this is one for diesel dave, or anyone else that may know…
if you were going for a job with a large company as a TM/dangerous goods advisor would it be advisable to have your licence and ADR or does this not really matter?
obviously the qual of DGSA would be a good start as well but is there anything else that might give you the edge over other applicants, apart from the ever elusive ‘experience’?
ADR awareness would be useful I would think but not necessary to have full ADR
May be wrong though
Giblsa:
if you were going for a job with a large company as a TM/dangerous goods advisor would it be advisable to have your licence and ADR or does this not really matter?
Hi Giblsa, Sorry for separating the parts of that question, but what is the job title, or person specification please??
If the job is as a TM, firms usually ask for an ‘Operator’ CPC qualification. That’s not absolutely necessary in law unless the firm wants you to be the ‘nominated’ TM on their ‘O’ licence.
The job of Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA) isn’t within the power of any boss to ‘just’ give out willy nilly, since DGSA is a specific qualification which can only be obtained by sitting a minimum of three really tough exams.
Giblsa:
obviously the qual of DGSA would be a good start as well but is there anything else that might give you the edge over other applicants, apart from the ever elusive ‘experience’?
I’d say that a National CPC would stand you in good stead, but if the position is for a supervisor, rather than a TM, the firm might let you work towards the National CPC once you’re on board.
If a firm only carries small(ish) amounts of dangerous goods, or only carries dangerous goods very infrequently or in Limited Quantities, they wouldn’t need to appoint a DGSA. Another possible exemption from the need to appoint a DGSA is if the carriage of dangerous goods is only a secondary activity of the company.
Another possiblity is that, as a TM, you wouldn’t legally need an ADR certificate, unless your duties also actually involved driving vehicles that are subject to Regulations, which means carrying over and above certain amounts of dangerous goods. It’s quite possible that a firm might require a TM to hold an ADR licence anyway as a matter of ‘best practice.’
A common misconception amongst bosses is that the ADR course is to train drivers as to when the Regs apply, but if they only bothered to check, they’d find that it simply isn’t true AND not included in the syllabus.
I wish I had £1 for every time I’ve heard “you’ve been on the course so you must know.” 
The responsibility for deciding whether a particular job is subject to Regs rests with the TM / office staff in the case of a haulage firm. (Whether they like it or not. 
) That was removed from the list of drivers’ responsibilities as from 10/05/04. Any boss who still thinks in this way is merely showing that he himself isn’t compliant and for how long that’s been the case. 
Any boss of a firm, which carries dangerous goods, who asks “what’s a DGSA” should be politely informed that it’s something he’s needed since 31/12/99.
The requirement for the training of ADR drivers is very specific and laid out by ADR in excruciating detail . ‘Other’ staff (TMs, despatchers, forkies and loaders etc) are required to have documented ADR ‘awareness’ training which is commensurate with their duties and responsibilities within the company. That way, those in charge are ‘theoretically’ fit for purpose. 
animal:
ADR awareness would be useful I would think but not necessary to have full ADR …
That’s absolutely
correct.
Dave,
Sorry it was such a vague question but I am just thinking about what courses to do for when I leave the navy. As we discussed when we met up my boss is still pondering the thought of putting me through my ADR but the funds won’t be available until at least April if at all (as everyone knows the government is skint) but I might be able to squeeze a few more courses out of resettlement or other ‘avenues’ shall we say, before I do go outside.
The main reason I ask is with all the transport doom and gloom going on now and companies folding like a deck of cards I am just trying to keep my options as open as possible. I have my Class 1 licence, as you know, but when I leave do I really want to go into driving? Yes I do but if 2 people apply for a job and one has a class 1 and ADR or the other has a Class 1, ADR, DGSA and CPC who would you employ? Would all the other qualifications work against you (unless you don’t tell them!)? Would the desk jockeys feel threatened by a ‘lowly’ driver being qualified at an equivalent or more advanced level?
I like the driving part of the job but who knows what is going to happen in a few years time, health family life, boredom on the road etc, etc.
Cheers for the advice so far Dave
Giblsa:
The main reason I ask is with all the transport doom and gloom going on now and companies folding like a deck of cards I am just trying to keep my options as open as possible. I have my Class 1 licence, as you know, but when I leave do I really want to go into driving? Yes I do but if 2 people apply for a job and one has a class 1 and ADR or the other has a Class 1, ADR, DGSA and CPC who would you employ? Would all the other qualifications work against you (unless you don’t tell them!)? Would the desk jockeys feel threatened by a ‘lowly’ driver being qualified at an equivalent or more advanced level?
You seem to be right on the money with your comments.
In my experience, if you’re going to be a driver, then getting your ADR will help in your area of the country and will open doors that would otherwise be closed. I’d agree 100% and say that generally the average office monkey will feel threatened by your experience and qualifications, if you turn up with a sackful of them.
If you want to work in the office, I’d say the same applies, but to a slightly lesser extent. Imagine applying for the most junior of office positions, then showing the guy that’s interviewing you that you actually are more qualified than he is… now reverse the roles… wouldn’t you ‘lose’ that application on your way to the boss’ office to report on the new applicants??
Giblsa:
I like the driving part of the job but who knows what is going to happen in a few years time, health family life, boredom on the road etc, etc.Cheers for the advice so far Dave
's alright mate, I understand where you’re coming from on this. If you’ll take a tip, a possible next step, in your case, is your ADR. IMHO, that would widen your appeal to employers without closing other options. A kind of win-win. If it’s of any interest, there’s a possibility of a course on 8/12, but it’s not confirmed yet so I don’t know whether I’ll be coming down there yet.