The Health and Safety Awareness course is a one-day course for anyone who has just started working in the construction and civil engineering industry or plans to do so very soon.
Starting from first principles, the course is designed to raise awareness of basic matters of health and safety which new entrants to the industry will encounter whilst carrying out day-to-day duties.
In addition, the course can also serve as a very useful refresher training course, or as an initial preparation for those planning to take the CITB Health, safety and environment test.
This course is an essential preliminary for those looking to acquire a CSCS Green Card (Labourers Card) or wishing to work step-by-step through the CITB Site Safety Plus range of courses which advance from ‘training for operatives’ level right up to preparation for senior manager/director roles and responsibilities.
Changes to the CSCS Green Card system – effective from 1st July 2014
Anyone employed in a labouring occupation can choose to follow the Site Safety Plus pathway to apply for the new-style Green Labourer Card. To do this you must now be able to show evidence that you have gained a Level 1 Award for the Site Safety Plus Heath and Safety Awareness Course.
A further requirement is that, prior to your application, or within two years of applying for a new card, you must have achieved a pass in the CITB operatives Health, Safety and Environment test.
Why has this Green Card change occurred?
The card now being phased out – the green Construction Site Operative (CSO) card – used to be carried by all entry-level workers. The only requirement was a Health, Safety and Environment test ‘pass’ and employer confirmation that an individual was hired to perform ‘labouring duties only’.
Many skilled workers were in fact using this arrangement purely as a fast-track means of accessing construction sites, and as a result, contractors were finding it increasingly difficult to rely on the cards as a check that their site workers were trained in safe and effective construction-site working practices. The new arrangements are designed to deal with this issue.
Why must labourers attend a training course?
The industry considers it essential all labourers initially gain a clear understanding of the risks they will encounter daily on most construction sites. This means all labourers must undergo similar training to ensure good consistent safety standards are achieved.
The newly introduced Health and Safety in Construction is knowledge-based, and a Level 1 Award will raise awareness of manual handling, risk assessment, height work, working alongside equipment and machinery, and health risks.
Course entry requirements
All that is required to enroll on a course is a good command of both spoken and written forms of English. If it seems this might be a problem, then please phone 0344 994 4433 to discuss the matter.
Course Programme
This course uses interactive methods of teaching and learning involving group work, presentations – both individual and group-based, practical case studies and classroom discussions.
During these sessions, course candidates will be continuously assessed and will then be required to undertake a final test employing a multiple-choice format.
Areas of study where candidates will gain knowledge and skills:
Individual responsibilities – covering all aspects of personal safety and the individual’s responsibility to contribute towards a safe environment for others.
Typical construction hazards – how to recognise them and how such hazards can be effectively controlled.
Safe working community – how all workers can support and help to improve practical site-safety standards in the daily work environment.
Statutory requirements – the broad scope of health and safety legislation addressing hazards in the workplace environment, and the legal liabilities of all who work there.
Working at height – the special risks associated with working above the ground, and the safe working practices which should be adopted to avoid fatalities and major injuries.
Manual Handling – the risks to workers and potential risks to others (manual handling is responsible for a third of all workplace injuries), plus safe working practices to minimise the risks.
Fire prevention – recognising the special risks posed by workplace fires, and the safe working practices designed to avoid fires and minimise the consequences when a fire does occur.
Work equipment – generic risks associated with operating tools and machinery, plus safe working practices to minimise the risk of accident and injury.
Occupational Health – a look at common health issues associated with the impact of work on your health, such as work-related diseases, and how worker fitness should always match the demands of the job.
