Proposed changes to TDG regulations include more rigorous training

Canadians who transport dangerous goods may soon have to prove their competence through new training and assessment requirements.

The Canadian General Standard Board (CGSB) is suggesting changes to the country’s transportation of dangerous goods (TDG) regulations – particularly as it regards training.

The Canadian General Standard Board (CGSB) has released its first draft of proposed changes.

The new National Standard of Canada CAN/CGSB-192.3 is entitled “Transportation of Dangerous Goods Training, Assessment and Competency.” Once it is finalized and published, the CGSB will propose an amendment to Part 6 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations, allowing the new standard to be incorporated by reference.

According to Transportation Canada, current provisions in Part 6 are largely administrative in nature, where a valid certificate does not guarantee that a holder has the knowledge and skills to adequately perform their job functions. Furthermore, the current term “adequately trained” is subjective and open to interpretation.

Government spokespeople have said Canadians would benefit from knowing that the handling, and transport of dangerous goods will be done safely by competent persons.

The proposed amendments will require that persons who handle, offer for transport or transport dangerous goods be deemed competent through training and assessment according to a Competency Based Training and Assessment Standard (CBTA). These standards will be incorporated by reference into the amended regulations and includes a general awareness component as well as a function-specific component.

The potential impact is greatest on small businesses that may not have the know-how or financial resources to train and assess employees.

Large companies with many locations and employees across Canada may find the new training requirements to be an administrative burden, and in some cases costly if they require third-party training and assessment services.

It could be a boon to training institutions who can hire out their services to a wide range of companies.

Those interested in obtaining a copy of the draft standard and corresponding comment form during the public review period, should contact Beata Hart at Beata.Hart@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca.

All comments must be submitted to CGSB using their comment form by October 24 2019.

Click HERE to view the complete list of planned and potential changes to the regulations that Transport Canada expects to bring forward over the next two years.

EN: https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/acts-regulations/transportation-dangerous-goods-initiatives-planned.html#CG-I-Amending