| The UK Government has introduced the CSCS | | | | asbestos analysts. |
| (Construction Services Certification Scheme) | | | | Taking the appropriate training quickly will speed |
| Construction Safety Card, which requires anyone | | | | up your application. If you already have the |
| accessing a building site to be in possession of the | | | | appropriate qualifications, you may be eligible for a |
| appropriate Health and Safety training. If you do | | | | card based solely on the strength of your course. |
| not currently have a Construction Safety Card, | | | | If you have ever held a CSCS Construction |
| here's how to go about getting hold of one, and | | | | Safety Card before, you will be able to update |
| exactly why you need it. | | | | and renew it with a phone call to CITB SkillsDirect. |
| Construction Safety Cards prevent accidents and | | | | The same body will arrange your card if you |
| injury on construction sites and ensure that the | | | | have an NVQ or SVQ in your field. If you have a |
| government protects employees from potentially | | | | City & Guilds qualification, the area is slightly grey |
| dangerous situations. If you are not adequately | | | | and you will need to phone CITB SkillsDirect, who |
| trained in Health and Safety, and basic | | | | will confirm which details you require to organise |
| construction awareness, you will find it difficult to | | | | your card. |
| gain work in any building site. | | | | If you have none of these qualifications, you will |
| All you need to do to get your CSCS | | | | need to sit the online courses and undergo on site |
| Construction Safety Card is to sit the appropriate | | | | assessment in order to get your Construction |
| online tests. These tests are related to your | | | | Safety Card. The final route is the experience |
| expertise. The colour coding of the card | | | | worker practical assessment, which is primarily for |
| represents the skill level of the holder. Green, for | | | | older skilled workers who have all the appropriate |
| example, is for persons with no direct | | | | skills, but entered the trade before any formal |
| construction skills, while red is used for trainees, | | | | qualifications were introduced. |
| and blue is for skilled workers. This goes right the | | | | Getting hold of a Construction Safety Card isn't |
| way up to gold. | | | | expensive at all. The card itself costs £24.47, |
| Over one and a half million workers in the UK are | | | | while the health and safety test costs £17.50, |
| in possession of a Construction Safety Card, | | | | with an additional £9.99, should you need the |
| which are split into three groups. Craft and | | | | revision booklet. Having the appropriate safety |
| Operative encompasses trades like aerial and | | | | training and qualifications are essential for anyone |
| satellite dish installers and carpenter/joiners. | | | | looking to work, or further their career in the |
| Technical, supervisory and management includes | | | | construction industry. If you are looking for work |
| trades like architecture and any on site clerks, | | | | in the UK on construction sites, a Construction |
| while construction related occupations, the third | | | | Safety Card is the optimum way to start the |
| category, includes metalwork sprayers and | | | | process. |