ADR certificate
ADR certificate
The ADR certificate is a plastic card that confirms you have completed special training and successfully passed the exam.
So, if you decide to earn a bit more while working as a truck driver, transporting dangerous goods, ADR goods, will slightly increase your income. Of course, in addition to a higher salary, you will also face more challenges.
An ADR certificate is a plastic card that confirms you have undergone special training and successfully passed an exam.
The training is conducted by specialized training centers. The ADR certificate is issued by a competent authority; in Ukraine, this is the service centers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or an organization authorized by them.
A bit of ADR history
The training of drivers transporting dangerous goods began for the first time in 1981. Initially, only tanker drivers were trained, following a powerful tanker explosion in Spain, which resulted in a crater 5 meters deep and 20 meters in diameter. All buildings within a 300-meter radius were destroyed, and many people were killed or injured.
Then, starting in 1991, drivers of trucks with a maximum permitted weight of more than 7.5 tons, transporting dangerous goods in packaging, began to be trained. The catalyst for this change was another explosion, this time in Germany, where a tanker carrying gasoline and diesel fuel exploded, destroying 12 apartment buildings and resulting in many fatalities.
By 1995, all drivers transporting ADR cargo in vehicles with a maximum permitted weight of more than 3.5 tons were required to undergo training.
In 1997, additional ADR courses were introduced for drivers transporting explosive materials of Class 1 and radioactive materials of Class 7.
Since 2007, all drivers of vehicles transporting ADR cargo must undergo training.
ADR Courses
To obtain an ADR certificate, you must complete the basic course, and additionally, if necessary, one or more specialized courses.
Basic Course
Once a driver completes the basic ADR course, they are authorized to transport the following dangerous goods:
- in packaging (including intermediate bulk containers and large packaging);
- in bulk;
- in built-in tanks or removable tanks with a capacity of no more than 1 m³;
- in battery vehicles with a total capacity of no more than 1 m³;
- in tank containers, portable tanks, or multiple-element gas containers with an individual capacity of no more than 3 m³.
Specialized Course
- for the transportation of dangerous goods in tanks;
- for the transportation of substances and articles of Class 1;
- for the transportation of radioactive materials of Class 7.
The specialized course for transporting dangerous goods in tanks is taken by:
- drivers of trucks or mixing and charging vehicles (MEMU) transporting dangerous goods in built-in or removable tanks with a capacity of more than 1 m³;
- drivers of battery vehicles with a total capacity of more than 1 m³;
- drivers of trucks or mixing and charging vehicles (MEMU) transporting dangerous goods in tank containers, portable tanks, or multiple-element gas containers with an individual capacity of more than 3 m³ on a single transport unit.
The course for transporting substances and articles of Class 1 and the specialized course for transporting radioactive materials of Class 7 are taken by:
- drivers of trucks transporting explosive substances and articles of Class 1 (except for substances and articles of Subclass 1.4, Compatibility Group S) and radioactive materials of Class 7.
The validity of the ADR driver’s training certificate is 5 years.
To renew the ADR certificate, the driver must undergo refresher training and successfully pass an exam during the final year of the certificate’s validity. The new validity period starts from the expiration date of the previous certificate.
After the horrific 9/11 terrorist attacks, as part of ADR 2005, competent authorities of all ADR member countries are required to maintain updated registers of valid ADR certificates for drivers transporting dangerous goods. However, access to these registers is restricted to officials of competent authorities; others have to rely on sample certificates available on the UNECE website. Notably, not all ADR member countries provide these samples for publication on the mentioned website.
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