ADR Member Guidance 

1. Consortium membership cannot be shared by another organisation/individual and belongs only to the legal entity on behalf of which the membership agreement was signed, and is non-transferable.

2.Attendance on ADR training courses is a legal requirement and members must make candidates and their employers aware of the requirements of the Drivers’ Hours Regulations.

3.Members must have computer systems capable of using the material and the SQA database. The minimum requirements for using the SQA database are laid out the SQA ADR Manual of Practice, Section 3.1.1 Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

4.Each user of the SQA database must have their own unique login details and memorise their login, and not keep any written record of them. If a member suspects that the security of their login details as been compromised, they should change their password immediately and email SQA with details of the possible breach.

5.To demonstrate that members can comply with the standards as laid out in this membership criteria and that of the SQA ADR Manual of Practice, members must have in place and must upload to the SQA database, the following:

•  Proof of purchase and right to use the RTITB Dangerous Goods Training material, including the mandatory practical exercises.
•  A set of training programmes showing how all courses you intend to run will comply with the conditions set out in the
•  Syllabus and Programmes.
•  Details of the course hand-outs to be given to each candidate
•  A copy of your Health and Safety Policy (for companies with over 5 employees
•  A copy of your complaints and appeals procedure
•  A copy of a Certificate of Insurance, with public liability cover for candidates and all visitors as a minimum.
•  Details of the premises to be used, including precise dimensions of the intended classrooms for teaching and examination, the intended maximum class size, confirmation that heating, lighting, ventilation and power supply will be sufficient for the purpose, and a description for the rest room, toilet facilities, and availability of refreshments and meals.
•  A description of the ADR staff management structure.
•  A copy of your Quality Assurance Procedures used to maintain the standard of training, including checks on the quality of classroom instruction, checks on the quality of facilities and resources, and an explanation of how instructing staff will be kept up to date with all new technical, legal and substance related developments, as per section 13.2 of Manual of the Practice
•  Confirmation that all necessary training resources are available for use (see section 4.5.9 of the Manual of Practice for full list)
•  All instructor records must be supported by full documentary evidence of how they meet the requirements set out in section 9.5 of the Manual of Practice
•  Full details of any sub-contracting arrangements.
•  A description of the arrangements for the safe keeping of examination papers, both on and off site, and for the proper administration of written examinations including the invigilation arrangements.

6. Members must be able to provide RTITB with an Internal Data Protection and Retention Policy – Why you process personal data, what you process, who you share it with, how long you keep it for and how you keep it safe (technical and organisational security measures). For guidance and examples please visit www.ico.org.uk. You may need to register with the ICO; you can use the ICO self-assessment to find out if you need to register which can be found here.

7. Members must be able to provide RTITB with a Data Breach Policy – what you will do in the event of a breach; how and who will notify the controller. For guidance please visit http://www.ico.org.uk.

8. Member must not use personal information obtained via the SQA database for marketing purposes, or for any purpose which could be reasonably objected to by a candidate, unless prior authorisation from the candidate has been obtained to do so. Sanctions may be imposed on the member if found to be using the information in this way.

9.Members must not make changes to the training material without prior written approval from RTITB.

10. Members must only use RTITB registered and approved instructors for the delivery of ADR training. No additional instructors may be used for the delivery of all or part of the training courses. Instructors must also be approved by SQA.

11.Non-receipt of the renewal fee within 30 days from receipt of renewal invoice will result in the lapse of approval. Members will then be required to reapply for approval. Membership fees are non-refundable for any reason.

12. If a member changes address, they must notify SQA in writing, change the details on the SQA database, and must notify RTITB without delay.

13. If an organisation changes owner, they must notify SQA in writing, change the details on the SQA database, and must notify RTITB without delay. The current approval will be suspended. Approval under the scheme will not be permitted to pass from one owner to another. The new owner must seek new approval through RTITB.

14. If a member’s organisation changes trading name, they must notify SQA in writing, change the details on the SQA database, and must notify RTITB without delay. Approval will remain in place providing all other conditions of the approval remain unchanged.

15. If a member ceases to trade, they must notify SQA in writing, change the details on the SQA database, and must notify RTITB without delay.

16. When training non-UK applicants for an ADR Driver Training Certificate, members must follow the advice as laid out in the SQA ADR Manual of Practice, Section 4.17.

