CSCS reinstates IOSH course following improvements

Published: November 15, 2023

We are pleased to confirm that certificates from the IOSH Safety, Health and Environment for Construction Workers course are once again eligible as a route to obtaining a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Labourer card.

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), working with its network of training providers, has strengthened the delegate identity verification processes. The process improvements have been approved by CSCS and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

From Thursday 16 November 2023, delegates who pass the Safety, Health and Environment for Construction Workers course run by IOSH-approved training providers, in combination with completing a CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test, will be able to apply for a CSCS Labourer Card.

On 7 August, CSCS suspended its recognition of the Safety, Health and Environment for Construction Workers course after agreeing with IOSH a need to strengthen the identity verification systems and procedures. Work began immediately to tackle this.

While IOSH carried out these improvements, the course has not been eligible for CSCS card applications. The improvements implemented by IOSH and its training providers now enable these restrictions to be lifted. For the avoidance of doubt, any IOSH Safety, Health and Environment for Construction Workers course delivered between the 7 August and 15 November 2023, will not be accepted for a CSCS Labourer card.

Ruth Lake, Director of Strategic and Commercial Development at IOSH, said: “Over the past three months, teams at IOSH have worked tirelessly to add features to our systems that enable important delegate identity details to be captured and verified.

“We would like to thank all those training providers who helped us by submitting additional delegate information for their patience and support as we invested in these new measures. We look forward to continuing to work with our community of trainers to move forward with offering successful programmes.”

All current active, approved training providers can now resume offering the one-day IOSH Safety, Health and Environment for Construction Workers course as part of a route to applying for a CSCS Labourer Card.

Sean Kearns, Chief Executive at CSCS, said: “CSCS is committed to ensuring UK construction sites remain safe, and workers hold legitimate training and qualifications before being allowed to work on site. CSCS relies on organisations such as IOSH to monitor the standards and performance of their approved training providers in delivering construction qualifications. CSCS fully supports the proactive approach taken by IOSH to introduce delegate identity verification improvements and therefore CSCS can once again accept the Safety, Health and Environment for Construction Workers course when applying for a CSCS Labourer card.”