CDGP®
IHMM’s Certified Dangerous Goods Professional (CDGP ®) credential is an unbiased verification that a company employs a global multi-modal hazmat transportation expert, as the CDGP recognizes expertise in dealing with the safe, secure, and compliant transportation of dangerous goods internationally under the model regulations published by the United Nations, International Maritime Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, and International Air Transport Association.
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Receiving my CDGP certification is one of my best decisions. It has added significantly to my professional portfolio, and enhanced my career overall. I have also been afforded the opportunity to work with the CDGP testing committee. Being a member of this body has provide me with an opportunity to collaborate with personnel from the other industries and expand my education and awareness which has benefited me immensely. This would not have been possible without my CDGP I look forward to receiving my CHMM certification, and I encourage anyone take advantage of the opportunity to achieve a professional certification.
Benefits of a CDGP® Credential
The CDGP is an unbiased, independent verification that a company employs a global multi-modal hazmat transportation expert, that the CDGP can help the employer demonstrate to suppliers, customers, and enforcement agencies that they excel at regulatory compliance and safety. IHMM’s CDGP is an expert with best practices as well as regulations, as established by the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Technical Instructions (ICAO TI), the International Air Transport Association’s Dangerous Goods Regulations (IATA DGR), and the International Maritime Organization’s Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code).
Who Hires CDGPs?
Here is a small example of the thousands of private companies and government entities who hire CDGPs in the United States and around the World. You are about to embark on an amazing career advancement with the IHMM CDGP – truly a global credential.
Eligibility Requirements
A candidate must meet all eligibility requirements before scheduling and taking their exam. These include (1) file an application; (2) third-party employment verification, and (3) pay the application fee. (4) Then pass the exam and pay the annual fee to be issued the credential. The following are the prerequisites…
1.
Prerequisites
Minimum of five years of relevant experience in a field related to dangerous goods transportation.
2.
Taking the Exam
- The CDGP examination is open-book (books can be tabbed). The four books permitted into the exam room may have highlighting and/or writing in them since many Dangerous Good Professionals use these books regularly in their jobs. Please note, however, that the CDGP exam candidates can not bring writing materials into the exam room, nor will they be provided with scrap paper.
- Only the texts listed in this section are permitted.
- The CDGP examinations are to be completed in 3.5 hours using an open book examination format.
- All applicants require an online application that includes work history detail and third-party employment verification.
3.
Relevant Experience
Candidates must demonstrate through experience and examination, that they have the knowledge and skills appropriate for dealing with the transportation and security of hazardous materials/dangerous goods using the following regulations:
- UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods – Model Regulation, 22nd Edition, 2021
- International Civil Aviation Organization’s Technical Instructions (ICAO TI), 2021-2022 Edition
- International Maritime Organization’s Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code), 2022, 41st Edition
- International Air Transport Association’s Dangerous Goods Regulations (IATA DGR), 64th Edition, 2023 or newer may be used in conjunction with or in lieu of the ICAO TI.
4.
Submit an Application, Pay the Application Fee
Submit an application and pay the application fee. See below under Let’s Start Your Application! There is also a fee for the test and, if you pass, an annual maintenance fee. If you need assistance with the CDGP application contact Kortney Tunstall at [email protected] or call 301-244-4864
5.
Move on to Schedule and Take the Examination
Having submitted your application, paid your application fee, and been approved, then you move on to purchase your examination. Move down to the next section of this site for information about taking the exam. If you need assistance with the CDGP examination contact Kortney Tunstall at [email protected] or call 301-244-4864
Examination Preparation
Candidates need to be familiar with relevant laws and regulations, relevant scientific principles and their application, and best management practices. Many candidates attend overview courses or use self-study materials to prepare for the examination. IHMM does not require any specific type of exam preparation or training and the exams are not based on any single reference.
IHMM credentialing programs and examinations are based on an Exam Specifications “blueprint.” The blueprints govern the competency requirements for each credential and provide the outline of topics for the examinations. Examination questions are developed from the blueprints and applicants base their examination study on the blueprint.
Please see the Candidate Handbook for additional information
Find a Course to Prepare for the Exam
Preparing for your CDGP examination is important as the CDGP examination is challenging. Your CDGP examination is derived from the CDGP blueprint, so downloading the CDGP blueprint and understanding the domains and their contents is a good first start. If you seek a course to take in which to prepare for the CDGP examination, you will find a course in our companion foundation, the Hazardous Materials Society.
CDGP Blueprint
A Certified Dangerous Goods Professional® (CDGP®) is a professional involved in the transport of goods and materials that have been categorized as regulated materials and have special packaging, communication, and transport requirements. The CDGP is a person who is an expert in appreciating the potential hazards and the complexity of the regulations that apply to them, and who can accurately analyze the requirements for dangerous goods transport through his or her use of regulatory reference sources. This Specification Blueprint is intended to offer guidance to candidates by outlining reasonably expected duties and tasks based on surveys of what CDGP’s do in practice.
