CSCS Green Labourer Card
The Green CSCS Labourer Card allows the holder to legally work on construction sites in the United Kingdom.
Green CSCS Card (Labourer)
Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS)
Get Licenced What is the Green CSCS Labourer Card?
The Green Labourer Card allows individuals to work on construction construction sites in entry-level positions. It is issued as part of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) and is valid for 5 years. The CSCS Labourer Card shows employers that you have acquired the necessary health and safety knowledge through training courses and are aware of best practices on a construction site. The work of a labourer tends to be more physical in nature and doesn't require advanced skills.
Do I need a CSCS Labourer Card?
A CSCS Card is required by many employers for compliance purposes, but it is not a legal requirement. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend it if you wish to work in the construction industry as a labourer, since most building sites require a valid CSCS Labourer Card.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Green CSCS Labourer card, you need to be at least 16 years old, have attended the required course and have passed the Health and Safety Assessments.
How do I apply for a Green CSCS Card?
How you apply for your Green CSCS Card can vary depending on the type of qualifications or courses you use as part of your application process. Here is what we think is the easiest and most common way of getting your CSCS Labourer Card.
Steps for getting your Green CSCS Card:
Attend and pass CITB'S Health and Safety Awareness Course
The Health and Safety Awareness Course takes 1-day and is assessed by a multiple choice test and class participation.
Pass CITB's Health, Safety and Environment Test
This is an external assessment that needs to be booked at a test centre. Visit CITB's Website to book your test at a convenient test centre. The test costs £20 and is made up of 50 multiple choice questions.
Contact CSCS to Order Your Card
The easiest way to get your Labourer Card is to call CSCS directly using the details here. The card will cost £30 and is normally posted the next day. CSCS will check your qualifications. You may be required to submit something by email. The maximum amount of time it should take for you to receive your CSCS Card is 20 working days
You have finally got your Green Labourer CSCS Card!
CITB Health & Safety Awareness Course
CITB’s Health & Safety Awareness Course (HSA) is the first step in getting your CSCS Green Card. CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) is in charge of the curriculum and assessment. The course is run by independent training providers. The course is a simple introduction to safety on a construction site. By the end of the course, you should be able to spot hazards and play your part in making the work environment safer for you and your colleagues. The modules covered include:
- Health and Safety Act
- Preventing accidents
- Risk assessments and safety checks
- Reporting accidents and unsafe acts
The course is run over 1-day and is assessed by a multiple choice exam at the end, as well as your overall class participation. You will need your certificate as part of your application for your CSCS Labourer Card.
CITB's Health, Safety and Environment Test
As part of your CSCS Card application, you will also need to pass CITB’s Health, Safety & Environment test. This is conducted at external test centres which will need to be booked on the CITB Website. There are 50 multiple choice questions and it costs £20. Although the test is quite straightforward, you are advised to revise some of the practice questions before sitting the test.
Cost of the CSCS Green Labourer Card
Your CSCS Labourer Card costs £30 and lasts for 5 years. This fee is for covering application costs and postage.
Please note
As part of your CSCS application, you will need to complete an external assessment: CITB's Health, Safety and Environment Test. This will cost an additional £20.
CSCS Card Renewal
To renew your Green CSCS Labourer Card, you will need to refresh the qualifications you used to obtain the card. This is to ensure that your knowledge is current and you are up-to-date with any changes in the law. Therefore, renewing your CSCS Card will cost you the same as a new one: £30.
Refresher Training
You can take refresher courses or training at any time. Certificates or qualifications are valid for a period of 2-3 years from the date of completion. You can apply for your CSCS Card during this period.
FAQs
CSCS Cards are issued as part of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme. The scheme aims to increase safety on construction sites and to ensure that those working in the construction industry have the necessary health and safety knowledge. Having a card contributes towards the overall safety and standard of a construction site.
The CSCS Card is not a legal requirement, but is highly recommended, as many contractors only employ those that have the card. Some construction projects may also have certain conditions regarding CSCS Cards, meaning you will need the card to work at certain sites.
The Green CSCS Card is for you if you wish to work in the construction industry as a labourer or in a similar entry-level position. It is the most common type of CSCS Card.
The application cost to obtain a CSCS card is £30. However, there are also other costs for external tests or courses which increase the price.
Who pays for your CSCS Card depends on the agreement that you have with your employer. Some employers will pay for their staff to obtain a CSCS Card, others will expect the employee to pay for it themselves.
It takes up to 5 working days for your CSCS card to arrive. You will need to contact CSCS directly and apply for it. Make sure that you have your assessment certificate handy, as this will be required when you apply.
Green CSCS cards are valid for 5 years and must be renewed after this time. Depending on the qualifications that you used, you may need to take some tests again.
Once 5 years have passed and your CSCS Card has expired, you will need to apply for a new one. For your new application, you will also need fresh qualifications and pay the £30 processing fee again.
To be eligible for a Green CSCS Labourer Card, you need to be above the age of 16 and have taken the necessary qualifications. Our recommendation is to attend the Health and Safety Awareness Course by CITB and pass the external Health, Safety and Environment Test.
As part of getting your Green CSCS Card, you need to attend and pass the CITB’s Health and Safety Awareness Course. The course lasts for 1-day and introduces to health and safety on a construction site. It is taught in a classroom setting by a qualified instructor. He or she will cover the core syllabus as laid out by CITB. There will be a mixture of techniques used, including videos, group work and practical demonstrations.
Your involvement in the course is part of the the Health and Safety Course assessment. There will also be a short multiple choice test at the end of the day.
There are several alternative routes to get a CSCS card, such as the IOSH Working Safely course. However, the CITB Health and Safety Awareness Course is cheaper and more straightforward.
Passing the Health, Safety and Environment Test, also known as the CSCS Test, is part of getting your Green CSCS Labourer Card. It is an external assessment that is conducted at test centres around the country. It costs £20 to take the test and consists of 50 multiple choice questions. Your test result is valid for 2 years, meaning you can apply for your CSCS Card during this period.
The Health and Safety Test is valid for 2 years. When you apply for your Green CSCS card, your test is extended by the duration of the card i.e. 5 years.
The CITB’s Health, Safety and Environment test is quite straightforward and requires basic knowledge of health and safety. You will need to use common sense to answer the questions. We would recommend doing some preparation using practice questions.
To sit the test, you will need to book a spot at an external Test Centre using the CITB website. There are test centres all across the UK. You will have the option of selecting a time and location that suits you.
The Health, Safety and Environment Test is multiple choice and will be on a computer. There are 50 questions and you simply select your answer on the computer screen. The test will last for about 45 minutes. There are 12 questions about particular circumstances and 38 about general health and safety.
