CISRS cards hit 50000 record

Carriers of Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) cards have exceeded 50000, by far the highest number since the scheme started in the late 1960s.

Dave Francis, Access and Scaffolding Industry Training Organisation (ASITO) chair and internal audit manager for SGB said, “Many congratulations to CISRS on achieving this milestone. SGB have been huge supporters of CISRS since its inception. We believe it is important for our operatives to hold valid CISRS cards so we are comfortable our staff are trained to the highest industry standard and promoting safety at the forefront of all we do. CISRS is held in great regard, not only by the scaffolding sector but construction industry as a whole, and SGB are proud to have contributed to its success.”

In a climate which has seen some card schemes come under scrutiny from the wider industry, CISRS seems to be one of the few schemes which is bucking the trend, it said.

During the recent series of independent reports into card schemes and competency carried out by Pye Tait, CISRS was highly praised, it said, for its rigorous approach to qualification through the combination of formal off site training at approved training centres, on site time served experience, S/NVQ assessment, practical skills tests and Health and Safety testing.

In 1996 it was one of the first schemes to include the S/NVQ Level 2 and 3 within its programme. In 1999 the newly introduced Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) approached CISRS to be one of its founder affiliate organisations. In the early 2000’s, the card renewal scheme which imposed a requirement for a Health and Safety testing on a five yearly basis was also embraced by CISRS.

The scheme continues to move forward. The last eight years has seen the introduction of System Scaffold Product Training Scheme (SSPTS), Basic and Advanced Scaffold Inspection Training Scheme (SITS) and a mandatory one day course requirement for New Entrant Trainees and Scaffolding Labourers prior to registration CISRS Operative Training Scheme (COTS).

And a full scheme review is currently underway in order to ensure any relevant industry changes are incorporated to the core scheme Part 1, Part 2 and Advanced programmes.

The new Part 1 package, which is due to be issued to approved providers by the end of December 2014, will incorporate additional training on TG20:13, Mobile Access Tower (Aluminium Tower) training for scaffolders and a Scaffold inspection module.

The package will include PowerPoints, lesson plans, drawings, supporting literature, training modules etc. The standardisation working party will reconvene in early January to start work on Part 2.