At Peter East Associates, continuous improvement and strengthening our expertise in Dangerous Goods transport is a constant priority. At the end of March 2026, our team of trainers and staff came together for an internal update meeting. We run these events every two years, and they are an essential part of maintaining high quality dangerous goods training and providing an opportunity for our trainers to collaborate.

The event also crucially provided time for our entire team of trainers to meet in person. With 15 trainers based in different parts of the country, the event provided a unique opportunity for everyone to all meet, socialise and catch up.

The event combined valuable team-building time with professional development, reinforcing our commitment to delivering industry-leading training services.

A Collaborative Approach to Training Excellence

The weekend began with drinks and dinner, providing an opportunity for our team to reconnect, share experiences, and socialise.

After a good night’s sleep, the seminar began on the following day. Focused on open discussion and collaboration, the seminar was designed to ensure that every member of the Peter East team is aligned with our latest methodologies, regulatory updates, and customer needs.

Key Seminar Topics: Driving Continuous Improvement

The meeting featured a comprehensive seminar covering a business update, regulatory changes, and training improvements:

Business Update
In a presentation designed to take our team through opportunities and challenges for the business, Sam Mohr explained the key growth areas for the organisation, our most popular courses and plans for future development.
Inclusive Training Practices
Following feedback and requests for more training for our trainers, Holly Waterhouse led a presentation and discussion on how to make our training more accessible and inclusive. The session focused on how trainers can consistently follow best practice ensuring that all learners—regardless of experience or circumstances—can fully engage and benefit from our training.
Enhancements to Dangerous Goods Training and Services
Christopher Abrahams began his presentation by looking back at where the business has come from and the major improvements made in the last ten years. This then led us into a discussion and feedback session on several improvements that can be made to our dangerous goods training programmes. Key discussions included: updates to course content, delivery methods, and internal processes to better support our customers and meet our responsibilities as a UK CAA approved training provider.
Upcoming Regulatory Changes
Staying ahead of regulatory developments is vital in the dangerous goods sector. We discussed forthcoming changes and how these will impact our training, consultancy, and compliance services.

Expert Insight: UN Certified Packaging and Testing

A standout moment of the seminar was a guest presentation from Kevin Dougherty of Air Sea Containers Ltd. His session provided valuable, real-world insights into UN certified packaging and testing, a critical component of dangerous goods transport compliance.

Kevin challenged our team of DGSA-qualified and air transport instructors to rethink how they approach training in this area. His presentation highlighted:

The responsibilities of packaging suppliers versus shippers
The importance of understanding packaging certification requirements
Practical considerations in testing and compliance

The session concluded with an engaging Q&A discussion, followed by a hands-on exercise designed to encourage fresh thinking around dangerous goods packaging. This interactive approach aligned perfectly with our commitment to delivering practical, high-impact training, and made several trainers consider improvements to how they teach about packaging.

Investing in Knowledge to Better Support Our Clients

Events like this internal seminar are a key part of how Peter East Associates maintains its reputation as a trusted provider of dangerous goods training and consultancy services.

By continually investing in our people, we ensure that our clients benefit from:

Up-to-date regulatory knowledge
Innovative and effective training methods
Deep industry expertise across all modes of transport

We would like to extend our thanks to Kevin Dougherty for delivering such an insightful and engaging session, and to our entire team for taking the time to attend, and their ongoing dedication to excellence.