The FORS Standard version 7.1
Everything you need to become FORS accredited
O5 Specialist operations
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Requirement
To conduct specialist operations safely and in accordance with the law.
Purpose
To ensure that the risks associated with specialist operations are managed so that they do not endanger the driver, any passengers or other road users.
Demonstration
FORS Operators shall have in place a policy and supporting procedures for any specialist operations. Procedures shall be supported by risk assessments or method statements. Specialist operations include, but are not limited to:
- Dangerous goods
- Hazardous and non-hazardous wasteb (upper-tier)
- Abnormal indivisible loads (AIL)
- Longer semi-trailers (LSTs)
The person with continuous and effective responsibility for the specialist operation shall be formally appointed, trained, experienced and, where necessary, qualified.
This should be relevant to the specialism of the operation such as:
- Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA)
- Waste carrier competence
- Special Types General Order (STGO) competence
For the carriage of dangerous goods, a procedure shall be in place and include:
- Dangerous goods vehicle approval certification
- Control measures relevant to the transportation of dangerous goods
- Dangerous goods documentation, consignment notes and data sheets
- Driver training and ADR (International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road) certificates
- Emergency actions and contact details
For upper-tier hazardous and non-hazardous waste, a procedure shall be in place that includes:
- Waste carrier licensing
- Control measures relevant to the transportation of waste
- Waste documentation, consignment notes and data sheets
- Waste operations and driver competence
- Emergency actions and contact details
For abnormal indivisible loads (AIL), a procedure shall be in place for vehicles operating under the conditions of STGO or vehicle special order movements that includes:
- Notifying the police and the relevant highway and bridge authorities where required
- Compliance with all movement conditions relevant to the weight and dimensions of the vehicle and load
- The carriage of the vehicle movement approval with the load documentation
- The use of marker boards for over-width and over-length projections
- STGO and abnormal indivisible load (AIL) driver competence
For Longer Semi Trailers (LST), formal notification to operate LSTs shall be evidenced. A procedure shall be in place that includes:
- Suitable and sufficient assessment of specified risk factors
- Planning and documenting routes, and communicating them to drivers
- Monitoring and investigating route diversions
- Driver training requirements and competence
- Adequate and consistent monitoring of the operation and record keeping
The policy, procedures, risk assessments and competences specific to specialist operations shall be:
- Documented and reviewed in accordance with requirement M1
- Retained in accordance with requirement M2
- Communicated in accordance with requirement M5
- Verified in accordance with requirement D1
- Included in Professional Development Plans in accordance with requirement D4
Prepare the following evidence
Documented specialist operations policy and procedure.
Where the organisation transports dangerous goods, evidence of compliance with ADR requirements. Examples of acceptable evidence include:
- Driver ADR qualification certificates and training PDP
- Dangerous goods transport documentation and records
- Dangerous goods vehicle approval certificates
- Appointment of specialist operations responsible person with waste carrier competence, such as:
- Formal appointment: letter of appointment, job description, organisational chart
- Competence (training & qualifications): internal training, ADR vocational training certificate, relevant environmental training
- Experience: CV or employment history, records demonstrating operational involvement
Where a Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser (DGSA) is required, evidence of appointment and competence. Examples of acceptable evidence include:
- DGSA qualification certificate(s)
- DGSA appointment records i.e. org chart, job description
- The latest DGSA annual audit report
Where the organisation transports hazardous waste or holds upper-tier waste carrier licence, examples of acceptable evidence include:
- Waste transfer notes
- Hazardous waste consignment notes
- Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS/SDS)
- Waste transport documentation and supporting records
- Appointment of specialist operations responsible person with waste carrier competence, such as:
- Formal appointment: letter of appointment, job description, organisational chart
- Competence (training & qualifications): internal training, waste carrier competence/relevant environmental training.
- Experience: CV or employment history, records demonstrating operational involvement
Where the organisation transports AIL, examples of acceptable evidence include:
- Movement notification and approval orders and associated documentation
- Movement records, delivery records or job sheets
- Driver training and awareness on AIL records
Appointment of specialist operations responsible person with STGO competence. Examples of acceptable evidence include:
- Formal appointment: letter of appointment, job description, organisational chart
- Competence (training & qualifications): STGO / abnormal loads relevant operational experience, internal training
- Experience: CV or employment history, records demonstrating operational involvement
Where marker boards are required to be fitted to vehicles, examples of acceptable evidence include:
- Photographic evidence of vehicles carrying over-width/rear projection marker boards
- Vehicle walkaround checks or inspection records
- Load risk assessments identifying projection/width risks
- Method statements or loading procedures requiring marker boards
- Driver instructions or guidance on use of marker boards
- Training records confirming driver awareness
- Maintenance or equipment issuance logs (marker boards provided)
- Physical verification (if onsite audit)
- Movement/job records showing correct use during transport
Where the organisation operates longer semi-trailers, examples of acceptable evidence include:
- Formal notification to operate LSTs annotated on the Operator Licence
- Appointment of specialist operations responsible person with LST operations competence, such as:
- Formal appointment: letter of appointment, job description, organisational chart
- Competence (training & qualifications): internal training, LST training certification
- Experience: CV or employment history, records demonstrating operational involvement
Resources for Bronze
Resources marked with a padlock require a FORS account.
Guides
- Bronze audit checklist (PDF)
- Bronze audit question set (PDF)
- Bronze audit toolkit (login required)
- Toolkits and guides
- FORS Driver Handbook policy packs
Training records
- Training
- Bronze training requirements
- FORS Professional Training Register (login required)
- FORS Training Dashboard (login required)