CSCS card

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by paultingtong, Jun 8, 2008.

  1. paultingtong

    paultingtong New Member

    wondering if anyone can give me any pointers on this matter every where now seams to be asking for the CSCS card

    how do i go about getting one of these i have been in the trade for about 10yrs now and never needed one or even took much note regarding them as was inployed by a company after leaving them am now finding that all i ever get asked is have you got a cscs card

    i have done a quick google search and never shows up a decent answer so just thought would ask everyone else as am sure most pepole have been through this

    i think its a good idea well keeps the cowboys down of the job lol

    also while am on the same subject does anyone no how i would go about getting a new set of cetifactes due to i aint got a clue where myn are could still be with my parents for all i no lol i have yet to be asked by a inployer to even see them

    as for qaulifactions got nvq 1,2,3 joinery and carpentry
    and been doing plastering and genreal building work for past 5yrs or so how would i go about getting these one a cscs card due to i have no qaulifactions in these just experince

    sorry about spelling am not forgign lol just cant spell for ****

    many thanks
     
  2. leicsjoiner

    leicsjoiner New Member

    Easiest route is to get hold of your NVQ3 certificate, call Skills Direct on 0870 4178777 and tell them you need to book the H&S test and apply for a gold card as a carpenter and joiner. Costs about £40. The H&S test takes about 5 minutes, its a multiple guess test done on a computer at a test centre. There should be one not too far away from you. If you can't find your NVQ3, you could try contacting the college that awarded it and ask them how to go about getting a duplicate.

    If you don't get any joy replacing the certificate, apply for the experienced worker card instead and make sure that you ask for the on site assessment.

    As for other trades, I think I'm right in saying you can only apply for one card. Not having the relevant trade card doesn't seem to stop people from working though, most sites just want a card number. Bit of a farce really.
     
  3. Chekhov

    Chekhov Member

    Ah, the CSCS card scam. This is merely a ruse to rob you of the thick end of fifty quid and it's about as ethical as a mafia protection racket. Here's the deal; you can't work on a construction site without one, so in effect they are compulsory. of course like all the best scams it masquerades as something else i.e. a health and safety initiative. They give you forty minutes to answer moronic multiple choice questions like this one:
    "You must remove nails from scrap wood because:
    A: someone could stand on an upright nail and injure their foot.
    B: scrap wood and scrap metal must be put in separate skips.
    C:(I'm not making this up) the site will run out of nails.
    D:the wood will take up more room in the skip.

    Bloody hell, the Monty Python team would have been proud to have written that!
    is it any wonder that so many people have taken to the bottle?
     
  4. dunc

    dunc New Member

    A few years ago I got into trying to get a CSCS card on my own. It was a waste of time and effort and cost. There is a web site where you can contact some people. They send you a list of nearby test centres and you have to contact the person who sets the tests for you.

    I was unable to contact this person, although there was a name and a few phone and mobile numbers. Also the general vague and uncertain tone of the people on the web site convinced me that its just another example of rip off Britain.

    If the job requires it then your employers can make all those arrangements for you. Some sites I have worked on mention it but don't demand you have one.
     
  5. leicsjoiner

    leicsjoiner New Member

    I agree it's a joke. No NVQ3? No problem. We'll send a bloke to watch you work for a couple of hours and he'll sign you off as having one.
    I held off getting one on principle until I was refused access to a job and had to phone them from the site car park, pay 40 odd quid and get a number from them just like that. It felt like being mugged. The health and safety test is a joke too as has been mentioned. Some of the questions are gems. Even not being able to speak English isn't a barrier to passing the test. You can take it in a million other languages. The fact that 90% of warnings and instructions on site are in English wouldn't be a factor then?
    In theory, it should keep the cowboys out. In practise, just about anybody can get a gold card.
     
  6. H.J.M.

    H.J.M. New Member

    Most ridiculous of all I think is that they <u>sell</u> a book with all the possible questions and answers in WTF!!
     
  7. paultingtong

    paultingtong New Member

    thanks for your respose guys sounds just like i thought it would just another gimmic to windel some cash out of you .

    i try to aviod sites anyway some prat satin a porta cabin telling you how to do your job when half the time cant tell is own head from his **** hole well thats just my experince was about 5yrs ago since went on a site though

    thanks
     
  8. building control

    building control New Member

    Hey I have been doing my job for 35 years now, going on 10 to 20 sites each day,

    now they tell me I need a card to make sure Im safe on site?
     
  9. leicsjoiner

    leicsjoiner New Member

    You sure do. Only yesterday we were sat in the back of the van having our sandwiches when we were approached by some nonentity and admonished for failing to wear hi-vis vests and hard hats whilst doing it. In the site car park. In the back of the van. 300 yards from the job. Presumably one of us was at risk of being injured by some stray mayonnaise. We both just stared at him until he went away.
    Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a great believer in health and safety and approach it responsibly. But it needs to be tempered by common sense. Perhaps the CITB should introduce a common sense card scheme?
     
  10. lojo

    lojo New Member

    have been self employed for many years, if i need to go back to the big sites (god forbid) then I assume i will need one of these cards?

    There are many governing bodies that will take your money to rubber stamp you, guess the goverment now sees it as a way to get a few quid out of everyone who has to walk on a site, just another tax?
     
  11. leicsjoiner

    leicsjoiner New Member

    Certainly the big firms like Norwest-Holst, Laings, Bowmer & Kirkland and the like won't let you anywhere near without one. The house bashers are a grey area, it seems that some aren't bothered and others require you to be carded up. I've heard a different story from just about everybody, some of them saying it's now gone industry wide while others are saying it's a discretionary scheme. The trouble is nobody is coming forward to clear this up. What a mess.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice