Winseer:
Sure, one can argue that “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing”. I have not handled bulk dangerous chemicals since 1983, and I was thinking more in terms of anything within the modules such as “first aid for injuries caused by your load items” than anything else. Knowing the properties of one “poison” over another for example, might make the difference in how you behave should you notice a strange smell, or something of “borderline” concern otherwise.
Hi Winseer,
Sorry mate, but you’re already looking far too deeply.
In the event of an emrgency, a driver follows the Instructions In Writing (which will be covered on your course) and alerts the emergency services.
Winseer:
I can’t believe for example that one can be fully qualified to carry a dangerous substance if you’re not also taught how to treat injuries FROM that dangerous substance, or at very least how to identify on a mixed load which of many substances has caused an injury, so you can advise the medical authorities when appropriate. I would think that allowing Oleum for example to drip, clag around pipes, or even slosh around more than you’d let any other liquid slosh about is going to cause a lot of danger, or Ammonium nitrate being more dangerous than sodium nitrate, despite being in the same class (oxidising agent fertilizers)
Your course will inform you that the UN Class system (as I posted above) is simply there to tell you of the KIND of danger presented by any particular dangerous substance.
Of course and as you pointed out, some dangerous substances are more dangerous than others, but the UN Class system is NOT there for that purpose. You should consider all UN Classes as being equally dangerous, since any of them can kill people or damage the environment.
Winseer:
I mean, what IS it you’re supposed to learn on this course if I’m way off base here? - Surely not merely about ‘filling in the paperwork correctly’?
Sorry mate, but it’s not normally a driver’s job to fill in ADR paperwork. The ADR course is designed to inform you of a driver’s responsibilities, but it seems that I should now point out that those responsibilities are far less than you seem to think.
Winseer:
So, full time and even agency vacancies in this line of work are also rare? - Someone is carting it all about, so I hope it’s not foreigners with their all-singing licences getting £200pw for it…
According to the Govt. dangerous goods makes up approx 5% of all freight carried by road in the UK, so yes it’s fairly rare (but not impossible) to get that kind of work through an agency.
My honest advice to you is to not worry about what you think ought or ought not to be covered, but wait for a pleasant surprise when you discover just what a deiver’s responsibilities actually are. 