What is Dangerous Goods Training and Why is it Important?

The Importance of TDG Training
Dangerous goods training provides employees with the necessary knowledge to handle dangerous goods safely, thereby minimizing the risk of accidents, injuries, and property damage. Proper training helps prevent hazards that can cause harm to employees, the public, and the environment.

What Is TDG Training?

1. It helps ensure that workers are properly trained to handle dangerous goods.
2. Prevent accidents and injuries by teaching workers how to work safely with and around dangerous goods.
3. Protect the environment by teaching workers how to safely dispose of or recycle dangerous goods.
4. DG training helps ensure that workers are aware of the potential health risks associated with exposure to hazardous materials and know how to protect themselves from these risks.

Why it’s necessary to participate in a dangerous goods trainer
course?

In today’s global marketplace, businesses are constantly expanding their reach to connect with customers everywhere. With this expansion comes challenges, such as the shipping and handling of products classified as dangerous goods. Ingredients and materials, including ethanol, paint and lithium-ion batteries, all fall under the Canadian dangerous goods regulations and are present in many everyday products.

Getting these products into the hands of consumers safely requires extra precautions, such as classification, packaging, marking and labeling, proper documentation and training. Without this training, none of the above requirements would be met.

Benefits of Dangerous Goods Training

• It helps to ensure the safety of employees who may be exposed to potentially dangerous goods materials.
• It helps to ensure that employers are aware of the potential hazards associated with certain materials and how to protect their employees from exposure.
• It helps to ensure that emergency responders are properly trained to deal with incidents involving dangerous goods.

Compliance
To promote public safety, TDG federal inspectors have the authority to inspect any
consignment they believe is involved in the movement of dangerous goods and ensure that any person whose duties include handling dangerous materials has received appropriate TDG training. That training could include ground, air or marine.

Penalties
The penalties for not complying with TDG regulations, such as a no TDG certification, inadequate paperwork, improper markings or labels, or making a false or misleading statement to an inspector, can result in fines, those fines are listed below;

• A fine of up to $50,000 for a first offence,
• Fines of up to $100,000 for subsequent offences,
• Up to 2 years of imprisonment for indictable offences

The TDG Act & Regulations includes provisions for penalties that a court may impose in addition to the other penalties stated in the TDG Act. These penalty provisions can include prohibiting a person from engaging in an activity regulated by the TDG Act, requiring a person to compensate others, repair damage to the environment or contribute to research regarding the transportation of dangerous goods.

Conclusion
Dangerous goods training is an invaluable asset for anyone who works with dangerous goods, it allows everyone to do their job safely and ensure that the risks associated with working in such environments are minimized. All employers must provide their staff with proper DG training as per Part 6.1 of the dangerous goods regulations.

Patrick Wallwork
Managing Director
GEMC Inc.