17. Members must keep training records and internal quality assurance records for a minimum of 5 years as either hard or electronic copy. These records must be readily available within 5 working days if requested by SQA or RTITB. Members are required to keep the following records for every training they run:

•  A candidate registration form for each candidate taking part in a training course and/or sitting examinations. The details on each Candidate Registration form must be transferred to the SQA database for the relevant notified course which the candidate is attending. This transfer of details must be done at the enrolment stage of a course, or if this is not possible, no later than the start date of the training course.
•  Answer sheets for the written practical exercises.
•  An Invigilator Report Form. In addition, a copy of the form must be sent to SQA if an instructor is refreshing their ADR Driver Training Certificate on the course.

18. Premises used by members for the delivery of training must be previously approved by RTITB and logged on the SQA database.

19. Premises used by members for the delivery of training should be subject to a recorded risk assessment prior to use and should comply with all relevant Health and Safety legislation.

20. Classrooms used for training must be available for the sole use of the instructor and their candidates for the duration of training and must adhere to the requirements as laid out in the SQA ADR Manual of Practice, Section 6.3. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

21. Classroom equipment must, as a minimum, adhere to the requirements as laid out in the SQA ADR Manual of Practice, Sections 6.4 and 6.6. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

22. Live demonstrations of chemical and physical properties of dangerous substances must not be undertaken.

23. Instructors delivering firefighting training must be approved to do so. Third parties may be used to conduct fire practical exercises providing they meet the requirements as laid out in the SQA ADR Manual of Practice, Section 9.11. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

24. Members should ensure they are adequately insured to cover any potential risk of harm to instructors, candidates, auditors and property if using a live fire.

25. Members are responsible for the health and safety of all candidates attending a course.

26. In order to conduct a practical fire exercise, members must have the fire equipment as laid out in the SQA ADR Manual of Practice, Sections 6.6.2 – 6.6.6. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

27. Members must have the following equipment when conducting the first aid practical exercise:

•  Resuscitation equipment in good working order
•  Sterilisation facilities for the resuscitation equipment
•  A demonstration eye rinsing liquid

28. Members must have examples of the equipment listed in Instructions in Writing for personal and general protection available for use and demonstration. Additional equipment required for certain classes of dangerous goods must also be available when the specific modules covering those classes are being taught.

29. All personal protective equipment used for demonstration purposes must be in good condition and free from contamination.

30. There must be actual examples of all the equipment required for each member of the vehicle crew, of eye rinsing liquid, and an emergency escape mask and filters.

31. Members must have copies of or access to the latest versions of the following documents:

•  The course syllabus
•  ADR
•  SQA’s Manual of Practice
•  Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations
•  Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) (applicable for courses in Northern Ireland)
•  The Dangerous Goods Emergency Action Code List
•  Approved Derogations and Transitional Provisions
•  Instructions in Writing
•  RTITB ADR Consortium Membership criteria

32. If a member wishes to conduct written assessment by computer, they must meet the minimum requirements as laid out in the SQA Manual of Practice, Section 6.10. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

33. Members must be in possession of current versions of RTITB Dangerous Goods Training Consortium material for all of the courses they wish to deliver.

34. Each instructor must be in possession of their own copy of Instructor Guides and have them available for all the courses they run.

35. Every instructor must have copies of the audio/visual material. These must meet the guidelines as laid out in SQA’s ADR Manual of Practice, Section 7.3. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

36. All training must be supported by the visual material.

37. Each instructor must have, for each module being taught, and example set of vehicle markings required for domestic, ADR and IMDG journeys in tanks and other than in tanks.

38. For the Packages module, members must have at least two examples of pictorial illustrations of UN approved packages. For Class 1 and Class 7 relevant UN approved packages or pictorial illustrations must be demonstrated. For the Tanks module, there must be at least two examples or suitable pictorial illustrations of tanker safety equipment.

39. Members must provide candidates with the course notes supplied in their material. The notes must be durable (able to last five years).

40. Members must be able to demonstrate, through written evidence of purchase, that they have the right to use RTITB Dangerous Goods Training Consortium material.

41. Members must deliver courses in-line with SQA pre-approved programmes and the timing requirements as laid out in SQA’s ADR Manual of Practice, Sections 8.4 – 8.10. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

42. Members must ensure that the instructors they use for RTITB Dangerous Goods Training has been approved by RTITB to deliver the course content and have been added to the member’s instructor list on the RTITB database. Instructors must also be approved by SQA.

