In 1995 the Construction Skills Certification Scheme was first set up. With two fatalities occurring in the construction industry every week, it was the most dangerous industry in Britain. Action was needed to improve the safety of one of Britain’s leading industries, and the scheme was founded.
The CSCS is managed by CSCS Limited, all of whose Directors have worked in the construction industry. The members of the board are from the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, the Federation of Master Builders, GMB Union, National Specialist Contractors Council, the UK Contractors Group, T&G Section of UNITE (Building Crafts Section) and Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians. The Construction Industry Council and the Construction Clients Group are also represented on the Board. The company has no shareholders as it is a Company Limited by Guarantee.
Today, over fifteen years later, the construction industry has been through periods of both progress and decay, and is now, hopefully, on the up once again. As we enter into a new era of growth, it is important to remember that expansion can lead to an increase in work-related accidents and even deaths. Renewed growth has similarly seen a huge proliferation in employment agencies operating in the construction industry. This has had consequences in terms of safety in a number of ways: there is little active screening of workers, and inexpert workers are placed on construction sites without the appropriate health and safety training.
It is for these reasons that the CSCS card, which is paramount to the scheme’s success, has never been more vital. With over 1.6 million in use today, the card is now asked for with much greater frequency on job-sites, with many employers (the UK government among them) refusing to hire non-CSCS construction workers. In fact, over 80% of UK job-sites now require all of their employees to carry the CSCS card.
By checking cards, employees can now monitor their workers and confirm that they are health and safety competent. By applying a compulsory CSCS health and safety test, the CSCS guarantees that all CSCS workers know how to comport themselves carefully on a construction site. In 2010/2011 the figure for fatalities in the industry was 17% lower than in previous years. As the roll-out of the CSCS card scheme continues, it is hoped that this figure can be lowered even further.
The CSCS is managed by CSCS Limited, all of whose Directors have worked in the construction industry. The members of the board are from the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, the Federation of Master Builders, GMB Union, National Specialist Contractors Council, the UK Contractors Group, T&G Section of UNITE (Building Crafts Section) and Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians. The Construction Industry Council and the Construction Clients Group are also represented on the Board. The company has no shareholders as it is a Company Limited by Guarantee.
Today, over fifteen years later, the construction industry has been through periods of both progress and decay, and is now, hopefully, on the up once again. As we enter into a new era of growth, it is important to remember that expansion can lead to an increase in work-related accidents and even deaths. Renewed growth has similarly seen a huge proliferation in employment agencies operating in the construction industry. This has had consequences in terms of safety in a number of ways: there is little active screening of workers, and inexpert workers are placed on construction sites without the appropriate health and safety training.
It is for these reasons that the CSCS card, which is paramount to the scheme’s success, has never been more vital. With over 1.6 million in use today, the card is now asked for with much greater frequency on job-sites, with many employers (the UK government among them) refusing to hire non-CSCS construction workers. In fact, over 80% of UK job-sites now require all of their employees to carry the CSCS card.
By checking cards, employees can now monitor their workers and confirm that they are health and safety competent. By applying a compulsory CSCS health and safety test, the CSCS guarantees that all CSCS workers know how to comport themselves carefully on a construction site. In 2010/2011 the figure for fatalities in the industry was 17% lower than in previous years. As the roll-out of the CSCS card scheme continues, it is hoped that this figure can be lowered even further.
