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RETHINKING IATA TRAINING
another packages the product, affixes marks and labels, and closes the package. A fourth employee may fill out or sign shipping papers, and others still may load or secure the materials on a vehicle. Each task is critical to safe transportation, and each employee needs training that prepares them to play a specific role. Contrasted with a one-size-fits-all hazmat training approach, a competency-based training programme requires employers to identify specific skills and knowledge that each individual employee needs to do their job effectively. Training and assessment then focus on these specific competencies to drive a more tailored, relevant learning experience.
WHEN SHIPPERS CRACK open the new edition of the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) that takes effect on 1 January 2021, they will notice that the training requirements in Sub-section 1.5 have changed dramatically. Among the significant updates in this 62nd edition of DGR is the official adoption of a ‘competency-based approach to dangerous goods training and assessment’ – or ‘CBTA’. The updated training standards require employers to develop and implement a dangerous goods training programme that focuses on the specific knowledge and skills each employee needs to fulfil their role in the dangerous goods supply chain. Employers should review the new Sub-section
programme as soon as possible. There is a two-year transition period until 31 December 2022, during which time employers may follow the previous DGR training requirements. One thing will not change: IATA requires dangerous goods training for employees every 24 months. WHAT IS COMPETENCY? Transporting dangerous goods is a complex process with potential for catastrophic and expensive mistakes at every step. The fundamental principle of IATA’s new CBTA guidelines is to provide each employee with training that covers the knowledge and skills needed for the employee to perform their job effectively and safely. In other words, the
WRITE THE PROGRAMME In the new Sub-section 1.5, IATA recognises that there is no one right way to train employees. Instructor-led training, online courses, on-the-job training, group discussion, simulations and self-study can all play a role in preparing dangerous goods personnel to perform their jobs properly. Employers should choose a training format, or combination of formats, that they believe will best impart the level of proficiency the employee needs to fulfil their job role. Factors that play into this decision would include the employee’s experience level, the scope and complexity of the employee’s job, the need for initial or recurrent DG training, and others. Ultimately, it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that every employee receives appropriate training. Organisations should seek out training providers and solutions that will impart the key competencies each employee needs. If a provider offers only a one-size-fits-all course, employers should question whether that one course can meet the needs of employees with different job roles or at different experience levels. By following IATA’s new competency-based framework for dangerous goods training,
1.5 and plan to develop an appropriate training
dangerous goods training that each employee receives should be tailored to the specific job functions for which the employee is responsible. At a typical shipping facility, one employee may classify materials and choose proper shipping names. A different employee sources and purchases authorised packaging, while
employers can prepare every employee to properly perform his or her role and keep shipments soaring safely. *Roger Marks is a content writer for Lion Technology, a leading provider of 49 CFT, IATA DGR and IMDG Code training in the US. For more information, go to www.lion.com.
CBTA • IATA’S NEW COMPETENCY-BASED APPROACH TO TRAINING FOCUSES ON THE SKILLS EMPLOYEES NEED. LION’S ROGER MARKS* LOOKS AT WHAT THIS MEANS IN PRACTICE FOR EMPLOYERS
A RANGE OF ROLES MEANS THAT TRAINING NEEDS TO BE APPROPRIATE TO RESPONSIBILITY
HCB MONTHLY | OCTOBER 2020
