ECS Cards

[sunray]

 

 

I hope things have changed now but I would have been a firm supporter of these things even if they were merely a firm reliable ID system...

I hope things aren't as casual these days.

I sincerely hope it has changed too, as the only proof it provided for me was I had paid some money, someone had checked the ID (something that I carried in my wallet and possibly something like a BBC ID or credit card) and I had sat for a few minutes pushing some buttons. It has never been anything other than that AFAIC. And they were also happy to be a knowing party to the fraudulent declaration on the application form.

 

There are government issued documents such as CIS card, NI, driving licence, passport etcIn fact I've worked on sites where the only accepted ID has been CIS and/or passport.

 

[Martin]

I have the "Lighting and Sound Engineer" ECS card. It's a "Related Disciplines" card.

Requirements are a basic H&S multiple choice test. It has a few electrical specific questions, but easy enough to pass with no prep.

I think the only other requirement was a job description.

Most of the other cards require job specific training and evidence.

Card lasts 3 years and cost about £45 for test, plus £30 for the card.

 

When I have taken the test, the scary thing is there were people that didn't pass the test. I'm not sure how people survive every day life if they can't get through this basic test!

 

Sadly these cards are a requirement for working on all UK building sites. They will ask for a "CSCS" card, which an ECS also carries the CSCS logo.

 

You can also get a CSCS card which last for 5 years, but would likely end up with a green "Labourers" card. To get this you need to do a 2 day H&S course, plus multiple choice test. Other cards require this plus further training.

 

I can see the need for this sort of scheme in the building trade, but it's a badly run and overcomplicated scheme, especially CSCS where there are far too many card types. However the assessment and route to getting electrician ECS "Gold Card" status is a reasonable scheme, and any "Gold Card" holders are very likely to be competent electricians.

[sunray]

When I have taken the test, the scary thing is there were people that didn't pass the test. I'm not sure how people survive every day life if they can't get through this basic test!

As I mentioned before;

My tip is to read the book of questions and learn the answer they are looking for, in many cases the correct answer is in total contradiction to the person job. A classic example being an electrician whose main work in a plant hire centre was PAT and repair of plant, so when he had the question 'What do you do with an electric drill with a damaged cable?' he chose the answer 'Repair it' as that is his job. Of course the only acceptable answer is 'Don't use it & send for repair'.

you have to choose the answer they want rather than the right answer.

 

I can see the need for this sort of scheme in the building trade, but it's a badly run and overcomplicated scheme, especially CSCS where there are far too many card types. However the assessment and route to getting electrician ECS "Gold Card" status is a reasonable scheme, and any "Gold Card" holders are very likely to be competent electricians.

Ohhhh how I wish that were true... Edited July 18, 2021 by sunray

[kerry davies]

The difficulty faced by managers on construction sites include the incredibly wide range of workers on them. When we were talking about the Safety Passport Scheme it was hard getting people to understand that we had as many graduates as numpties working on major events production and the numpties did not last beyond day one. That meant we would bore our client group to death with the standard building site two-day course. The demand for the scheme came from firms who saw a hundred or more guys turn up at a venue then spend half a day doing the in-house induction scheme .... over and over and over again at each different venue.

 

The key to all these cards and tickets is not that those who hold them are thus competent but that they have had a certain curricular instruction. They cannot claim never to have been told. The site manager is the one responsible for ensuring competence and I took fork lift keys etc off more than one ticket holding hazard. The Sion Jenkins case reinforces this, the employer representative is responsible under Management of HASAW. Cards are a short-cut to assist managers but they can never be gospel and do not relieve those managers of responsibility.

[Brian]

I have the "Lighting and Sound Engineer" ECS card. It's a "Related Disciplines" card.

...

 

 

I can't see that listed on the ECS site. Got a link?

[Jevans]

They no longer offer that particular one (like the main CSCS scheme, they keep fiddling with what they recognise) but there are similar cards available through partner schemes such as AV Engineer etc - see for example here.

 

CSCS no longer offer a general 'Visitors' card, which has created issues for senior staff/consultants in some unusual disciplines (ours included) who don't have any of the recognised qualifications. On the other hand, a fresh graduate from any engineering degree can get one no problem by sitting the H&S test... in my case I could get one through membership of the IET. Never been asked for it!

[Martin]

I have the "Lighting and Sound Engineer" ECS card. It's a "Related Disciplines" card.

...

 

 

I can't see that listed on the ECS site. Got a link?

 

They still have this card in the list:

https://www.ecscard.org.uk/getmedia/fd616773-15bd-4802-86c0-af34b22756fd/Related-Discipline-Cards.pdf

This link is from the “Related Disciplines” page under the “download our guidance” link

[ANDYLASER]

I am going for the "Field Engineer" card, as it seems to cover a multitude of disciplines and is technically correct for most eventualities. Edited August 24, 2021 by ANDYLASER