Accreditation
and Recognition
The measure of the quality and strength of a certification program is to evaluate its accreditation status. Accreditation is a form of certification for the certifying organization, requiring conformance with strict standards of validity, reliability, and impartiality.
A key feature of IHMM credentialing programs, accreditation is essential because of the nature of work performed by IHMM certificants. The transport of dangerous goods is governed by model regulations published in:
- UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods – Model Regulation, 22nd Edition, 2021
- International Civil Aviation Organization’s Technical Instructions (ICAO TI), 2021-2022 Edition
- International Maritime Organization’s Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code), 2022, 41st Edition
- International Air Transport Association’s Dangerous Goods Regulations (IATA DGR), 64th Edition, 2023 or newer may be used in conjunction with or in lieu of the ICAO TI.
Accredited credentials allow professionals to not only gain knowledge to use and implement these regulations but to be recognized for their competency to properly manage and perform the functions of the profession.
Apply or Pay a Fee
If you are a first-time user and want to make an application to take an exam, or if you are an existing certificant wanting to pay a fee, everything is done through our online Portal MYIHMM.
Existing certificants use their username/password to log in. New users can create an account and then apply. If you need assistance in any way, please contact Kortney Tunstall at [email protected], Rosie Wilson at [email protected], or Kaylene Cagle at [email protected]. One of them will be glad to help you.
When you have your user/pass and can enter MYIHMM, Click on MENU and you will see this display. Select what You want to do from the menu and proceed…
A collaborative culture is important for every business but is especially important for our hazardous materials, dangerous goods, environment, health and safety communities of practice. IHMM credentialed professionals are at the top 1% of their professions and their reach is global. We are at the forefront of environmental protection, health, and safety and this is where collaborating with the best people in their fields, always willing to help one another, lessens the stress of our jobs and where we strive as a team to make a difference of which we are proud.
Policies and
Code of Ethics
Per the guidance of our accreditation authorities and our internal leadership, IHMM has a variety of policies that bear on our impartiality, our Code of Ethics, our regard for the privacy of your information and data, nondiscrimination, and additional federal guidelines for access to our tests and facilities. Everyone needs to be familiar with these policies as every applicant will be asked to affirm having read, understood, and agrees to be bound by all of these policies in the application process.
Recertification of Your Credential
Congratulations. After hard work and dedication, you earned your professional credential. Now, every 5 years you will need to recertify your valuable credential. Over 5 years you need to earn 200 certification maintenance points or CMPs. You receive 100 CMPs for the job you perform, and then need to earn a minimum of another 100 CMPs in a variety of ways demonstrating your commitment to continuous improvement and remaining current with the demands of your profession and our communities of practice.
Considering everything you did to achieve certification, don’t let it go to waste by failing to recertify.
IHMM will remind you, fairly often, about your impending recertification deadline. If you follow the steps outlined below you will find this process fairly easy to accomplish. Start with the advice in Step #1!
Step 1
Be proactive and enter your CMPs as you earn them. CMPs must be claimed following the guidelines in the IHMM Recertification Handbook.
Step 2
In your MYIHMM account, start your recertification application now to track CMPs as you go. Go to MYIHMM > then MENU > then Recertification > then Create a New Recertification Application.
Step 3
Keep your employment status and professional information current in your MYIHMM account. Please make sure your annual fees are also up-to-date.
Step 4
In your 5th year, make sure all information is correct, confirm your minimum of 200 CMPs, and submit application. Don’t worry, we’ll remind you along the way, too!
Step 5
Audits. Keep records of employment and CMPs requested. We may check in from time to time to assure accuracy.
Following these simple steps will make your recertification simple and easy to complete. Go to your online MYIHMM account, using your unique username and password.
If you have any questions about this process, please contact Jimmy Nguyen at [email protected] or Jelian Labri at [email protected] and someone will assist you.
IHMM Recertification Videos
IHMM has prepared these step-by-step videos for you to watch as you prepare your recertification application. Start with Video #1 and then move on to Video #2.
Recertification Video #1 – Start Here
Recertification Video #2 – Finish Here
Reinstatement
An individual who previously held an IHMM certification that has not been decertified on ethical grounds may apply to have his or her certification reinstated if their annual fees have been expired for less than five (5) years and/or their decertified certification has been expired for less than five (5) years.
If either condition is not met, the individual must go through the full certification process to become certified again.
Reinstatement is not a reversal of decertification. All time in service is lost at the time of decertification. For more information regarding the reversal of decertification, please refer to IHMM’s Decertification Appeal Policy.
Evidence of knowing continued use of a decertified certification after having been provided notice of decertification by IHMM is a violation of your certification agreement and is unethical, and will render the individual ineligible for reinstatement.