What exactly is a Security Advisor?
In the field of transport of dangerous goods by road:
The Member States agreed, because of the need to establish measures to enhance safety in the transport of dangerous goods by road, to create the figure of an expert in the field of the transport of dangerous goods, through Directive 96/35/EC on the appointment and vocational qualification of safety advisors for the transport of dangerous goods by road, rail or inland waterway. The European Agreement concerning the Carriage of Dangerous Goods (ADR) is the international agreement for the transport of dangerous goods by road. The ADR convention came into force in 1968 and Spain acceded in November 1972.
Spain, as a Member State, transposed the aforementioned Directive to the national level, by means of Royal Decree 97/2014 of 14 February, which regulates the obligation to have the aforementioned Advisor. For this reason, all companies that carry out transport, loading and unloading operations of Dangerous Goods must have previously designated at least one Safety Advisor, before the autonomous community of the company’s headquarters.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Who is the Security Adviser?
The Safety Adviser is responsible for ensuring that the provisions for the safe transport of dangerous goods are complied with, and assumes advisory functions for the company.
What are the functions of the Security Adviser?
- Examine the company’s compliance with the rules applicable to the transport of dangerous goods.
- Advising the company on operations concerning the transport of dangerous goods.
- Training of personnel dealing with dangerous goods.
- Carrying out an initial and an annual visit to the installation, advising the company and drawing up the corresponding Annual Report.
- Analysis and preparation of reports on accidents, incidents or infringements.
- Verification of procedures and practices relating to:
- The identification of dangerous goods
- Training and sensitization of personnel to the associated risks.
- The acquisition of appropriate means of transport.
- Subcontracting of third parties.
- Packaging, filling, loading or unloading operations.
- Possible accidents or incidents, or serious infringements and the implementation of appropriate means to prevent recurrence.
- Compliance of safety documents and equipment with regulations and verification of their presence on the means of transport.
- The existence of the security plan.
Who can be a company’s Security Advisor?
They may be in-house or external personnel, but only those persons who have obtained the administrative title of advisor corresponding to the mode of transport and the speciality applicable to each company may work as Safety Advisor in the companies concerned. And specifically:
a) The owner or the director of the company.
b) Members of the company’s personnel designated by the owner or director of the company.
c) Other persons who do not belong to the company or who depend on public or private entities, companies or institutions that are linked to it by any form of collaboration to carry out these activities.
At Inteco Astur we are Certified and Accredited Security Advisors by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, and we assume the functions of the Security Advisor.
What types of Safety Advisor are there?
There are five different specialties of Safety Advisor for the transport of dangerous goods by road, depending on the Classes involved:
- Class 1_Explosive materials and articles
- Class 2_ Gases
- Class 7_ Radioactive substances
- Classes 3, 4.1;4.2;4.3;5.1;5.2;6.1;6.2;8 and 9_ Remaining Classes
- UN 1202; 1203; 1223; 3475, and aviation fuel classified in UN 1268 or 1863.
What does it take to be a Security Adviser?
There are really no minimum requirements, i.e. it is not necessary to have any qualifications or previous experience in the sector, but you must first pass an examination on the obligations corresponding to safety advisors and on the subjects applicable to them in the regulations on dangerous goods, i.e. the ADR. The tests are held at least once a year and are carried out by the Autonomous Communities. Once the tests have been passed, the corresponding accredited training certificate is issued, which is valid for 5 years.
At Inteco Astur we have been providing ADR training for a long time, in various modalities, both on-site and online.
