you’re doing it for reputable and professional? If so everything will pretty much be in place and really there will be little more to worry about than if you were doing non-ADR work.

As far as I’m aware, yes. They’re a large, well known firm, and I don’t hear anything bad from the lads who work at my depot. But then they only have 2 ADR drivers, and I’m the 3rd, so who knows how experienced they are in this line of work?

If they work for big clients they have to be on the ball. This area has become so strict these days I’d be amazed if there were any fly by night cowboys left. I’ve done a fair bit of ADR as part of general haulage and I’ve never had any major problems

8

Ezydriver-remember your employer has to give you the written transport document. As long as your load reflects the transport document, then you don’t need to worry too much about which combinations of loads are permissible, etc - it is the consignor’s job to work out which combinations are acceptable, not the driver’s.

Your main additional responsibility is to ensure that you’re carrying the PPE and other items required by ADR.

And as others have said, if you are in doubt, refer back to your training materials.

9

Do companies still have to have a DGSA? been a long time since I did ADR, and if they do they will/should keep you right on everything.
As far as markings on the vehicle trailer, domestic work only needs orange marker board front and rear, trailers/containers only need to be stickered up with haz stickers on all sides plus orange boards front and back on a journey involving ships and ferries which have to be on before entering a terminal.