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SPA Passport – Core Day + Petrol Retail Classroom Course

The SPA Petrol Retail Passport builds on the basic health and safety information of the Core Day programme by concentrating on risks specifically found working on a petrol filling station. It allows delegates to recognise hazards, utilise control measures and safe working practices, and maintain a safe working environment.

The two-day course is awarded by the Safety Pass Alliance and is widely treated as a condition of site access by fuel retailers and forecourt operators. Day one is the general SPA Core Day; day two is the petrol retail sector day. It is also available as live online instructor-led training, which leads to the same passport.

Course Details

  • Duration: 2 days
  • Format: Classroom training
  • Awarding body: Safety Pass Alliance (SPA)
  • Assessment: Multiple-choice paper at the end of each module
  • Suitable for: Contractors, employees and agency workers needing access to petrol forecourts and fuel installations
  • Prerequisites: No formal health and safety experience required
  • Cost: From £204 + VAT
  • Passport: Valid for 3 years
  • Exemptions: May apply to day one if you hold another recognised health and safety qualification

Prices vary by provider, location and delivery format. Use the course search below to compare dates and fees.

View Classroom Course Dates

 

What is the SPA Passport – Core Day + Petrol Retail?

The Safety Pass Alliance is the most prominent safety passport awarding body in the UK, running sector-specific schemes across construction, food and drink, petrol retail, ports, warehousing and mineral products. Petrol Retail is the sector scheme for forecourts and fuel installations.

Every SPA sector passport follows the same two-part structure. Day one is the Core Day, covering general workplace health, safety and environmental responsibilities that apply in any industry. Day two is the sector day, which concentrates on the hazards particular to that environment — in this case ignition sources, fuel properties, hazardous area zoning and forecourt operations.

The passport is aimed at anyone conducting work on or inside a petrol station, from pump maintenance and tank work through to signage, cleaning and shop refits.

Who should attend the SPA Petrol Retail Passport?

You may require a Petrol Safety Passport if you work on a petrol forecourt, transport fuel, or come into contact with dangerous oils in your job:

  • Contractors and subcontractors working on forecourts and fuel installations
  • Pump, tank and wet-stock maintenance engineers
  • Electricians, signage and canopy contractors
  • Shop fitters and cleaning contractors working within the site boundary
  • Tanker drivers and fuel delivery personnel
  • Agency and casual workers requiring site access

The requirement is near-universal across the petroleum retail industry, and most operators will not permit work to start without a valid passport.

What’s included in the SPA Petrol Retail Passport course?

Upon completion of the SPA Petrol Retail passport course you will:

  • Demonstrate their understanding of the subjects by successfully completing each module assessment paper
  • Appreciate how they personally can influence good standards within Health and Safety and the Environment
  • Understand the value of risk assessment and have the knowledge to recognise when changes to a generic assessment is required
  • Understand the common hazards associated with working in this sector

SPA Petrol Retail Passport course content

Day one is the SPA Core Day. Day two covers the two petrol retail sector modules set out below.

Module 1

Hazards on a Petrol Filling Station

  • Types of hazards
  • Fuel hazards
  • Fuel properties
  • DSEAR
  • Restricted areas on a petrol forecourt
  • Hazardous areas
  • Zone classification
  • Delivery hazards
  • Vapour recovery
  • Customer hazards
  • Other hazards
  • Contractor hazards

Module 2

Controlling Work on a Forecourt

  • Communication
  • Documentation
  • Safety method statements
  • Clearance certificates
  • Permits to work
  • Task classification

Programme may be subject to change without prior notification.

Assessment and certification

Assessment is by multiple-choice paper at the end of each module, completed during the course. There is no post-course project and no external examination.

Successful delegates are registered on the national SPA database and issued a passport photocard carrying their name, photograph, personalised ID number and expiry date. Employers and site operators can verify a passport directly with SPA.

Resit arrangements for a failed module paper are set by the individual training provider rather than by SPA, so ask the provider what their policy is when you book.

Does the SPA Petrol Retail Passport expire?

Yes. SPA passports are issued with a three-year expiry date, and that date is absolute. The Safety Pass Alliance withdrew the three-month grace period for Petrol Retail in April 2012, so the expiry date is the definitive point at which the passport ceases to be valid.

