A green Construction Site Operative card is available to those who carry out basic site skills such as labourers. There are two ways to apply for this card: via NVQ level 1; or by industry accreditation.
For a current list of operative occupations see here.
Green Card Routes
NVQ or SVQ Route – for achievers of an NVQ or SVQ Level 1 who have met current CSCS health and safety requirements.
Applicants must also successfully complete the Operative Health, Safety & Environment Test and submit a craft application form.
The card is valid for 5 years.
*From 1st July 2014 the existing green card will become known as the Labourer’s Card and will be linked to the new NVQ in Health and Safety for Construction Labourers. The accreditation route will also be ended and all new applicants for this card will have to achieve a Level 1 NVQ to qualify.
Q&A
Jon – What happens if, I had a green card was ill,, when I went to pay for green card you changed the rules sent me a red card,, and said I need to re apply and go on the days course which I didn’t do as I didn’t need to at the time,, now I am back to site work but red card has run out what do I do? READ MORE….
Firstly, I didn’t change any rules the CSCS did. If your red card has expired you will have to get a green card and do the course, there is no way around this.
The scheme is a farce but I can’t change it.
Andrzej – I’ve got masters degree in Structural Engineering from Poland (I nostryfied in naric) and I’ve passed test for operatives, Can I apply with this documents for green/labourer card or red/trainee card? If I will have trainee/red card, can I work as labourer? READ MORE…
To apply for a green card you have to complete both the test and a short course.
The red card is for trainees and apprentices on a recognised training course and your degree is irrelevant in this case.
Student – Can I use the red trainee card for labour work or is it only the green card? READ MORE…
If you already have a red card then you don’t need a green card.
Kevin – I passed the h&s site awareness test but was only given the yellow site visitors card.
I am told that , in order to work on site, I must have the green card. Can I apply snd pay for the green card with just this test cert? READ MORE…
I am told that , in order to work on site, I must have the green card. Can I apply snd pay for the green card with just this test cert? READ MORE…
For the green card you need to have done a half-day site safety course – Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment.
Hi I am asking on behalf of my son 17 yrs old taking NVQ level 1 construction at college. He passed his test on health & safety but needs to take 30 hours work experience to help course work.
But because my elder son who is self employed on red card will take him to help his course work and teach him extra things for doing bricklaying etc, Please can you help him as to which way to apply for the green card either through college or personally take test as my elder son won’t take him until he is in line with law. READ MORE…
But because my elder son who is self employed on red card will take him to help his course work and teach him extra things for doing bricklaying etc, Please can you help him as to which way to apply for the green card either through college or personally take test as my elder son won’t take him until he is in line with law. READ MORE…
It is probably going to be faster if he applies for the card directly but bear in mind he will have to do the mandatory health and safety course first, if he hasn’t already.
There is no requirement in law for anyone to have a CSCS card; it is a scheme operated by large construction companies as a measure of basic competence for workers on their sites. If he is not going to be working on a site where the scheme is in operation he doesn’t need to have any card.
Hello, what is the difference between the green card and gold card please? Qualifications held are welding and fabrication City and Guilds level 3. I have been told a gold card is required – is this necessary? Can I just attend the standard CITB health, safety and environment test or would I need to attend a higher level course? READ MORE…
The green card is the basic card required by site labourers or anyone for who there is no alternative card available. The only requirement for the card is to have attended a half-day safety awareness course and the CITB health, safety and environment test.
There are two kinds of gold card, one for site supervisors who must have done the NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Site Supervision.
The other gold card is for trades who have achieved a level 3, advanced craft certificate. They must also do the Operative or the Specialist health safety and environment test which is slightly more difficult than the standard test.
Bear in mind that you only need a card if you will be working on a site where the CSCS card scheme is in operation. There is no legal requirement to have a card at all. However, since adoption of the scheme is fairly widespread, it makes sense to have one anyway should the need arise.
My son (17) has been offered a labourer role part-time to run alongside his NVQ level 1 General maintenance/plastering/bricklaying, he has completed his first year and will start level 2 in September, please can you advise ASAP which card he will need to apply for and how to go about this, he has called but the automated service was not helpful and he could not speak to anyone, will he still need to sit the H & S test? READ MORE…
For his role as general maintenance operative he should be able to apply for the Red Trainee Card provided his ‘official’ occupation matches one listed here
As a labourer he can apply for the Green Labourer Card. This also requires completion of a half-day health and safety course but if he can prove he has completed the first year of his NVQ this is not needed.
In both instances he’ll need to complete the appropriate Health, Safety & Environment test. It is possible to have both cards at the same time btw.
If you need to contact CSCS directly you can email them and they will answer you eventually (it can take two weeks though). For non urgent enquirers it is a lot less stressful.
Sadly the main construction companies want to have a very high turnover of low skilled employees and CSCS can not cope with the sheer number of people needing to get a card.
Offical CITB Revison Material
Contains everything you need to know about booking, preparing for and sitting the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test for Operatives and Specialists