There are different Health Safety Test types appropriate to the role you hold in the UK building trade. Some are CSCS Card appropriate as well as role appropriate – for example the MAP Health Safety Test (its full title is the Managerial and Professional Health, Safety & Environment Test), which is compulsory for all persons holding a Black CSCS Card or a Gold CSCS Card where that Card is for a Supervisory rather than a Skilled Craft role.
The Operative Health Safety Test
The Operative Health Safety Test is the most common Health,Safety & Environment Test. It covers the basic health and safety requirements for operatives throughout the building trade and applies to a large proportion of the available roles in the trade.
The Working at Heights Health Safety Test
The Working at Heights Health Safety Test is for any operative who has to perform his or her duties using ladders or other rising equipment. Roles for the Working at Heights Health Safety Test include roofers, felters, glaziers (where you may have to install skylights) and TV or satellite installation workers.
The CSCS Lift and Escalator Health, Safety & Environment Test
The CSCS Lift and Escalator Health, Safety and Environment Test is for operatives who work on lifts and escalators. It is designed to ensure that operatives in this field have the basic health and safety knowledge required to safely use specialist equipment and work in a challenging environment.
The Highways Health Safety Test
The Highways Health Safety Test is for any worker whose job puts him or her out on Britain’s roads. Workers in this category can include general road workers, gas and electricity mains workers and water supply workers. Traffic light maintenance, Highways Agency work and work with drains can also require a Highways Health Safety Test pass.
The ECS Test
The ECS Test is run by ECS, a CSCS affiliate body that deals with health and safety for electricians. There are several affiliate tests, run by organisations that have been accrediting their (compulsory) members since before the inception of the CSCS.
All electrical workers are required to be members of the ECS, to take its Test and to hold an ECS Card. The ECS Card is equivalent to a CSCS Card.
The Managerial and Professional (MAP) Health Safety Test
The Managerial and Professional (MAP) Health Safety Test is for all positions that have managerial or duties. It also covers construction related professions, whose members may be required to dictate, delegate or manage the use of construction equipment and workers.
The Managerial and Professional Health Safety Test examines knowledge of health and safety requirements for persons whose actions and decisions have direct consequences for the health and safety of employees and site workers. It also tests the health and safety knowledge of candidates with respect to corporate site wide responsibilities.
The Supervisor Health Safety Test
The Supervisor Health Safety Test has similar components to the MAP Health Safety Test. It’s intended to test the health and safety knowledge of persons whose decisions and role have implications for their fellow workers. The Supervisor Health Safety Test lacks the corporate, site wide element inherent in the Managerial and Professional Test.
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (the HVACR Test)
The HVACR is the regulatory body for HVAC employees. The HVACR Test is owned and operated by the body and entitles a worker who has passed the test (in conjunction with the appropriate Construction NVQ Level) to hold a SKILLcard.
The SKILLcard is an affiliate CSCS Card, performing the same functions as the CSCS Card but for HVAC operatives.
The PMES Test
The PMES is the plumbing industry CSCS affiliate. The PMES Test covers plumbing-specific areas including gas and electrical safety and is a pre-requisite for possession of a PMES Card.
The PMES Card is an affiliate CSCS Card: the relevant Plumbing NVQ Level must also be achieved in order to qualify for one.
The Plant Operative Health, Safety & Environment Test
The Plant Operative Health and Safety Test is run by the CPCS, a CSCS affiliated body that trains plant operators, maintenance employees and workers who instruct others in the use of industrial plant.
Successful training from CPCS results in possession of a CPCS Card – one of several affiliate CSCS Cards that can be held in conjunction with a regular CSCS Card.
The Asbestos Removal Health, Safety & Enivironment Test
The Asbestos Removal Health, Safety & Environment Test is the Health Safety Test equivalent for operatives working in the asbestos removal industry. The CSCS affiliate body awarding the Test is the BOHS.
The Basic Site Visitors Test
The Basic Site Visitors Test can be taken on the day of a visit to a building site by a visitor who is not going to be working with any of the equipment, tools or machinery. The Basic Site Visitors Test should be taken before a Temporary Yellow CSCS Card for Visitors is awarded.
Passing Multiple Health Safety Tests and Affiliate Health Safety Tests
Some roles in the construction industry require you to have more than one set of skills. You may, for example, need to qualify in the safe use of industrial plant and also have a CSCS Working at Heights Test pass.
Check with your employer or accrediting body to make sure you have all the CSCS affiliate Tests and Cards you need to fulfill your duties safely.
How Do I Book a Health Safety Test?
Booking a Health Safety Test is easy. Fill out an online booking form and your Test can be booked for a date and location of your preference, to take place in as little as 48 hours after you make your initial inquiry. There are plenty of centres located nationwide to take the Test. The CSCS Health, Safety & Environment Test may be taken only in English but is also available in several voice-over languages such as:
- English
- Welsh
- German
- Portuguese
- Polish
- Punjabi
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- Russian
- Romanian
- Bulgarian
- Lithuanian
- Czech
- Hungarian
Changing the Language of My Health Safety Test
If you wish to have your Health Safety Test in a language other than English, you must specify this when you book. The language of your Health Safety Test cannot be changed on the day.