DGSA Retainer & Ongoing Compliance
Outsourced Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser support — ongoing monitoring, statutory reporting, and regulatory assurance tailored to your organisation.
Important: Under CDG 2009, any organisation involved in the carriage of dangerous goods by road must appoint a DGSA. If you don't have one, you may already be non-compliant.
What Is a DGSA Retainer?
A DGSA retainer provides your organisation with ongoing access to a qualified Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser without the cost of employing one in-house. Under the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (CDG 2009), any organisation involved in the carriage of dangerous goods by road is legally required to appoint a DGSA.
Our retainer service fulfils this statutory requirement while providing practical, ongoing compliance support that goes beyond the minimum legal obligation. We work as an extension of your team — monitoring compliance, identifying risks, and ensuring your operations remain audit-ready.
What's Included
- Ongoing compliance monitoring — regular review of your dangerous goods operations against ADR and CDG 2009 requirements
- Annual statutory report — preparation and delivery of the legally required DGSA annual report
- On-call advisory access — telephone and email support for day-to-day dangerous goods queries
- Compliance reviews — scheduled site visits to audit procedures, documentation, and operational practices
- Documentation auditing — review of transport documents, consignment notes, and operational records
- Regulatory updates — notification and guidance on changes to ADR, CDG, and related regulations
How It Works
We follow a structured approach to establishing your DGSA retainer:
- Initial assessment — we review your current dangerous goods activities, identify the scope of your obligations, and assess your existing compliance position
- Tailored compliance plan — based on the assessment, we develop a plan addressing any gaps and establishing a monitoring schedule
- Ongoing oversight — regular site visits, documentation reviews, and on-call support to maintain compliance throughout the year
- Annual reporting — preparation and delivery of your statutory DGSA annual report
Benefits for Your Organisation
- Statutory DGSA obligation met without the cost of an in-house appointment
- Reduced risk of regulatory enforcement action
- Audit-ready compliance documentation and procedures
- Access to specialist expertise on demand
- Confidence in your governance and compliance position for procurement and assurance purposes
Frequently Asked Questions
Under the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (CDG 2009), any organisation involved in the carriage of dangerous goods by road — including consignors, carriers, and loaders — must appoint a Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser (DGSA). This applies regardless of the volume or frequency of movements.
Yes. There is no requirement for the DGSA to be an employee of your organisation. Many organisations — particularly those with lower volumes of dangerous goods activity — choose to appoint an external DGSA on a retainer basis. This provides the same regulatory compliance at a fraction of the cost of an in-house appointment.
The DGSA is required to produce an annual report documenting the organisation's dangerous goods activities, compliance status, any incidents that occurred, and recommendations for improvement. This report must be retained and made available to the competent authority on request.
Visit frequency depends on the scale and complexity of your dangerous goods activities. Typically, retainer arrangements include quarterly or bi-annual site visits, supplemented by ongoing remote monitoring and on-call advisory support. We tailor the schedule to your operational needs.
Our retainer service includes on-call advisory support. In the event of an incident involving dangerous goods, you can contact us immediately for guidance on response, containment, statutory reporting obligations, and investigation requirements.
Need specialist dangerous goods support?
Speak directly with a qualified DGSA about your requirements.