Everything You Need to Know - CSCS Card

The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is a way of providing proof that a person who works in construction on building sites has the right training and the correct
qualification for the job that they are doing on that site.

Gaining a CSCS card

In order to apply for this card, you must be able to prove that you have the correct qualifications related to the area of construction you work in. In most cases, you would

need, in the preceding 2 years, to have passed the appropriate CITB - health and safety/environment test.

The exact type of health and safety and environment test that you have to take will depend on the trade that you work in on-site and also on the type of card that you want to apply for.
Once you have the correct qualification and when you have completed your CITB Health and Safety and environment test then you can go ahead and apply for your card.

The Health, Safety & Environment test
This test is aimed at ensuring that you have adequate knowledge of several topics that are aimed at improving productivity and safety on the building site.
This test will cost you around £21 and you must check which test is applicable to you and the trade that you work in.

Remember, as well as the health and safety and environment test you will also have to prove that you have the correct construction-related training and qualification for the area
of construction, you work in.

Once you've had your CSCS card issued look after it because if you lose it you will usually pay somewhere in the region of £36 to have it replaced.

It is always advisable to keep an eye on the latest requirements for the CSCS card. For example, requirements for labourers were changed meaning that anyone who wanted to
apply for the New Labour card and who wanted to work in a particular trade area, on-site, would require either:

• Level 1 QCF award in health and safety in a construction environment (Start the Level 1 award in health and safety in construction course) 
• An equivalent qualification to the Level 4 SQCF
• The one-day site safety plus with the safety awareness course
• The IOSH course that concentrates on working safely

It will also be necessary to have a certificate that proves a pass in the CITB operatives health safety and environment test that must have been awarded in the two years prior to
application for the new card.