43. Members need to retain evidence of each instructor’s qualifications and experience for inspection upon request.

44. Members must ensure that the instructors they use for the delivery of RTITB Dangerous Goods Training hold a current, registered instructor qualification in one of the following disciplines;

•  RTITB LGV Instructor
•  Lift Truck Instructor
•  Industrial & Commercial Instructor
•  National Register of LGV Instructors (NRI)
•  Fleet Instructor

45. Members must ensure that instructors have appropriate in depth knowledge of the subject they intend to deliver and will be able to confidently present the material.

46. Members must ensure that instructors adhere to all other members requirements – It is the responsibility of the member to have internal systems which ensure the instructors are delivering training as required.

47. If members wish to use a course programme that is not one of the SQA pre-approved course programmes they must seek prior approval from SQA, as per the guidelines as laid out in SQA’s ADR Manual of Practice, Section 8.11. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

48. If an instructor is no longer required to run courses, members must notify SQA and RTITB without delay.

49. If the performance of an instructor is found by SQA, the Department or RTITB to be unsatisfactory, the instructor may be suspended from conducting training.

50. An instructor may be suspended if, during a course, they impart incorrect misleading information to candidates which may affect their performance during the examinations.

51. Members must notify RTITB of any instructors they wish to apply for approval.

52. Instructors must meet the minimum instructor qualifications as laid out in SQA’s ADR Manual of Practice, Sections 9.5 – 9.11. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

53. All courses must be pre-registered at least 7 days before course commencement. If you intend to run a course and cannot give sufficient notice dues to circumstances beyond your control, authorisation to run the course must be sought from RTITB prior to course commencement. Any request for notification of a course made within 7 without a justifiable reason may be declined. Requests should be submitted in writing to adr@sqa.org.uk and adr@rtitb.com, providing full details of the course. Repeated failure to provide sufficient notice of courses or failure to notify SQA and RTITB of a course in advance of delivery may result in the suspension of membership.

54. Members must create a separate course record for each course, including free standing courses. If an external verifier or invigilator is unable to locate a course, or arrives at the wrong time, because the information on the course record is inaccurate or incomplete, the course examination may not be processed, and members will be charged for the costs of the failed visit. If a course has been run without having been properly notified, SQA will decline to process the examination material.

55. All courses must be cancelled via the SQA database at least 24 hours before commencement of the course. If a course is no longer running and is due to start in less than 24 hours, the member must telephone RTITB and SQA as soon as they become aware that the course will not run. Repeated failure to cancel courses/cancel courses with sufficient notice may result in the suspension of membership. To contact RTITB and SQA out of weekday working hours please call RTITB on +44(0)7841918552 and email SQA at adr@sqa.org.uk.

56. If a course is not run, the course record on the SQA database must be marked as cancelled.

57. If an auditor from SQA or RTITB visits a training course which has been cancelled without notifying SQA and RTITB, members will be charged for the costs of the failed visit.

58. Members are responsible for ensuring that all information on the SQA database, including the information on each training course, adheres to the conditions of their approval and details held on the database.

59. Members will be charged a £10 fee for a replacement ADR Driver Training Certificate in the event of incorrect candidate information being uploaded to the SQA database.

60. Authorised representatives of SQA, and the Secretary of State or his or her appointed advisers, and representatives of RTITB, must be allowed unrestricted access to attend and visit each course or examination for the purpose of verification, invigilation, assessment and monitoring of training and examinations.

61. Members are responsible for undertaking to provide comprehensive insurance cover against any liability, claim or proceedings, including personal injury or death of persons undertaking the training or the authorised personnel engaged in verification.

62. Advertising should be done only in the trading name provided to RTITB when joining the consortium. Other companies within the group or other trading names cannot advertise themselves as members of the consortium.

63. RTITB reserves the right to request changes to any RTITB ADR training advertising that we feel is unclear/misleading.

64. When taking course bookings, members must ensure that all candidates are eligible for the course. If there are resit candidates, members must check which modules the candidates have previously sat. Members must check that all relevant documentation and licences are correct.

65. Members must ensure that the maximum number of candidates allowed to attend a course is not exceeded under any circumstances.

66. Members must enrol candidates when pre-registering the course. The latest acceptable date for enrolling candidates is the notified start date of the training course. Additional and resit candidates joining the course after day 1 must be uploaded on the first day of their attendance.