Renewal is a one-day refresher which can be taken at any point in the six months before expiry. Once the expiry date has passed you are no longer eligible for the renewal and must sit the full two-day course again, so booking ahead of the date rather than after it saves both a day out and the difference in fee.

Are exemptions available from day one?

Possibly. Unlike the MPQC schemes, Petrol Retail does recognise Core Day exemptions. Anyone who has previously attended a nationally recognised health and safety course can apply for exemption where that course covers at least 80% of the Core Day material.

Exemption is not automatic and is not something you can self-certify. It has to be approved in advance, and providers will normally want to see the syllabus of the qualification you are relying on. If you think you may hold an exemption, raise it when booking rather than on the day — you may only need to attend day two, which changes both the time commitment and the fee.

How does this compare with the other SPA passports?

All SPA sector passports share a common structure and a three-year validity, but they differ in sector content and in whether exemptions apply.

Passport Sector Duration Exemptions
Core Day + Petrol Retail Forecourts and fuel handling 2 days May apply to day one
Core Day + Food & Drink Food and drink manufacturing 2 days May apply to day one
Mineral Products (MPQC) Extraction, aggregates, cement, asphalt 2 days Not accepted
Core Construction (CSCS) Construction, CSCS Green Card route 1 day Classroom only
Related training and progression
Find a SPA Petrol Retail Passport course near me

Classroom courses run at venues across England. If you are looking for a course near you, find dates in your area:

Or compare all SPA Petrol Retail Passport courses in the UK across every format.

SPA Passport – Core Day + Petrol Retail Online Instructor-Led Course

The SPA Passport – Core Day + Petrol Retail online instructor-led course is a live, tutor-led version of the two-day safety passport delivered remotely by video conference. It follows the same Safety Pass Alliance syllabus as classroom training and leads to the same SPA passport, valid for three years.

This is not self-paced e-learning. It is live, interactive training with a qualified tutor across two consecutive days, where delegates ask questions and sit the module assessments in real time. If you would rather attend in person, see the classroom courses.

Course Details

  • Duration: 2 days
  • Format: Live online instructor-led training
  • Awarding body: Safety Pass Alliance (SPA)
  • Platform: Zoom or Microsoft Teams, depending on provider
  • Assessment: Multiple-choice paper at the end of each module
  • Suitable for: Contractors, employees and agency workers needing access to petrol forecourts and fuel installations
  • Prerequisites: No formal health and safety experience required
  • Cost: From £204 + VAT
  • Equipment needed: PC or laptop with webcam, microphone and stable internet
  • Passport: Valid for 3 years

Prices vary by provider and delivery format. Use the course search below to compare dates and fees.

View Online Course Dates & Fees

 

What is the SPA Petrol Retail online instructor-led course?

The online instructor-led course allows contractors and employees to complete the full two-day Petrol Retail safety passport remotely with a live qualified tutor. Sessions are delivered by video conference over two consecutive days and follow the same syllabus as classroom training, leading to the same SPA passport.

Day one is the general SPA Core Day; day two concentrates on the hazards found specifically on a petrol filling station — fuel properties, DSEAR, hazardous area zoning, delivery and vapour recovery, and the permit and clearance systems that control contractor work on a live forecourt.

Is the online course the same as the classroom course?

Yes in every respect that matters. The syllabus, the assessments and the passport are set by the Safety Pass Alliance, not by where the course is held. A delegate completing the course online receives exactly the same SPA passport as one who attends in person, and forecourt operators make no distinction between them.

Remote delivery is explicitly permitted by SPA for this scheme — the Petrol Retail course is eligible for virtual delivery or classroom based training. SPA accredited providers deliver both across the UK and Ireland using Zoom or Microsoft Teams. The one notable exception in the SPA range is Core Construction (CSCS), which remains classroom-only; Petrol Retail is not affected by that restriction.

The differences are practical rather than substantive: no travel, no venue, and assessments completed on screen under webcam supervision. The full syllabus is listed on the classroom tab.

Who should attend the SPA Petrol Retail Passport?

