We have yet to meet a client who doesn’t let out an involuntary sigh 
when we mention the above. To be truthful we do have a slight sinking feeling ourselves and often look around the office for the best person to pass the enquiry to!
There is a lot of advice on how to proceed but an awful lot of information is now outdated or wasn’t the best route in the first place.
First the bad news, the process hasn’t suddenly simplified. The better news, the process has been better defined and there are some short cuts you can make towards getting the right answer.
Step 1 – Get a test
You need to be able to prove competence and that means sitting through and passing the Health, Safety & Environment Test and it must must be passed within the past 2 years.
However, don’t assume this is your only step – not any more. You’ll also need to show evidence of a relevant professional qualification or membership. In fact, even a labourer needs a one day Site Safety Plus or an IOSH Working Safely course under their belt.
Step 2 – Use the Card Route Finder
We’d suggest visiting http://www.cscs.uk.com and heading to the “Use our card finder” button, then click “Search by occupation” .
You’ll need to enter what you do, or you could just view the full list of occupations using the links at the bottom of the web page. once you’ve done that you’ll see a list of card colours and test types and also some guidance on the evidence which you’ll need in terms of qualifications.
But, be careful
Please be aware that a search on the web may lead you to a number of websites which look to profit off the back of this process. Make sure you visit http://www.cscs.uk.com or you could end up paying more than you need to; a test should cost £19.50 and a card should cost £30.00 if you’re paying more than that you’re most likely on the wrong site.
One final tip is to download the test app from CITB, it only costs £5.99 and includes the answers to mock tests which can be very helpful on those odd questions which seem to have multiple answers. Check here for more details; http://www.citb.co.uk/cards-testing/health-safety-environment-test/hse-test-mobile-apps/
