CONSTRUCTION SKILLS REGISTER HANDBOOK

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Benefits of CSR 1 Supporters of CSR 1 How to apply for a CSR Card 1 Occupations available 1 Card Types 2-4 FURTHER INFORMATION CSR Plant Operator Scheme 5 Card expiry and renewals 5 Upgrades 5 Ownership & withdrawal of cards 5 Affiliated schemes 5 Mutual recognition 5 Lost cards & change of details 5 Complaints 5 Contact us 5 Appendix A CSR occupations 6-7 Appendix B Construction related occupations not covered by CSR 8

INTRODUCTION The Construction Skills Register (CSR) is the property of the Joint Council for the Building and Civil Engineering Industry (NI), administered by Construction First Limited. The CSR aims to raise health and safety standards and reduce risks and accidents in the industry by ensuring that all construction workers undertake health and safety training every 4 years. Applicants receive a photographic identity card which provides proof of their health and safety training and their skills and qualifications, if appropriate. Benefits OF CSR For employees: Proof of skills, competence and qualifications Improved health and safety awareness Enhanced employment prospects as a CSR card is increasingly required by contractors, clients and government For employers: Improved health and safety awareness among the workforce CSR provides a solid foundation for staff training and development and ensures that health and safety awareness training is updated every 4 years Reduction in accidents on site Identification of personnel with recognised safety awareness training and skills Supporters of CSR CSR is required as proof of health and safety training and competence by many main contractors, clients and government. Since December 2004, to comply with the Buildsafe Initiative, all operatives working on public sector contracts are required to demonstrate proof of health and safety training. The CSR card has become the industry standard in Northern Ireland. How TO apply for a CSR Card? All applicants must undergo Health and Safety Training and Skills Assessment delivered by an Accredited CSR Provider. For a full list of Accredited CSR Providers contact CSR on 028 9087 7150 or download a list from www.cefni.co.uk Occupations Available CSR covers over 50 construction industry occupations. These occupations are listed in Appendix A. In addition there are a number of construction related occupations that do not fall under the remit of the Joint Council and therefore occupational assessments are not available. These occupations are listed in Appendix B. 1 Construction Skills Register

CARD TYPES RED Card - APPRENTICE Apprentices registered for an NVQ in a construction related occupation and working towards an NVQ will be eligible for this card. Applicants must complete the 1 day CSR Health and Safety Training. On achievement of NVQ Level 2, apprentices upgrade from a red card to a blue card. Apprentices should upgrade to a gold card when Level 3 is achieved. GREEN Card - GENERAL Construction OPERATIVE The green card is available to applicants who carry out basic site skills only. Applicants must complete the 1 day CSR Health and Safety Training and Occupational Assessment. The green card will also be issued to those operatives whose occupations do not fall under the remit of the Joint Council for the Building and Civil Engineering Industry (NI) and therefore no occupational assessment is available. In this instance applicants complete health and safety training only. BLUE Card - SKILLED Construction OPERATIVE The Blue Skilled Construction Operative card is available to applicants with experience on site. Applicants must complete the CSR 1 day Health and Safety Training and Occupational Assessment. BLUE Card - CRAFT The Blue Craft card is available to Craftsmen who have completed the CSR 1 day Health and Safety Training and NVQ Level 2 in a craft occupation or an occupational assessment based on NVQ 2 standards. BLUE Card - BASIC SCAFFOLDER / SYSTEM SCAFFOLDER Applicants must complete NVQ Level 2 Accessing Operations and Rigging - Scaffolding and the CSR 1 day Health and Safety Training and the Scaffolder s Touch Screen test. Occupational assessment is not available for scaffolding. Gold CARD - Craft The Gold Craft card is available to Craftsmen who have completed the CSR 1 day Health and Safety Training and NVQ Level 3 in a construction related occupation or an occupational assessment based on NVQ 3 standards. 2 Construction Skills Register

