CSCS card- who's done it?

Goksly · 30 Jun 2020 at 19:45

An online version is available here - cheaper than classroom based iirc:
https://www.cosac.co.uk/safe2site-cscs/

Adam_151 · 30 Jun 2020 at 20:09

Theres a fire on site, what do you you do:

A) Knock off early, theres no point staying for the afternoon
B) Grab some sticks and send your mate to the corner shop for marshmellows
C) Sound the fire alarm and evacuate to the official muster point
D) Film it for facebook while the site labourers kick paint cans into it

ash_scotland88 · 30 Jun 2020 at 21:21

I'll see what they say about what card I should apply for and maybe just give the h&s test a go. Been writing RAMS for a couple of years now and just done h&s/CDM in college.

{SAS}TB · 30 Jun 2020 at 22:30

I work for s construction consultancy and we insist on having a CSCS card if you are visiting site. Can't remember if it's the white or silver (?) Professionally Qualified Person one.

That said my last employer was also a contractor / developer and they liked you.to have a black card, which I've maintained.

I did (time before last) buy the app which was handy jumping in and doing mock tests. Last time round I just did the free online practice tests - pretty simple to pass as others have said

2004typer · 30 Jun 2020 at 22:38

I've got a white one - as above the test is a doddle, but I'd advise downloading the app to revise with before hand due to the odd question that may trip you up. Pass mark is relatively high so can't get many wrong.

Bigpops · 30 Jun 2020 at 22:52

I used to have one, then they changed it so pretty much every trade needed their own card (ECS for electrical work for example).

The original test was a joke. Neither me, nor my father who both took it together in 2012 didn't even read up on anything about it. The ECS test was much harder, but still possible to pass without any revision depending on which questions you get.

ik9000 · 1 Jul 2020 at 00:00

ash_scotland88 said:
I'll see what they say about what card I should apply for and maybe just give the h&s test a go. Been writing RAMS for a couple of years now and just done h&s/CDM in college.

the trainee is writing the RAMS? That explains a lot. Pretty sure CDM legislation requires appropriately qualified people to prepare the documents. Funny how that gets interpreted in reality.

DB_SamX · 1 Jul 2020 at 00:16

Yeah, got one. Can't remember exactly which level but "Professional" rings a bell. Km am engineer so only do inspections but company wants everyone to have a higher standard than minimum, for obvious reasons.

Self study over a weekend including a couple follof practice tests is enough for most (lower) levels if you're already in the industry. Maybe a bit longer for a student.

Lord-Jaffa · 1 Jul 2020 at 01:25

You should be able to pass a cscs test with no studying at all if you have spent any time on sites or site inductions, it's all common sense.

LOAM · 1 Jul 2020 at 08:00

I hold a CSCS academically qualified person card following a health, safety and environment test for managers and professionals. I did about an hour's reading prior to the exam and passed, it's pretty basic stuff with the odd random left field question.

It was harder getting the card out of them than passing the test because they have a pretty rubbish CS department who have no idea what their own qualification prerequisites are. It took nearly 8 months to get them to issue the card and despite regularly attending multi-million pound contract value construction sites, I've been asked for it a grand total of zero times.

ash_scotland88 · 1 Jul 2020 at 10:08

ik9000 said:
the trainee is writing the RAMS? That explains a lot. Pretty sure CDM legislation requires appropriately qualified people to prepare the documents. Funny how that gets interpreted in reality.

In my old role I wasn't a trainee.

MikeTheNative · 1 Jul 2020 at 10:23

Adam_151 said:
Theres a fire on site, what do you you do:

A) Knock off early, theres no point staying for the afternoon
B) Grab some sticks and send your mate to the corner shop for marshmellows
C) Sound the fire alarm and evacuate to the official muster point
D) Film it for facebook while the site labourers kick paint cans into it

If anyone think this is a joke, the questions are literally like this. My favourite I've seen is;

You find an unattended, unknown substance in a bucket what do you do?-

a) Tell the site manager/supervisor
b) touch it to find out what it is
c)pour down the nearest drain
d)leave it where it is

We had someone's son try do this and somehow the failed it 8 times before giving up! That was just the trainee card as well.

{SAS}TB · 1 Jul 2020 at 10:33

There was a quite rediculous question about a swan, will see if I can find it......

MikeTheNative · 1 Jul 2020 at 10:51

{SAS}TB said:
There was a quite rediculous question about a swan, will see if I can find it......

I've seen a you find a bird nest. Answers as stupid as you can imagine; tell someone, put a hard hat on it, give them your sandwich, raise them as your own children etc......

{SAS}TB · 1 Jul 2020 at 15:44

I think it was even more rediculous than that, I think there was a bench involved as well

Brutal biff · 2 Jul 2020 at 16:35

its all a money making scam end of the day

a highly trained retarded chimp could could pass the exam example project managers , site formen , and plasterers

MikeTheNative · 2 Jul 2020 at 16:56

Brutal biff said:
its all a money making scam end of the day

a highly trained retarded chimp could could pass the exam example project managers , site formen , and plasterers

Yeah it is. Some of our trades have to have NVQs as well. So that involves someone who is unable to do the work signing them off as competent to do the job. It's about £1000 as well!

ik9000 · 2 Jul 2020 at 17:02

someone suggested to me that it had been set up to try and add a block to people with poor English comprehension skills rather than safety concerns. The ease with which you can pass it suggests this might be the case. Now pass me that cable while I stand in this here water will you? No, it'll be fine. It's blue so it means it's ok to use near water.

Brutal biff · 2 Jul 2020 at 17:05

ik9000 said:
someone suggested to me that it had been set up to try and add a block to people with poor English comprehension skills rather than safety concerns. The ease with which you can pass it suggests this might be the case. Now pass me that cable while I stand in this here water will you? No, it'll be fine. It's blue so it means it's ok to use near water.

no just a massive money making scam theres always got be a parasite making money off someones back

Brutal biff · 2 Jul 2020 at 17:07

MikeTheNative said:
Yeah it is. Some of our trades have to have NVQs as well. So that involves someone who is unable to do the work signing them off as competent to do the job. It's about £1000 as well!

the fitters have had to an nvq but were assessed by an ex fitter

i did my nvq when i was going to college to be a spark