Rigorous site inductions
Trevor Simpson, Health and Safety Manager and Unite the Union representative, conducts site inductions at Wood Wharf, stating, “We’re very stringent because we want to do the job once and do it right.” This rigorous approach means only workers with the appropriate qualifications and training for their trade are able to carry out works.
“To have the right card for the job is crucial because we know that they’re understanding the job role and they’ve been assessed,” Simpson adds. “We won’t accept people coming through, for instance, on a Labourer card to do a trade.
“It’s also about protecting the trades. [Workers are] very protective, they’ve done a lot of work, they’ve gone through apprenticeships and so on to be able to gain their qualifications to do the jobs. If you allow anybody to come in on a Labourer card to do that job, all you’re doing is devaluing that trade.”
Digital verification with CSCS Smart Check
CSCS Smart Check offers a quick and efficient way to ensure a CSCS card is legitimate and verify the holder’s qualifications and training. Available as a mobile app, website and an API for existing systems, the technology has made a “massive difference” to Wood Wharf, Simpson notes.
The induction journey
Contractors input workers’ details prior to the online induction. After completing the online process, individuals then undergo an in-person health and safety briefing, followed by card checks using CSCS Smart Check.
Future improvements and industry advice
While initial resistance existed from some contractors accustomed to less stringent checks, the benefits of digital verification extend beyond compliance. Simpson advises other construction sites to adopt CSCS Smart Check, stating, “Make sure you are checking cards rigorously.”
With the Building Safety Act mandating that all individuals in construction roles must be able to demonstrate their competence through the appropriate skills, knowledge, experience, and behaviours, CSCS Smart Check can play a key role in helping ensure compliance.
In numbers
– Wood Wharf: A 5.5 million square foot project with over 1,400 personnel on site daily.
– CSCS Alliance schemes: 38 schemes issuing over 2.1 million cards, all of which can be verified using CSCS Smart Check
– Right card, right job: It is crucial that workers hold the appropriate card for the role they carry out on site.
– Safety first: Wood Wharf has achieved one million work hours without a report of an injury three times in 18 months.
