Dangerous Goods Vehicles

Dangerous Goods Driver Training (DGDT)

Drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods must be in possession of a certificate of competence issued by the Transport Malta (TM) or by other EU Member States’ competent authorities. The certificate provides evidence that the driver has carried out the required vocational training and has passed the required examinations. The certificate is valid for five years; therefore drivers should attend a refresher course during the fourth year before the expiry of their current certificate. Renewed certificates are valid for another 5 years commencing from the date expiry. Currently the following drivers require training:

Drivers of vehicles of any mass carrying dangerous goods that;
Drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods in fixed tanks or demountable tanks;
Drivers of vehicles carrying on a transport unit dangerous goods in tank- containers, portable tanks or MEGCs (Multiple-Element Gas Container;
Drivers of vehicles carrying substances or articles of Class 1 (explosives) or of Class 7 (radioactive material).

Other participants: Persons, other than drivers, involved in the carriage of dangerous goods by road must also receive training in the requirements governing the carriage of such goods appropriate to their responsibilities and duties. This requirement applies to employees of the road vehicle operator (carrier), the consignor, persons who load or unload dangerous goods and staff in freight forwarding or shipping agencies. The training must include both a general awareness of safety provisions for the carriage of dangerous goods and function-specific training. A record of such training (periodically supplemented with refresher courses) must be kept by both the employer and the employee. The training may be carried out under the direction of a DGSA.

Dangerous Goods Driver Courses

In order to obtain an ADR Vocational Training Certificate for Drivers of Vehicles Carrying Dangerous Goods drivers must pass a written examination. The vocational training certificate is mandatory for drivers who transport dangerous. The certificate is valid only for the hazard classes listed on it and it must be carried on the person of the driver while transporting dangerous goods. It is mandatory for a driver first to pass the General Provisions (Core and Packages) examination before being issued with a certificate valid for any of the hazard classes.

The term packages includes cylinders, drums, jerricans, boxes, intermediate bulk containers (IBC), receptacles, bags, reels, tubes, bundles etc. which may be made of different materials. In order to transport dangerous substances in tanks (bowsers, tank-containers, portable tanks etc) the driver must attend a special training module on tanks and pass an examination.

The courses cover dangerous goods classes to suit different commercial carriage requirements as shown below. Courses are delivered in Maltese or English and it is not permitted to sit examinations without attendance of the relevant course module.

Note: All DGDT courses include training in General Provisions (Core and Packages)

Course Type A : Covers Hazard Classes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and Carriage in Tanks. This course is intended for the general carriage of dangerous goods and is suitable for drivers (burdnara) who collect/deliver dangerous goods containers, trailers and loose cargo from/to ports and for drivers whose work involves the distribution of dangerous goods. It also satisfies the requirements of international road-haulage companies operating for hire and reward. The tank module enables burdnara to collect from / deliver to ports consignments of trailers with a fixed-tank and tank-containers. In short this course is designed to provide drivers with a broad flexible vocational training certificate that allows them to transport all hazard classes of dangerous goods both in packages and in tanks except Class 1 (explosives) and Class 7 (radioactive material).

Course Type B : Covers Classes 2 and 3 and carriage in tanks. This course is particularly suitable for carriers / distributors of gases and flammable liquids in tanks or in packages (e.g. cylinders).

Course Type C : Covers Class 1 (Explosives)

Course Type D: Covers Class 7 (Radioactives) - course delivered in collaboration with the Malta Radiation Protection Board.

Other Types: Course content can be adjusted to meet requirements e.g. Course Type A including also Class 7.

Page last updated: 05/01/2022