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Trade Union, GMB, supports construction skills certification scheme action to recall 6,000 safety cards that may have been obtained by fraud.
BBC investigation revealed widespread and organised cheating offering guaranteed passes for cash allowing untrained builders on to dangerous sites and this has to be dealt with says GMB.
GMB, the union for construction workers, commented on the statement by Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) on the recent announcement by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) to recall 6,000 Health, Safety and Environment Tests (HS&E) cards. See notes to editors for copy of statement by Construction Skills Certification Scheme dated 9th November 2015.
Phil Whitehurst, GMB National Officer for Construction, said:
“Since 1995 construction workers across the UK are required to hold a CSCS card to prove skills and grasp of health and safety.
Last month a BBC investigation found that numerous test centres offered guaranteed passes for cash thereby enabling workers lacking language skills to obtain qualifications. The investigation revealed widespread and organised cheating which allowed untrained builders on to dangerous sites.
Even though we should not have been in this position in the first place GMB fully supports the positive steps being taken by CITB & CSCS following the BBC expose regarding the fraudulent issuing of CSCS cards.
CITB & CSCS have investigated all the allegations and have now recalled 6,000 cards. The recipients will now have to re- test. While many of the 6,000 will be innocent parties the risk to health and safety on sites from those who have fraudulently obtained cards has to be eliminated.
To reinforce the stringent measures now being taken by CITB & CSCS to regain confidence in the CSCS card, the employers themselves must make sure that all workers entering their sites are checked through the relevant channels with CITB & CSCS. They should not just take at face value a card being presented which has been the case previously by so many employers.”
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