Legal Obligations
Who Is Legally Required to Appoint a DGSA?
Under ADR regulation 1.8.3, any business that sends, receives, or arranges the transport of dangerous goods by road above certain thresholds must appoint a qualified Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser. This is a legal obligation — not a recommendation.
The requirement applies regardless of shipment frequency. A single non-compliant consignment can result in significant fines and, in the event of an incident, personal liability for the responsible manager.
ADR Regulation 1.8.3
"Each undertaking whose activities include the carriage of dangerous goods by road, or the related packing, loading, filling or unloading, shall appoint one or more Dangerous Goods Safety Advisers."
Chemical manufacturers & distributors
Any business producing or reselling substances classified under ADR.
Laboratories & research facilities
Shipping reagents, biological samples, or hazardous research materials.
Automotive & industrial suppliers
Transport of flammable liquids, corrosives, or oxidising agents.
Pharmacies & healthcare providers
Compressed medical gases, controlled substances, or medical waste.
Garden centres & agricultural suppliers
Pesticides, fertilisers, and weedkillers above Limited Quantity thresholds.
E-commerce & retail businesses
Regulated items including lithium batteries, aerosols, and cleaning agents.
The Role
What Does a Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser Actually Do?
Classification & UN Numbers
Verifying goods are correctly classified under ADR, assigned the right UN number, and packed to the correct packing group. Misclassification is one of the most common compliance failures.
Transport Documentation
Preparing and reviewing ADR transport documents in the 5.4.1 format, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and Tremcards (Instructions in Writing) for every regulated consignment.
Annual Compliance Reports
Mandatory annual reporting on dangerous goods incidents and near-misses to the competent authority. This report must be submitted by the DGSA, not the business owner.
Staff Training & Awareness
Ensuring drivers, warehouse staff, and admin teams understand their specific ADR obligations. Each role carries distinct duties — and distinct liability.
Under ADR, a DGSA must hold a valid vocational training certificate renewed every five years. DG Express founder Tommy holds full DGSA certification with a specialism in aviation and rail hazardous materials logistics — the background that shaped this business.
How We Help
DGSA Support Integrated With Your Courier Service
Unlike standalone DGSA consultancies, DGX gives you both the compliance oversight and the physical transport in a single provider — meaning nothing falls through the gap between adviser and driver.
Pre-Transport Compliance Check
Before every collection, our DGSA reviews your SDS, UN number, packing group, and packaging type. We identify issues before they become incidents — not after.
Documentation Preparation
We generate ADR transport documents in the mandatory 5.4.1 format, Tremcards, and placarding guidance on your behalf. Correct paperwork travels with every consignment.
Ongoing DGSA Retainer
For contract clients with regular dangerous goods transport, we offer a DGSA retainer covering annual compliance reports, risk assessments, and quarterly consignment reviews.
Not sure what level of DGSA support you need?
We'll assess your current transport activity and advise on the right level of compliance support — at no charge.