Have you noted the changes to the CSCS card scheme from the CITB and struggled to wonder what do you need to do to get your employees a replacement card? If the answer is yes, then you won’t be alone as we have found from first-hand experience.

CITB have based getting the card around having Construction related health & safety qualifications; maybe something to do with that’s what they provide! But what if you’re not really a construction related business but just need a card to get onto a client’s site? Well as it stands you have the opportunity to apply for experienced worker card (Blue) for your employees (if they qualify) but this lasts only for one year and then cannot be renewed.

After this you are expected to have your employees qualified to NVQ2 in a construction related qualification. But as our clients have commented; they are not construction related and sending their employees on such a course is really not appropriate. So what are their options you may ask?

Well for some groups you may be lucky enough to come under the Construction Related Occupations (CRO) and this means you can apply for the white/grey card. Here your employees will only have to sit the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test. This card will last for 5 years.

For one client who installs signs they unfortunately cannot use the route above as they are seen as a construction activity. They have tried to find out from CSCS & CITB if they can use the IOSH Managing Safely (level 3) qualification that some of their employees hold. Unfortunately it appears that those they have contacted don’t know the answer so they are currently left in limbo.

Hopefully these questions will soon be answered and businesses can get on with what they do and not have to worry about sending employees to training that in many instances won’t be relevant to what they do.