Gold CARD - Advanced Scaffolder Applicants must complete NVQ Level 3 Accessing Operations and Rigging - Scaffolding and the CSR 1 day Health and Safety Training and the Scaffolder s Touch Screen test. Occupational assessment is not available for scaffolding. platinum CARD - Advanced Craft The Platinum Craft card is available to Craftsmen who hold a CSR Gold Craft Card and have completed the Advanced Craft occupational assessment. Applicants must also complete the CSR 1 day Health and Safety Training. Gold CARD - SUPERVISOR All applicants must complete the CSR 4 day Site Safety Supervisors Course and Touch Screen Test. Applicants are required to have 5 years experience as a Construction Supervisor and complete a Supervisors assessment, or hold an NVQ Level 3 in Construction Site Supervision. platinum CARD - MANAGER All applicants must complete Managing Safely in Construction or Essential Health and Safety for Managers. Applicants are required to have 5 years experience as a Construction Manager and complete the Managers assessment, or hold an NVQ Level 4 in Construction Site Management or Construction Contracting, or hold one of the following professional qualifications; MCIAT MCIOB MICE MIHIE MRICS MIStructE MIMBM MICES MIEI MCIBSE Member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists Member of the Chartered Institute of Building Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers Member of the Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers Member of the Institute of Maintenance and Building Management Member of the Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors Member of Engineers Ireland Member of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers 3 Construction Skills Register

Black CARD - Senior Manager All applicants complete Safety for Senior Executives or Essential Health and Safety for Senior Managers. Applicants are also required to have 5 years experience as a Senior Construction Manager and complete a Senior Managers assessment, or hold an NVQ Level 5 in Construction Project Management or Construction Contracts Management, or hold one of the following professional qualifications; MCIAT, MCIOB, MICE, MIHIE, MRICS, MIStructE, MIMBM, MICES, MIEI, MCIBSE (See Platinum Manager for full titles of professional bodies). white CARD - TEMPORARY 1. The white card is issued to applicants who do not have a National Insurance number. Applicants must complete the 1 day CSR Health and Safety Training and appropriate occupational assessment. This card is valid for one year and may be upgraded when the cardholder has received a valid NI Number. 2. The white card is also issued to applicants with no experience in the construction industry. Applicants must complete the 1 day CSR Health and Safety Training. This card is valid for one year and may be upgraded when the cardholder has completed an occupational assessment. yellow CARD - CONSTRUCTION SITE VISITOR The Visitor card is for those who frequently visit a construction site but do not carry out construction tasks on site. Applicants must complete the CSR 1 day Health and Safety Training. 4 Construction Skills Register

FURTHER INFORMATION CSR PLANT OPERATOR SCHEME Guidance on the CSR Plant Operator Scheme is available from CSR. Please contact CSR on 028 9087 7150 or e-mail csr@cefni.co.uk. CARD EXPIRY AND RENEWALS All CSR cards expire 4 years from the date of health and safety training (with the exception of the White card which is valid for 1 year). All applicants must update their Health and Safety Training every 4 years to renew their card. UPGRADES The cardholder may gain additional qualifications and wish to update the card. If so, they should contact an Accredited CSR Provider. OWNERSHIP AND WITHDRAWAL OF CARDS The card remains the property of the cardholder. It is issued to the employer, and should be passed to, and kept by, the named cardholder. CSR reserves the right to withdraw a card. AFFILIATED SCHEMES CSR is affiliated to the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) in Great Britain and is accepted as equivalent to CSCS. MUTUAL RECOGNITION The CSR 1 day health and safety training is equivalent to the health and safety element of the FAS Safe Pass Card in the Republic of Ireland. LOST CARDS AND CHANGE OF DETAILS For lost cards and changes to name or home address, contact CSR on 028 9087 7150 or e-mail csr@cefni.co.uk. COMPLAINTS Complaints should be addressed in the first instance to the Accredited CSR Provider who will apply their internal complaints procedure. Should the candidate be unhappy with the decision of the Accredited CSR Scheme Provider s investigation he/she may appeal in writing to Construction First Limited who will conduct an investigation and provide a written response. If the candidate is still unhappy with the decision, he/she may make a final written appeal to: The Joint Council for the Building and Civil Engineering Industry (NI), 143 Malone Road, BELFAST, BT9 6SU. CONTACT US Please contact CSR on 028 9087 7150 or e-mail csr@cefni.co.uk or write to CSR, 143 Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 6SU. 5 Construction Skills Register

