It's crazy with the CSCS cards.
My background, done my carpentry apprenticeship with my Joiner father when I left school. I then went into manufacturing for about 20 years for a more stable income. Whilst in manufacturing I was a H&S Officer for five years and completed my IOSH Managing Safety, NEBOSH General Certificate, when it was three four hour exams, I believe now it's a tick box test? I also completed my NVQ level 4 in Occupational Health & Safety. This enabled to put letters after my name in those days, MIOSH as I was a full member of IOSH.
After being made redundant from the above job I then whent to work for Anglian who then shut down the manufacturing plant at Port Talbot and Rochdale shortly after joining them. I then decided to go back onto the tools after being made redundant twice in a short period of time.
A short while after going back onto the tools I was asked to do some site work, I was initially refused to be allowed onto site because I didnt have the CSCS card. I tried to explain to the Site Agent my H&S qualifications were far superior to the CSCS card and after a few days of cofirming things I was allowed onto site.
Long story short, there is not always the need for CSCS cards. And you will probably find most domestic trades people don't have CSCS cards and particularly with older trades people who haven't got a formal qualifacation in there trade. Although, if memory serves me right there is a way around it for older trades people with CSCS ??...........
As what Cliff has said above, what you need to define is " I am in need of some advice as to which people I can let on to my little building site " There is a huge difference to a house extension and a major project like the Eurotunnel and there is going to be different resources how H&S is managed between them both.
I am now out of touch with H&S but I think there has been no change to HASWA 1974. When I was practising the first thing to start off with is the your Safety Policy, what does it say and cover? ( It used to be, it was only needed if you employed more than five people).. What are your Risk Assessment? are you liable to come under CDM regs etc?. These are the first things to start with. If you was inspected by the HSE, these are the first thing they would possibly ask if there was an incident.
If your not sure, dont be affraid of asking the HSE for advice, thats why their there. People used to get frightened of asking them, but when I was starting off I found them nothing but helpful.
