LEPL Railway Transport College is preparing to obtain the status of an authorized provider of training for dangerous goods railway transport specialists from the LEPL Railway Transport Agency.

The college's mission is to prepare qualified personnel for the railway industry, meet the demands of society and the state, and support individuals' professional, social, and personal development throughout their lives. Within the framework of this mission, once the status is obtained, the college will offer interested organizations a specialized training program in the field of dangerous goods railway transport, covering knowledge related to the transportation, packaging, loading/unloading, and sorting of dangerous goods, as well as the requirements and responsibilities established by the Railway Code of Georgia and current legislation.

As part of the ongoing preparation for obtaining this status, the LEPL Railway Transport Agency organized a working meeting with representatives of the railway sector on the topic "Legislative Changes and New Regulations in the Field of Dangerous Goods Railway Transport."

During the meeting, Agency representatives presented in detail the amendments made to the Railway Code of Georgia and to the "Rules for the Railway Transport of Dangerous Goods" approved by Decree №17 of the Government of Georgia dated January 22, 2025. It was noted that the main objectives of the legislative changes are to strengthen safety standards in the railway sector, ensure alignment with international best practices, and effectively manage risks associated with the transport of dangerous goods. Five subordinate normative acts approved by the Agency regulating this field were also discussed.

Special attention was given to a new legislative requirement, according to which, starting from January 1, 2027, organizations whose activities are related to the railway transport of dangerous goods will be required to have at least one certified dangerous goods transport specialist.

Agency representatives informed meeting participants about the specialist's functions, authority, certification procedures, as well as the range of entities subject to this requirement and any exceptions.

During the meeting, LEPL Railway Transport College presented to the attendees its training program for preparing dangerous goods railway transport specialists, including its objectives, content, and organizational principles for instruction.

The working meeting was attended by nearly 120 representatives of organizations involved in dangerous goods railway transport activities, once again confirming the importance of this area and the sector's strong interest in the effective implementation of the new legislative requirements.