APPENDIX A CSR OCCUPATIONS Red Card - Apprentice Green Card based on NVQ Level 1 Blue Card based on NVQ Level 2 Gold Card based NVQ Level 3 Platinum based NVQ Level 4 Black based NVQ Level 5 OPERATIVE ASSESSMENTS OCCUPATION Bench Joinery Bricklaying Built Up Felt Roofing Carpentry & Joinery Damp Proofing Demolition Floor Covering Formwork General/Skilled Construction Operations Glazing Installation Maintenance Glazing Installation Surveying Ground Maintenance Installation - Cavity Wall Installation - Draught-PROOFING Installation - Insulation Installation - Loft Interior Systems-Ceiling Fixing, Dry Lining & Partition Walls Kitchen FITTING Landscape (Hard) Landscape (Soft) Marble/Granite Masonry Masonry Mason FixING Mason Paving Mastic Asphalting Metal Roofing Monumental Masonry Painting & Decorating Pavement Marking Plant Maintenance Plastering CARDS AVAILABLE 6 Construction Skills Register

OCCUPATION Road Building (Chipper) Road Building (Screed Man) Road Building (Screed Man, Chipper & Planer) Road Building - Surface Dressing Road Building - PLANER Roof Sheeting & Cladding Roof Slating & Tiling Shop Fitting Single Ply ROOFING Steel Erection Steel Fabricating Steel Fixing Steelwork Drafting Wall & Floor Tiling Welding Wood Machining CARDS AVAILABLE Supervisor, Manager and Senior Manager Assessments OCCUPATION Building Site MANAGEMENT Building Site Supervision Civil Engineering Site Management Civil Engineering Site Supervision Construction Contracting (Buying) Construction Contracting (Estimating) Construction Contracting (Planning) Construction Contracting (Surveying) Construction Management CARDS AVAILABLE 7 Construction Skills Register

APPENDIX B Construction Related Occupations not covered by CSR The occupations listed below do not fall under the remit of the Joint Council for the Building and Civil Engineering Industry (NI) and therefore occupational assessments are not available. Applicants complete health and safety training only and are eligible for a Green General Construction Operative card. OCCUPATION Gas Emergency Service Operations (ACS) Gas Network Operations Gas Network Operations - Craft Gas Network Operations - Mainlaying Gas Network Operations - Servicelaying Installing Electrotechnical Systems Installing and Commissioning Electrotechnical Systems & Equipment Building Services Engineering Service & Maintenance Engineer Building Services Engineering Service & Maintenance Assistant Building Services Engineering Service & Maintenance Technician Domestic Heating Installer/Fitter Ductwork Erector/Installer Fire Protection Engineer Gas Fitter Heating & Ventilating Craftsman s Mate/Assistant Heating & Ventilating Fitter Heating & Ventilating Fitter/Welder Heating & Ventilating Installer Heating & Ventilating Pipefitter/Rigger Heating & Ventilating Welder Medical Gas Services Engineer Medical Gas Services Installer Plumber Plumber s Mate/Assistant Refrigeration/Air Conditioning Engineer Refrigeration/Air Conditioning Engineer s Mate/Improver Sprinkler Fitter/Installer 8 Construction Skills Register

Construction Skills Register 143 Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 6SU Tel. 028 9087 7150 Fax. 028 9087 7155 csr@cefni.co.uk www.cefni.co.uk