Dangerous Goods Regulation Courses (DGR) train authorised personnel for handling and transporting dangerous goods and materials including nuclear substance by air freight or ship. This is a unique field that require special training and skill. Conditions that pose a threat to public health, safety to life, property and environment should be avoided at any cost. Dangerous Goods Regulations are a set of internationally approved guidelines and criterion that have to be followed while handling precarious or noxious goods.

The United Nations Organisation had issued guidelines regarding the transport and freight of dangerous substances. Explosives, combustible substances that could catch fire due to chemical processes or emanate poisonous gasses or liquids, acids, alcohols, paint, petrol, carbides, chlorates, peroxides, sulphides, spices, pesticides, battery cells, metal powder and radioactive substances are some of the items listed as dangerous goods.

IATA and the Civil Aviation Ministry
International Air Transport Association (www.iata.org) proposes global aviation standards, airline safety and efficiency and conducts many certificate courses by providing scientific training for professionals in the aviation industry.

The latest IATA regulations are likely to be published by 2023 January. A hefty fine of Rs 1 crore and an imprisonment of up to two years would be given to those who flout these regulations. The certificates should be renewed every three year through refresher courses.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation in India has set up strict guidelines regarding the transport of dangerous goods. Those who do not follow these would be severely penalised. These are overseen by the Director General of Civil Aviation ( www.dgca.gov.in). The DGCA grants recognition to the institutes that train professionals as per the regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

However, in order to get placements abroad, the candidate has to study courses that have the recognition of IATA.

CBTA Training
IATA has included stricter guidelines in the DGR courses. Separate training modules have been designed for each function while handling dangerous goods. Interestingly, IATA has given up providing conventional training that suits each post. The Competency based Training and Assessment (CBTA) is the latest technique that properly defines the training that is required for the professionals who work in this field.

The professionals who conduct the 10 significant functions are:
H.61. – Those who prepare the dangerous goods for freight or transport.
H.62. – Those who receive the goods as general cargo.
H.6.3 – Those who arrange the dangerous goods or receives the cargo.
H.6.4 – Those who handles the substances at the warehouses and those who loads and unloads them (handling the air cargo compartment that can even prevent fire breakouts).
H.6.5 – Receiving the baggage of the passengers and airline crew. Managing the various aspects related to passengers including boarding.
H.6.6 – Planning the landing of aircrafts.
H.6.7 – Flight crew
H.6.8 – Flight Operations Officers, Flight Despatchers
H.6.9 – Cabin crew
H.6.10 – Those who check the baggage/mail of the passengers and crew members.
The candidates must seek special training in their interested areas. For instance, those who are looking for jobs where they have to screen the passengers and their baggage should be qualified in the 6,10 categories. The training centres might offer courses in some categories or all the categories.

Training institutes
There are only 19 centres across the country that has the approval of the DGCA. These are some of the approved centres in South India:
Air Asia (India) Limited, Bengaluru
AIR INDIA Commercial Training College, Hyderabad
Central Training Establishment, AIR INDIA Simulator Complex. Hyderabad
Blue Dart Aviation Limited, Bengaluru
Tentacle Aviation Academy, Bengaluru
Tirwin Management Services (P) Ltd, Chennai
Speedwings Aviation Academy, Kaloor, Kochi (The only IATA approved CBTA certified centre in India; Courses in all the functions, from H.6 1 -10, are available here).