You may require a Petrol Safety Passport if you work on a petrol forecourt, transport fuel, or come into contact with dangerous oils in your job:

  • Contractors and subcontractors working on forecourts and fuel installations
  • Pump, tank and wet-stock maintenance engineers
  • Electricians, signage and canopy contractors
  • Shop fitters and cleaning contractors working within the site boundary
  • Tanker drivers and fuel delivery personnel
  • Agency and casual workers requiring site access

The requirement is near-universal across the petroleum retail industry, and most operators will not permit work to start without a valid passport.

What’s included in the SPA Petrol Retail Passport course?

Upon completion of the SPA Petrol Retail passport course you will:

  • Demonstrate their understanding of the subjects by successfully completing each module assessment paper
  • Appreciate how they personally can influence good standards within Health and Safety and the Environment
  • Understand the value of risk assessment and have the knowledge to recognise when changes to a generic assessment is required
  • Understand the common hazards associated with working in this sector

The two petrol retail sector modules are set out in full on the classroom tab.

Why choose online instructor-led training?
  • Attend from home, depot or any suitable location
  • Learn from a live qualified tutor in real time, not a recorded module
  • No travel, accommodation or overnight costs
  • Ask questions and interact with the tutor throughout
  • Same SPA passport as classroom training
  • Suits mobile engineers and field-based teams covering forecourts across a wide area
  • Usually a wider choice of dates than classroom, since courses are not tied to a venue
Online or classroom — which should I choose?

Both lead to the same SPA passport, so the decision is practical rather than about the qualification itself.

Classroom Online instructor-led
Schedule Fixed dates, set venue Fixed dates, remote
Duration 2 days 2 days
Instructor Live tutor in the room Live tutor via video
Time away from work 2 days plus travel 2 days, no travel
Passport issued SPA Petrol Retail SPA Petrol Retail
Validity 3 years 3 years
Best for Face-to-face learners, groups at one depot Mobile engineers, dispersed teams
How is the online course assessed?
  • Module papers: A multiple-choice paper at the end of each module, completed on screen during the course
  • ID verification: Delegates must verify their identity and remain visible on webcam during assessments
  • Passport: Successful delegates are registered on the national SPA database and issued a passport photocard valid for three years

There is no post-course project and no external examination. Resit arrangements for a failed module paper are set by the individual training provider rather than by SPA, so ask the provider what their policy is when you book.

Equipment and technical requirements
  • A PC or laptop with a working webcam and microphone — mobile phones are not suitable and most providers will not accept them
  • A camera position that shows your face, upper body and desk area during assessments
  • A stable broadband connection. Connection quality is the delegate’s responsibility
  • Zoom or Microsoft Teams installed and tested before the course starts
  • A quiet, private space for both days

You do not usually need your own Zoom or Teams account — providers send a joining link by email. Joining instructions, including setup guidance, are issued in advance of the course start date.

Does the SPA Petrol Retail Passport expire?

Yes. SPA passports are issued with a three-year expiry date, and that date is absolute. The Safety Pass Alliance withdrew the three-month grace period for Petrol Retail in April 2012, so the expiry date is the definitive point at which the passport ceases to be valid.

Renewal is a one-day refresher which can be taken at any point in the six months before expiry. Once the expiry date has passed you are no longer eligible for the renewal and must sit the full two-day course again.

Are exemptions available from day one?

Possibly. Unlike the MPQC schemes, Petrol Retail does recognise Core Day exemptions. Anyone who has previously attended a nationally recognised health and safety course can apply for exemption where that course covers at least 80% of the Core Day material.

Exemption is not automatic and is not something you can self-certify. It has to be approved in advance, and providers will normally want to see the syllabus of the qualification you are relying on. If you think you may hold an exemption, raise it when booking rather than on the day.

Related training and progression

Training more than one person on this course?

If you have a group to put through this course, it can be delivered at your own premises or a venue near you, on a date that suits your shift patterns. No travel, no overnight stays, and priced for the group rather than per person — which usually works out cheaper per head than booking individual places.

Tell us the numbers and roughly where you are, and we will come back with a written quote. Purchase orders and invoicing welcome.

Get a group quote