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Sites told to review carding policies

19 Jun 17 Construction site managers are being told that it is not necessary for site catering, cleaning and delivery staff to have official skills cards showing them to be qualified construction workers.

People attending construction sites to perform non-construction related tasks should not be expected to carry a skills card, say the managers of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS).

Scheme managers have issued guidance to site managers to soften their carding polices and stop turning away non-construction related workers without CSCS cards.  

CSCS head of communications Alan O’Neile said: “CSCS cards are intended for construction related occupations only. Due to the wide range of skills required on construction projects, there are times when a worker arrives on site to perform a non-construction related activity, for example catering staff, delivering materials or cleaners. These individuals do not require a CSCS card and CSCS has stopped issuing cards for these and many other non-construction related occupations.”

Despite this some construction sites still operate a 100% carded workforce policy. The policy is often reinforced in client’s prequalification documents or by head office insisting all workers and visitors to site should carry a CSCS card. 

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Alan O’Neile added: “The rigid enforcement of a 100% carded workforce results in legitimate, non-construction related, workers being refused entry to site as they do not hold a card. This indicates a misunderstanding of the scheme and undermines the construction industry’s desire for a fully qualified (not carded) workforce.”

This approach is supported by the Construction Leadership Council’s (CLC) ambition (set out in the Industrial Strategy: Construction 2025) that skills certification card schemes carrying the CSCS logo must only certify those occupations with nationally recognised construction related qualifications, or approved equivalents.

The move away from a 100% carded workforce is therefore seeing an increase in the numbers of people turning up to site without a card.

Alan O’Neile continued: “We are not asking site managers to allow just anyone on site. If a worker is there to carry out a construction related activity then a card is required as proof of their training and qualifications. If they are there to perform a non-construction related activity it becomes the responsibility of site managers to induct and escort these people to ensure they remain safe at all times when on site.”

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MPU

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