Exam hazards
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• Hundreds of haulers face fines of up to 25,000 at the end of the year because they lack the necessary expertise to handle dangerous goods.
So far only 10% of the estimated 10,000 people who need the new qualification by 1January 2000 have sat an exam run by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SPA); the entry fee is .£170.
Officials from the Department of Transport are joining forces with the SQA in urging companies to appoint qualified advisors before the deadline. SQA chief executive Ron Tuck says the exam was offered every two months at centres throughout the UK. "We have tried to make the exam as accessible as possible for everyone involved," he adds.
• Under a new EC directive, companies that load, unload and transport dangerous goods must have a qualified safety advisor in place by 1 January. The directive regulates the transport by road, rail and inland waterways of explosives, radioactive materials, flammable liquids and other toxic and corrosive substances.