Expiring Certificates During the Covid-19 Outbreak - Update

The major awarding bodies for the construction industry have pulled together to ensure that those whose qualifications are expiring during this pandemic, will not be affected.

The majority of awarding bodies for the construction industry have asked employers to relax their stance on allowing those with lapsed qualifications to continue to work on site if possible. The following actions have also been confirmed so that candidates can attend renewal or refresher courses at a later time, rather than having to complete the initial course again or lose their qualification entirely:

 

 

• Those who hold a CITB Site Supervisor (SSSTS) or Site Management (SMSTS) certificate which has expired since the 15th March 2020 and have been unable to be renew due to the pandemic, will be permitted to complete a refresher course, rather than the full course. 

• The CITB initially confirmed that this offer would expire after September but due to the uncertainty around local and national lockdowns, they have now confirmed that candidates will have until the 31st January 2021 to renew their qualification. 

. Those who hold certificates that expire after the 1st October 2020 will have until the 30th April 2021 to renew their qualification.

 

In the meantime, we are pleased to confirm that we can now offer the following remote learning CITB courses carried out in an "Online Classroom" for those who wish to renew their certificate during the Coronavirus pandemic. 

 

CITB (SMSTS) – Site Management Safety Training Scheme Refresher - ONLINE CLASSROOM TRAINING

CITB (SSSTS) – Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme Refresher - ONLINE CLASSROOM TRAINING

 

Please click on the above links to view course dates available or alternatively, email enquiries@bookmycourse.co.uk for more details.

• Certificates that expired after the 1st March 2020 will continue to be valid until September 2020. 

 

Client Contractor National Safety Group (CCNSG)

In March 2020, the ECITB announced that they would extend the grace period for those who held a CCNSG Safety Passport for six months, whilst training centres were closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The ECITB have now confirmed that this temporary measure has been removed for anybody who holds an expiring CCNSG Safety Passport as of the 1st September 2020. As a result, this means that all those who hold a Safety Passport that expired between March and August will have six months to renew but anybody who holds an expiring Passport from September onwards, will only have three months to complete the CCNSG Safety Passport Renewal course.

Constructions Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS)

• The CSCS have extended the grace period for card renewals from 6 months after the card expires to 12 months.

Construction Plant Competency Scheme (CPCS)

• As of the 16th March 2020, an Emergency CPCS Card has been created which is valid for 12 months
• Those who currently hold the CPCS Trained Operator ‘Red’ card and have signed up to a relevant NVQ but are unable to complete the assessment at this time, are eligible to apply for the card.
• Those who currently hold the CPCS Competent Operator ‘Blue’ card but are unable to complete either; an onsite assessment, CSCS touchscreen test or CPCS Renewal tests, are eligible to apply for the card.

First Aid

• The HSE have confirmed that Emergency First Aid and First Aid at Work certificates expiring on or after 16th March 2020 should have their validity extended by three months.
• For those whose courses were cancelled before completion, candidates require a full recap of training delivered before continuing the course.

International Powered Access Foundation (IPAF)

• IPAF have extended the grace period for renewals to 90 days after the PAL card has expired.
• Candidates may complete the theory part of the course via e-learning but must complete the practical assessment within 90 days of their training provider offering practical assessments again.
• IPAF will not renew or issue a card, until the candidate has completed a practical assessment.

• NPORS Trained Operator ‘Red’ cards and NPORS Competent Operator ‘Blue’ cards that are due to expire in March 2020 will have their validity extended by 6 months.

Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association (PASMA)

• Those who need to renew a Tower for Users or Low Level Access certificate will be able to extend their qualification once they have booked a course and completed the theory part online.
• Upon successful completion of the theory test, candidates will have 90 days to book and attend a half day practical assessment with a registered training provider.
• PASMA have stated that they will extend qualifications again if the period of 90 days is not suitable, depending on government guidelines.

Street Works Qualification Register (SWQR)

• SWQR will provide an exemption for those who hold valid cards which were due to expire between 17th March and 17th September 2020.
• Those holding Street Works cards have five years to renew their card. If the expired card has gone past this five-year mark during the pandemic, the card holder must write to SWQR to confirm and undertake a renewal assessment as soon as possible.