67. Members must capture photographs and signatures for each candidate attending their training course. These must meet the guidelines as laid out in SQA’s ADR Manual of Practice, Appendix D. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

68. Candidates can attend refresher training after a minimum of four years of holding an ADR Driver Training Certificate, however, the candidate must have a minimum of six weeks left on their current certificate from the date of their last examination to ensure the training is processed in good time.

69. If a candidate does attend refresher training before four years of holding their certificate (more than twelve months before expiry), a new certificate will be issued but the new expiry date will begin five years from the date of the current date of expiry.

70. Only candidates who are entitled to attend refresher training may attend, however candidates entitled to attend refresher training can attend initial courses. The attendance of a mixture of initial and refresher candidates on an initial course is permitted and there is no requirement to notify this as two separate courses. However, the relevant status of ‘initial’ or ‘refresher’ must be selected under ‘Candidate Exam Type’ when candidates are registered on the course on the SQA database. Drivers who have ADR Driver Training Certificates that include Tanks or Class 1 or Class 7 entitlements can attend the relevant specialisation refresher course.

71. Candidates can refresh their ADR Driver Training Certificate and train and sit the examinations for an additional module. However, candidates must sit initial training for the additional module. When members register such candidates on the SQA database, they must select ‘Refresher plus Additional’ under the ‘Candidate Exam Type’ for that candidate’s record.

72. When non-UK ADR Driver Training Certificate holders are sitting refresher training, members must submit a copy of the candidate’s certificate to SQA prior to the training course and as early as possible. This is to ensure the correct expiry date and entitlement are transferred to their refreshed ADR Driver Training Certificate.

73. The following must be checked by members at the start of every course to confirm the identity of each candidate:

•  Each candidate must complete and sign the registration form. The candidate’s signature on the registration form should be checked against their driving licence. Where a candidate does not hold a driving licence, they must be allowed to attend the course provided their identity has been verified.
•  The preferred types of photographic identification are:
•  ADR Driver Training Certificate photocard
•  Driver licence photocard
•  Passport
•  Professional body photo identity card
•  HM Services identity card
•  Driver Qualification card
•  Petroleum Driver Passport
•  The expiry date of ADR Driver Training Certificates held by candidates attending refresher training. Ensure that candidates have at least six weeks until expiry from the date of their last examination on the course. If the certificate has expired, or the expiry date is within the five-week window, the candidate must attend an initial training course.

74. If members are suspicious of an applicant or application, they should seek advise from their local Counter Terrorism Security Advisor, who can be contacted through the local police force.

75. At the beginning of the course, members must introduce candidates to the course content, and brief them on the facility in which the course is being held, including health and safety arrangements and action to be taken in case of fire.

76. Members must also advise candidates about the training programme, including course timings. Members must also cover arrangements for refreshments and meals, and the location policy on smoking must also be covered. Members must also instruct candidates that mobile phones and other hand-held devices must be switched off at all times during instruction, assessments and examinations.

77. Members must explain, as part of the course induction, that attendance on the course is a legal requirement and that time spent attending the course is likely to affect the amount of driving or other work candidates can undertake under the Drivers’ Hours Regulations.

78. Training must follow the approved programme as detailed on the member’s database programmes tab, and as notified on the training course record. Training must cover all aspects of the syllabus, in such a way that the essential elements are not only understood, but also retained in the candidates’ memory.

79. Members are prohibited from the following practices:

•  Reading from a prepared script – instructors must be familiar with the course content
•  Reproducing examination questions – reproduction and publication or display of the examination questions used by SQA in the examination papers in any form, paper or electronically, is strictly forbidden. They also cannot be used for practice, revision of confirmation of learning. Members are permitted to draft practice examination papers, but these must be approved in advance by SQA. Multiple choice questions and answers must not be used.
• Coaching to the examination – training must be aimed at covering the whole syllabus. Training must never be aimed at the examination alone.
• Courses must run as per the timings detailed in the programme selected. No reduction of teaching units (other than is detailed within Section 8.7 of the Manual of Practice) or the removal of breaks is permitted.

80. Candidates must participate in Practical Examinations, covering emergency first aid, fire extinguishers, and action to be taken in the event of an incident or emergency, unless they have a proven medical condition that prevents them from performing CPR.

81. An authorised person must sign the Candidate Registration Form for each candidate to confirm:

• The candidate’s identity
• That the candidate has successfully completed the Core written emergency incident/accident exercise, emergency first aid assessment and fire-fighting assessment. Additionally, the Class 1/Class 7 loading and emergency exercise.

