CSCS Cards

[garybadger]

Hi people, quick question for everyone.

With everything being geared towards health & safety nowadays.

To actually be able to set foot on a site now, you need a SVQ/NVQ to get the correct CSCS card for your trade.

How do the people that have been tiling for years feel about having to go to college and take one of these courses just to set foot on a site?

I have a guy working for me that's been tiling for 13 years, is known on all my sites and a really good tiler but now I have to get Construction Skills in to get an on site assessment(hopefully) just so he can set foot back on the site's.
I understand you need to move with the times, but surely there can be some sort of compromise for the people that have done on site apprenticeships(better in my opinion) and are known throughout the trade, rather than someone doing a 3 week college course and getting one of these cards saying they are a tiler??

 

[Gazzer]

I would doubt very much you will be on site then !. i know I wouldn't stand a chance unless it was a small builder and even they get nervous !

 

[Alan.P]

240 volt is allowed if protected by an rcd, not sure of all the do's and don'ts though, and some main contractors just plain refuse to allow it at all. Worth checking out before you dismiss it all together though.

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

I was told by a site agent, that it is left to the discretion of the site manager. As Alan says rcd protected should be fine, I don't think it is a legal requirment to use 110v. CSCS is becoming more and more asked for, especially by the big contractors. Like it or not I think we are stuck with it.

 

[bsc ceramics]

again your right but their ars a few chancers out there taking work away from proper tilers that have done the job all there lives...

 

[tfs]

In my experience there are sites and there are proper constrcution sites. Site is a term used to describe most places of work for a trademan but a construction site in my opinion is a larger set up and any construction site will be operated under a main contractor who will have the relevant policies in place. I have always had to produce a CSCS card on any construction site that I have been on in the last 4 or 5 years.

It has only been smaller jobs such as a single newbuild or renovations etc that I have not been asked for one. If you go on a building site run by any of the big boys e.g barrets, taylor woodrow or even the likes of interserve etc you will always need a CSCS card.

I have seen a few tradesmen get on site with the basic card though.

Unfortunatly as a self employed tradesman, anyone who is self employed needs to invest in themselves to get on things. I honestly believe that spending thye cash and getting certified in areas will set you ahead of many people, it will also get you access to site or wherever else you need to go.

In the last few years I have invested in myself and itr has paid of, SVQ, NVQ, CSCS, IPAF, PASMA etc etc. The more you do, the more you get.

If we want things we need to work (or pay) to get them. I do think its a bit odd that we need to pay for the test and then the card. There shoud be one fee in my opinion.