"Three people have been jailed for forging Construction Skills Certification Scheme cards - to secure work for illegal immigrants?"
The CSCS was set up to help the construction industry improve quality and reduce accidents. Cards are often used as proof of occupational competence - and no doubt a way to create an alternative ‘identity card'.
Scheme manager Gordon Jenkins said: "CSCS takes the issue of fraud extremely seriously and worked in partnership with HMRC and the police in order to ensure that these attempts to deceive construction employers were dealt with severely."
Mr Jenkins added: "The introduction of the CSCS SmartCard early next year will make checking of cards much easier and safeguard against this type of fraud."
Well, I can see what's happening here ... can you?
So basically we are still in the same boat as we were 10 years ago with the only difference being the CSCS people are making a shed load of money and i'm not allowed to operate 9 catergories of plant that i have City & Guilds qualifications to operate?
That sounds about right!
I believe it is far worse than it was ten years ago Supa,
There are far too many of these organisations peddling advice for financial gain instead of let's say for example CITB GE700 covering -
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, Responsibilities, Offences and Penalties etc., Safety Policies, Consultation with Employees, Induction Training, General Health and Safety Legislation, Risk Assessments and Method Statements, The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007, Safety Inspections and Auditing, Safety at Street Works and Road Works, Setting Up Site, Security on Site, Statutory Forms, Notices and Registers, The Management of Health on Site, Personal Protective Equipment, The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, First Aid at Work, Food Safety on Site, Working with Lead, Manual Handling, Asbestos in the Workplace, The Control of Dust and Fumes, Control of Noise, Protection of the Eyes, Protection of the Skin, Control of Vibration, The Work at Height Regulations 2005, Ladders, Steps and Lightweight Staging, Working Over or Near to Water, System Scaffolds and Mobile Towers, Tube and Fitting Scaffolds, Safe Working on Roofs and at Heights, Fall-arrest and Suspension Equipment, Safety with Steelwork, Abrasive Wheels, Cartridge-operated Tools, Lifting Operations, Equipment and Accessories, Mobile Elevating Work Platforms, Hoists and Hoist Towers, Plant and Work Equipment, Woodworking Machines, Trackside Safety, Working With or Near to Buried Services, Lone Working, Electrical Safety on Site, Working In and Around Excavations, Working in Confined Spaces, Safety in Demolition, Accident Prevention and Control, Accident Reporting and Investigation, Behaviour-Based Safety, Drugs and Alcohol Misuse, Waste Management, Environmental Management, Fire Prevention and Control in the Office, Fire Prevention and Control on Site, Dangerous Substances, Liquefied Petroleum Gases, Vehicle Fuels (including Petrol, Diesel and LPG), ConstructionSkills, Acronyms Used in the Building and Construction Industry, Tables of Reference, Sources of Health and Safety Information, Safety Signs.
In my opinion, a brilliant concept and one that I have subscribed to for many years - CSCS?
No way!
Regards
MVM