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11th January 2008, 01:51 PM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by historic building
Where I work Building Control do not need or have the card. Planners do not need or have the card. I have been told I do not need it. If certain housing companies do not allow planning authorities access to their sites they will not get conditions discharged - legal opinion.
It's in your interest to have some training (and certification) in site safety, if only to protect yourself - Professional Opinion
I've had a shiny silver Environmental Manager's card since 2005 and thought the test was mostly irrelevant to what I do but fairly easy to pass. There are even rumblings in the more construction minded parts of VMP® that CSCS accreditation is not good enough.
I'm almost positive that you'll not get a banksman's card unless you're qualified as such through CITB or similar. So far this has only been an issue on one of our projects (a watching brief). We dealt with it by having the archaeologist (who controlls depth etc as usual) accompanied by the contractor's banksman (who is in charge of safety).
D. Vader
Senior Consultant
Vader Maull & Palpatine
Archaeological Consultants
Don't make me destroy you, Curator
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11th January 2008, 03:42 PM
I hold a platinum 'Environmental Manager' card, but for most consultants etc. the 'occasional visitor' card should be ok. I believe that the test may be harder if you need a card that allows you to be actively involved in physical work on site.
From Dr Peter Wardle
Quote:quote:Have say it is going to be chore learning about things like the different types of signs on a fire extinguisher and hazardous materials.
Well, there is a book that has all the questions and answers in it. I spent an hour going through the book the previous day, testing myself. The test is multiple-choice, done on a computer. You are given 45 minutes, but I and most of the rest of our staff did it in around 4 minutes and passed.
From Historic Building:
Quote:quote:If certain housing companies do not allow planning authorities access to their sites they will not get conditions discharged - legal opinion
There is a legal requirement for all planning decisions to be 'reasonable'. It would be perfectly reasonable for a contractor to refuse you access to their site if you refuse to comply with their site health and safety rules - which can include provision of evidence that you have demonstrated competence in site H&S through passing a CSCS test. If you refuse to comply, having had plenty of warning of the requirement, then you would not be 'reasonable' in refusing to discharge the condition.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished
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11th January 2008, 04:28 PM
The test book or the CD Rom is normally available on line from
http://www.healthandsafetytest.co.uk/
BOOK English Version NEW Edition 2007 All The Questions And Answers from the Health And Safety Test.
They are also available from Waterstones.
It is thus very easy to establish what the gaps in your knowledge actually is and what the correct anwser is. The CR Rom also has a test exam on it.
I take the point that "I and most of the rest of our staff did it in around 4 minutes and passed."
The cost is about £42.
Must say I have thought for a long time that this is a basic skill qualification we should all have - even if it is easy.
Cheers Peter
PS Planning Officers have a right of access to any propery at any time with the correct documents. They cannot therefore be forced to conform. The is a TCP Practioner card though - again I cant see why anybody would not want to conform however.
Austin Ainsworth
Unregistered
11th January 2008, 09:13 PM
I've always found that once it is pointed out to a construction site manager what exactly the consequences are of not allowing a curator on site, (not signing off on a planning condition), they are only too willing to allow them to be escorted around site by somebody with a current CSCS card. My basic green card (construction site operative) has always been good enough.
If you ever wondered how you get triangles from a cow, you need buttermilk and cheese and an equilateral chainsaw. Half Man Half Biscuit
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12th January 2008, 02:49 PM
David and myself will be researching the CSCS card scheme in deatils and we may provide suitable sources of info and courses to make it even easier to pass the H&S exam or better still have an understanding of the H&S requirements.
Fairly soon having such a card will be complusory to work run by many companies. It already is for governement schemes.
The Construction Skills Card Scheme is actually all about accreditation of skills with the basic H&S as a pre-requisite.
All comments about the scheme and how it could be applied to archaeology would be welcome.
Peter
