CSCS has announced the suspension of the IOSH Working Safely certificate via e-learning assessment as an approved route to obtaining the green Labourer card.
Applicants for the green Labourer card are required to achieve the QCF Level 1 / SCQF Level 4 Award “Health and Safety in a Construction Environment” or a recognised alternative such as the IOSH Working Safely certificate.
The decision to suspend recognition of the e-learning Working Safely certificate was made following a review of the IOSH training course. During the review CSCS discovered that the course is available online without the need to complete the end assessment under invigilated conditions.
Gordon Jenkins, Director of Operations at CSCS said: “When CSCS approved IOSH Working Safely as a route to the green Labourer card it was based on the understanding that the end of course assessment would be completed in a classroom environment under invigilated conditions. On discovery that the end assessment was available online we had no choice but to suspend recognition of the e-learning version of this certificate.”
This suspension came into force as of 12th may 2017.
Gordon Jenkins continued: “CSCS’s aim is to ensure the card remains a valuable and credible tool in ensuring workers have the necessary training and qualifications to carry out their jobs. Completing the IOSH Working Safely assessment online without invigilation introduces a security risk. What guarantees do we have that the individual completed the assessment without assistance?
“The industry is united in achieving a qualified workforce and improving safety on UK construction sites. Completing the IOSH Working Safely final assessment online could put the safety of site workers at risk and falls below the expected training standards of the industry.”
Anyone assessed using an online test as the only method of assessment, without an assessor or quality assurance, is not acceptable. CSCS will not be issuing cards under this scenario.