82. The authorised person must only sign and date the declaration on the Candidate Registration Form on completion of the second bullet point listed above.

83. Members must understand and follow their responsibilities towards examinations as laid out in the SQA ADR Manual of Practice, Section 12 – Section 12.4.6. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

84. Members must appoint an invigilator for every course. Invigilators are responsible for ensuring that candidates correctly complete the documentation and that examinations are properly conducted. Members and their invigilators must understand and follow their duties as an invigilator as laid out in the SQA ADR Manual of Practice, Section 12.5 to Section 12.5.4. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

85. The multiple-choice questions in the examinations are copyright to the DfT Secretary of State. The contents of the examinations, including the wording, of individual questions, must not be disclosed without the written authorisation of SQA as the Appointed Agent. Additionally, members must not be published (electronically or in print), set or displayed in any candidate hand-outs, pack, handbook or similar document, whether for sale or otherwise, unless prior written approval is granted by SQA.

86. If members wish to submit a query about an examination question, you should do so by writing to RTITB at adr@rtitb.com. RTITB will then source the answer directly from SQA and will share the query with all members.

87. Members may apply to SQA for an adjustment to the published assessment arrangements for any candidate with additional support needs. To be considered for an adjustment to the assessment arrangements, the candidate must:

• Submit a written application, through the training provider, to SQA at least seven days before the start of their course.
• Provide written evidence of their condition, in the form of an educational psychological assessment, specialist teacher’s assessment or similar evaluation by an educational specialist.

Each request for an adjustment to the assessment arrangements will be considered against the evidence provided, on a case-by-case basis. SQA may request further evidence. If the application is accepted, SQA will provide written permission for adjustments to the assessment arrangements to be applied.

88. Members are responsible to ensure that all candidates are treated fairly and with respect, and that premises and facilities are accessible to all.

89. SQA examinations are normally set in English, and it is expected that someone seeking a British qualification should have an adequate grasp of the English language. The use of translators is not permitted during examinations.

90. For initial training courses, all examination candidates who fail to attain an ADR Driver Training Certificate have the right to resit examinations in their failed modules, without further training. These modules must be sat within a period of sixteen weeks from the candidate’s previous examination date. All module passes will be valid for one year. Additional examination fees are payable for each resit. A new course record must be created on the SQA database for examination resists, seven days before the exam is due to take place.

91. If a resit candidate sits a different exam series from that notified for the course, members must record details of this within the examination matrix. This will only be applicable to candidates whose previous attempt was the paper series notified for the training course.

92. If a refresher candidate does not pass enough modules to entitle them to an ADR Driver Training Certificate, they may resit and pass the examinations for any failed modules, within sixteen weeks of the previous exam date and before the expiry date of their current ADR Driver Training Certificate. All passed modules will be valid for one year. Once their certificate expires, all previous passes become invalid. Refresher candidates must then take the full initial course and examinations, including any previously held passes.

93. Members must have in place systems and procedures that ensure training standards are upheld, including the quality of premises and resources. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

94. Members that wish to run mobile course must ensure that the same quality criteria are applied to mobile venues as at their head office location, in accordance with the SQA ADR Manual of Practice, Section 13.3.1. Detailed requirements can be found in the appendix of this document.

95. Members should be aware that they may also be audited by SQA as well as RTITB. Full details SQA’s external quality assurance can be found in the SQA ADR Manual of Practice, Section 14.

96. In addition to SQA’s external quality assessments, SQA will continuously monitor a number of factors relating to the performance of members, including:

• volume of candidate throughput
• outcome on monitoring visits
• compliance with SQA financial requirements
• accurate, complete and timely submission of documents including training course notifications
• compliance with SQA rules for dealing with examination material
• system usage
• examination scheduling in line with notified course times
• volume and nature of contraventions to establish if systematic malpractice/maladministration is evident
• monitor that measures required as a result of a previous Grade 3 or 4 quality assurance visit(s) have been actioned and are being maintained

97. Failure to abide by the standards as laid out by the SQA ADR Manual of Practice will lead to an administration visit by SQA staff. SQA will seek to recover costs of such a visit. Continuing failure to abide by the manual of practice will lead to sanctions being implemented.

98. Failure to abide by the standards as laid out by this membership criteria will lead to an audit by RTITB. Continuing failure to abide by the membership criteria will lead to sanctions being implemented.