CSCS Green Card Update

Up until July 2014 CSCS had issued over 700,000 CSO (operative) green cards. These cards were issued on completion of a Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Health, Safety & Environment test together with an Employer recommendation. The CSO cards were commonly viewed as the easiest card to obtain (the test takes less than one hour to complete) and held by a large cross section of the industry’s workforce, from Labourer and Skilled Worker to Site Manager and Professionals. In terms of the industry’s desire for a qualified workforce they were clearly not fit for purpose.

On this basis, together with CITB, we developed a new Level 1 knowledge based qualification - Health and Safety in a Construction Environment specifically intended for labouring occupations. The card was also renamed from CSO to Labourer.

Since July we have also mapped the CITB Site Safety Plus (SSP) course and the IOSH Working safely course and accepted them as equivalent to the new Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification.

Since July 1st we have issued over 5,000 Labourer cards through achievement of either the new Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification or SSP certificate. Over 18,000 applicants have been issued with a Provisional card. This card is valid for 6 months, allowing the applicant to achieve a relevant or register for a qualification before applying for a CSCS card appropriate to their work.

These are still early days, however industry appears to be adapting well to the new requirements. Clearly a key date will be the end of Jan 2015 when the first of the Provisional cards expire. We are working hard to remind these Provisional card holders they must get qualified if they wish to move onto a new card. Reminders are being sent to individuals urging them to take action but we strongly recommend this is reinforced through your own organisation.

Source: Construction Skills Certification Scheme Limited