14 May 2003
PRESSRELEASE
- Construction workers on UK housing sites
to have CSCS cards
May14, 2003: The Housing Corporation has recommended that all UK housingassociations should use construction workers holding Construction SkillsCertification Scheme (CSCS) registration cards.
Therecommendation affects workers on housing association new build sites aroundthe UK and has been included in the Corporations latest Scheme DevelopmentStandards, valid since late April this year.
CSCSis the construction industrys skills registration scheme and 500,000construction workers are signed up to date. To qualify for a CSCS card a siteworker needs to hold an occupational NVQ and pass a health and safety test.
CliveClowes, The Housing Corporations Assistant Director of Investment says:"The Housing Corporations chief concern is to invest in housingassociations that guarantee the provision of high quality housing projects ontime and budget. Having safe and productive building sites using qualified andhealth and safety aware workers is imperative to achieving this. This is why wesupport CSCS and why Im so pleased to announce the inclusion of thisrecommendation in our latest standards.
"Wewill be working closely with the Considerate Constructors Scheme to monitorCSCS take-up on most housing sites," he says.
Thisrecommendation has been warmly received by CSCS, which is aiming to registerall craftspeople, technicians, professionals and managers working on UKconstruction sites as soon as possible.
"Weredelighted to have such positive support from The Housing Corporation,"says Tony Merricks, CSCS Chairman. "Housing and public works together formthe foundation of the British construction industry so these recommendationswill make a vital contribution towards the industrys goal of a fully qualifiedworkforce within seven years. Already more than 500,000 workers are part of thescheme and we look forward to seeing this grow."
-ends
For moreinformation, please contact Sarah Farrawayor Leander Perry on 020 7367 9808.
Notesto editors:
CSCSis owned and managed by Construction Skills Certification Scheme Ltd,representing construction employers and trade unions. It is administered, undercontract, by CITB (Construction Industry Training Board).
CSCSScheme members are issued with a plastic credit card-sized document carryingtheir name, photograph, CSCS registration number and trade. These can be usedwith employers and customers as evidence of the individuals competence andalso act as a form of identity. A pass in the health and safety test isindicated by a special holofoil on the card.
TheHousing Corporation is the government agency, which funds and regulates over2,000 Housing Associations in England.