Health & safety site card (for trainee)

Can anyone help. My son has had an offer of work as an Electricians mate at the new Center Parcs.

He needs a site H&S card ESC before he can start, we’re banging out heads against the wall here as we are getting so many conflicting replies to our inquiries.
Now we’ve been told he needs to sit a basic H&S exam/test before he can take his site safety test.
Yesterday we were told he can just take a H&S test and go on site and then apply for his ESC card.
Anyone.

Surely his employee should be able to organise this for him? Tell him to ask what they normally do.

The employee is a one man band, so not done this before. My sons getting upset and frustrated and fears losing his job before he even starts.

The impression I got was that it was a government requirement put into the hands of private companies who employee people that haven’t got a clue?

Why not just call them?

http://www.ecscard.org.uk/contactus.aspx

I CBA to read the bumf, but it looks like you need to read the bumf 🙂

Edit. If you can get the above card then you may not need the CSCS card. Worth checking what the centre parks works manager will accept.

generally you need to have passed one of the various levels of health & safety test (http://www.cscs.uk.com/cscs-cards/health-and-safety-test)and applied for (and receieved) a CSCS card.

Most big contractors / sites will not allow you to work without a card, although some will accept the test pass certificate (must be within the last 2 years) on the basis that you are applying for the card. Test is 17.50 and cards are about 30 quid. You will need to buy one of the test revision books or he stands very little chance of passing the multiple choise test.

Beware of the site visitor CSCS card as some sites will not allow you on unaccompanied if you have that card. Trainee card is probably best but again beware as some trainee cards need you to be registered for an NVQ etc.

Construction related occupation card http://www.cscs.uk.com/cscs-cards/types-of-card/white-cards/construction-related-occupation-cro looks to be the only one that does not require an NVQ / registration on an NVQ etc. Best bet is to ring CSCS co and ask for their advice. 0344 9944 777

go here: http://www.cscs.uk.com/cscs-cards to work out which card suits the lad. The test you have to pass depends on the level of card you’re applying for.

As said CSCS is what they need. His boss will also need one so he should sort it out.

what he said though you can get a book for a tenner on the test and you can get the test online through dubious means

FWIW the ecs card is for TRAINED and QUALIFIED staff

To be recognised as a qualified installation or maintenance electrician in the UK, you have to have achieved an electrotechnical NVQ Level 3 (or its equivalent), which entitles you to apply to hold an ECS gold card

He is not so he cannot get one anyway

CSCS card is required for building sites but not domestic properties.

I am not sure he technically needs either for centreparcs and I suspect the employer just needs to be sure your son has done some basic H & S prior to starting work.
CSCS may meet this requirement but it is not specific to electrical risks so it may not

I agree with call both and see what they recommend as there is certainly a trainee CSCS card. I know little of ECS as it is for qualified staff

I strongly recomend you son trying to do his NVQ whilst there and other tickets as required Part 18, PAT etc

Thank you very much. ECS did give conflicting information.

Junkyard, that tallies with what his employer has said tonight. A H&S test will be acceptable, with views to getting the card ASAP.
We will get onto CSCS first thing. Not sure how difficult the H&S test is though.
All a bit panicky as this opportunity just came out of the blue.

Ta.

If he is not a moron he will be fine
they have mobile testing stations so he should be able to get a pass pretty quickly depending on your location. Be aware the proccess time for the card was circa 4 weeks iirc last time but I dont have upto date info
Technically he can work with the pass but many places just scan the card so if he does not have it he is stuffed as they dont care and “thems the site rules” etc
Re test
He needs to read some stuff but most of it is fairly basic/obvious

http://constructioncardmocktest.com/

other online resources out there if you just search for CSCS revision or CSCS mock test etc

I don’t know how it’s changed since I last did H&S as a full time job but the major contractors have access to the computer records of those that have passed. Arrive on site with the pass confirmation letter and they can check on-line for you at induction. The UCATT rep was most helpful when it happened to me as he was running the site inductions. Basic CSCS is reasonably easy if you have some idea of what’s dangerous.

As much as it hurts me! I have to agree with Junkyard. Your son needs a CSCS card, which costs a basic fee of £35 and is the only accepted card for on site working outside the domestic environment and is available to everyone from basic site labourers to qualified technical mechanical, civil and electrical workers. You can book online for a test and it is relatively straight forward, but needs a bit of revision on ladder angles, fire safety and common sense reporting, plus basic first aid procedure. HTH.

Have to agree CSCS is the one that you need – they usually have a test centre at the DVLA theory centres or there are mobile units. There is (was) the CSCS Red Card which for trainees or people studying for a NVQ L2 or above

Thanks again, though you have to do the H&S test before applying for the card?

I had this issue earlier in the year my ECS card had run out and to do it quickly had to go to Kent.
So I rang the 0344 number above and got a local test centre within 48 hrs.
Took the test at a driving test centre and photo taken at same time.
Passed and rang next day for card to be sent out using ID photo taken at test centre, all sorted within 5 days total.
Have since taken ECS at union offices.
There is on line sample tests for the CSCS multiple choice test.
Have a book somewhere from Amazon next day delivery.
There is usually a few test centres close to where you may live ,but when you speak to the CSCS co and ask for their advice. 0344 9944 777 make sure they check for any dates that can be availible in the next few days,and close to you.

You need to pass the H&S test before getting the card

You can take the CSCS test at test centres across England And Wales.
You book the test via the CSCS.
the test is mutiple choice and you are told at the time of the test whether you have passed.If he goes for a labouer card he will be allowed on site.
As an this gives him time to go for the ECS card, as stated it is for qualified staff. So his employer will have to help out on this or he does other Qualifications to be sparky.

The book is very usefull, the CSCS is 95% common sense and it will tell you the sections you need to know for the relevant area of work your in but it will throw in the odd question from other areas as well.

I just recently did mine for a supervisor card but have done it previously for a machine operator card and that threw the odd question in about guard rails and ladders. ime its questions about fire extinguishers that catch people out so good to remember the section on them.

I’ll go though it with him. It’s a very different world for a lad just turned 17 fresh from the classroom.