Check your CSCS card - it might be back to school time!

S

Smiffy

Well-known member
Site managers must be able to judge who on their site is safe and competent in their current role without help. If they didn't have that basic competency they wouldn't be able to legitimately hold a management card.

Is that too simplistic a view ? šŸ˜†

Yes far to simplistic. What they actually need is 3 years at uni. This is the only true route to professionalism. How could doing a job everyday for 30 years possibly qualify you to run it
 
B

bobthebuilder

Well-known member
I have to do a reassessment for my gas every 5 years. Ā£800ish and 3 days for the basics, more if you do specialist elements. Any installation work is registered and can be inspected at any time. Meanwhile your ā€œman down the pubā€ is unregistered and unlikely to ever get found out.
my gasafe fella was moaning tother day about having to do a zoom type course /training /spotcheck stuff ,reckons there was no way out of it ,him being a plumber moans a fair bit so i didnt exactly listen ,but he was fff ing about it
 
groundworker

groundworker

Well-known member
Luckily I don't have to deal with this as I'm on domestic jobs, but when I worked for a firm no site manager ever had anything to say when I introduced myself as the groundworks foreman and handed them my green labourer card...
 
pettsy

pettsy

Well-known member
my gasafe fella was moaning tother day about having to do a zoom type course /training /spotcheck stuff ,reckons there was no way out of it ,him being a plumber moans a fair bit so i didnt exactly listen ,but he was fff ing about it

Yes, had to do one of those last Thursday. 30 questions on ā€œclassifying unsafe situations regulationsā€. It was a pain, but would rather do that than have to wait for local inspector to come out and watch me and tick boxes for a morning šŸ™„
 
J

jimbo

Member
It's obvious in the first 10 minutes if someone knows what they are doing and honestly I haven't noticed a correlation between that and card possession.

I remember when my dad got all his cards under grandfather rights years back, only reason I didn't get any at the same time was because I couldn't afford it. (Never had a card myself and likely never will)

He says in all those years noone has asked to see them and they were a massive waste of money.

Infrastructure spending is highest its ever been.
Baby boomers who were weighted heavily into the construction trades have all been retiring, eastern Europeans stopped coming in decent numbers. Generation Z seem lacking ambition and prefer office jobs that pay half as much so they don't have to get their hands dirty or risk breaking their painted nails...... I think we going to see some sites rethink their policy or they simply won't get things done.

Look on the bright side, we are all going to be busy still
 
Last edited:
Grahams

Grahams

Don't complain - suggest what's better
.. I think we going to see some sites rethink their policy or they simply won't get things done.

Look on the bright side, we are all going to be busy still
As with a lot of big firm initiatives they are only there to look good to regulators etc. Once there is a problem on the ground they normally get quietly revised or exemptions issued.
I do a fair amount of work for a big firm that has stated there will be no fossil fuels used anywhere on site by 2025. I’m waiting with interest to see how that one pans out.
 
6

6feetdown

Well-known member
I got a gold card for B level Plant Engineer back in the day, against my C & G qualifications, still have it, up to date at the moment! are they saying that after 44 years experience and C & G’s I have to take NVQ’s to qualify for a new card?
I believe they are
 
R

Russell

Well-known member
I've been looking into this as every job advertised asks for cpcs. Its not cheap, If i do two days, 1st day (paperwork) and 2nd day (test) Its £1100 plus travel and accommodation. Npors requires a site that I don't have.
Then that only lasts 2 years before it all needs doing again unless i do the NVQ ( another £1000).
 
Jimbo69

Jimbo69

Well-known member
I've been looking into this as every job advertised asks for cpcs. Its not cheap, If i do two days, 1st day (paperwork) and 2nd day (test) Its £1100 plus travel and accommodation. Npors requires a site that I don't have.
Then that only lasts 2 years before it all needs doing again unless i do the NVQ ( another £1000).
I did my CPCS for wheeled 360 the other week and it was £550+vat, I supplied the digger though. Did it all in half a day as well.
 
S

Smiffy

Well-known member
I've been looking into this as every job advertised asks for cpcs. Its not cheap, If i do two days, 1st day (paperwork) and 2nd day (test) Its £1100 plus travel and accommodation. Npors requires a site that I don't have.
Then that only lasts 2 years before it all needs doing again unless i do the NVQ ( another £1000).

Ask on the various Facebook groups. You will get it alot cheaper than that.
 
Mick-the-fitter

Mick-the-fitter

It’s what I do!
Who runs these courses? There are probably plenty of people on here with more experience and knowledge, that could set up courses online and for half the price, where would the punters rather go!
 
R

Russell

Well-known member
Get a price from somewhere in Romania or Ireland šŸ˜‰ you won't even have to leave the comfort of your sofa.
it'll be grand so it will. (y)
To be honest i would like to go employed so i could get more experience with the groundworks and drainage but with costs like that and the ferry its hard to look past the supermarkets.
 
kabin man

kabin man

Well-known member
Luckily I don't have to deal with this as I'm on domestic jobs, but when I worked for a firm no site manager ever had anything to say when I introduced myself as the groundworks foreman and handed them my green labourer card...
Ive been in that situation too. Few yrs back Went to a site as a subbie for a top end landscaping firm. Was looking forward to it as it was pretty prestigious
and quality materials etc.. I've had loads of cards over the years that cost me plenty and seldom was asked to see them .So this time i only had green card (and SMSTS )
All happy at stupidly long induction led by a 18 yr old dressed like an astronaut until card time. He tells me in front of 20 people that if he sees me doing anything other than emptying bins and sweeping up he will throw me off site.
I responded with some impolite comments about being a jumped up twat and that ive got pants older than him.
Walking away from this cost me a 3 month project and strained relations with a firm i had subbed to for 5 yrs with no probs..

BTW im not anti training -certification but this boiled my p*ss
 
6

6feetdown

Well-known member
Ive been in that situation too. Few yrs back Went to a site as a subbie for a top end landscaping firm. Was looking forward to it as it was pretty prestigious
and quality materials etc.. I've had loads of cards over the years that cost me plenty and seldom was asked to see them .So this time i only had green card (and SMSTS )
All happy at stupidly long induction led by a 18 yr old dressed like an astronaut until card time. He tells me in front of 20 people that if he sees me doing anything other than emptying bins and sweeping up he will throw me off site.
I responded with some impolite comments about being a jumped up twat and that ive got pants older than him.
Walking away from this cost me a 3 month project and strained relations with a firm i had subbed to for 5 yrs with no probs..

BTW im not anti training -certification but this boiled my p*ss
Exactly. Training should be affordable not an excuse to make loads of money off the back of a few quangos
 
Top