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Find a card scheme, qualification or competence

Schemes

General construction and specialist card schemes

The CSCS Alliance contains recognised schemes covering more than two million UK construction workers. These schemes are based on nationally recognised qualifications and may display the CSCS logo.

Jurisdiction

Safe Pass equivalence by jurisdiction

Which safety-awareness cards may be presented in place of the baseline card when a worker crosses the border.

Baseline card

SOLAS Safe Pass

Safe Pass is the legally required safety-awareness card for construction work in the Republic of Ireland. Only the cards below may be presented in its place.

  • SOLAS Safe PassAccepted

    Issued in: Republic of Ireland

    The baseline card. Valid for four years from the date of issue.

  • CSR (Construction Skills Register)Accepted

    Issued in: Northern Ireland

    The only safety-awareness scheme SOLAS currently recognises as equivalent to Safe Pass.

  • CSCS (Great Britain)Not accepted

    Issued in: England, Scotland and Wales

    A GB CSCS card proves occupational competence but does not replace Safe Pass. A Safe Pass or CSR card is still required.

  • CISRS scaffolding cardConditional

    Issued in: United Kingdom

    Recognised for scaffolding competence, but the holder must also carry Safe Pass or CSR for site entry.

  • SOLAS CSCS (Ireland) / QSCSConditional

    Issued in: Republic of Ireland

    Occupational registration for prescribed activities. Held in addition to Safe Pass, never instead of it.

Baseline card

CSR (Construction Skills Register)

Northern Ireland follows the UK card landscape. CSR is the recognised safety-awareness card and Safe Pass recognition does not run in this direction.

  • CSR (Construction Skills Register)Accepted

    Issued in: Northern Ireland

    The baseline safety-awareness card for Northern Ireland sites.

  • CSCS (Great Britain)Accepted

    Issued in: England, Scotland and Wales

    CSCS Alliance cards are accepted in Northern Ireland under the same UK scheme rules.

  • SOLAS Safe PassNot accepted

    Issued in: Republic of Ireland

    Safe Pass is not recognised in place of CSR. Cross-border workers need a CSR or CSCS Alliance card.

  • SNIJIB / ECS – JIBConditional

    Issued in: Scotland and Northern Ireland / UK

    Trade competence cards for plumbing and electrotechnical work; carried alongside the safety-awareness card.

Only show

230 schemes · 3 core

ExportIncludes UK tunnelling notes, topics and evidence requirements.

The correct qualification stack for European infrastructure work

Includes your selected requirements and a sponsor sign-off block

For a worker sent to a European railway, substation or tunnel project, the safest compliance structure is:

  1. 1

    Construction access

    Local identity or safety card such as CSCS, Safe Pass, Carte BTP, TPC, ID06 or HMS-kort.

  2. 2

    Occupational competence

    CISRS, CPCS, NPORS, CACES, SOLAS CSCS, SVWOH or the relevant local vocational qualification.

  3. 3

    Infrastructure passport

    Sentinel, ProRail DVP, Bane NOR certification or the applicable national railway/power asset-owner authorisation.

  4. 4

    Additional safety competence

    Confined space, electrical safety, rescue, MEWP, lifting, first aid, breathing apparatus or tunnelling safety.

  5. 5

    Employment evidence

    Passport/right to work, A1 social-security certificate, posted-worker declaration, employment contract and recognised qualification translation.

  6. 6

    Project authority

    Sponsor, medical, drugs-and-alcohol assessment where required, site induction and written authority to work.

A worker's identity card, safety passport and trade qualification are three different things. Holding one rarely replaces the others on rail, power, nuclear or tunnelling projects.

What each destination country requires

Pick the country the worker is being sent to, then filter to the identity card, occupational competence card or infrastructure passport you need to evidence.

68 schemes

Identity & site access card

Proves who the worker is and that they hold basic site-entry rights.

Occupational competence

Proves the trade or occupation the worker is qualified to carry out.

Infrastructure passport

Required by an infrastructure owner (rail, utilities, offshore) before work starts.

Additional safety training

Task or hazard specific certification held alongside the core cards.

  • CCNSG Safety PassportEngineering-construction and industrial sites
  • COSSController of Site Safety
  • DCCRDC conductor-rail safety
  • FASETSafety nets, fall-arrest systems and temporary safety systems

Offshore qualification routes

Oil and gas scaffolding

  • CISRS Advanced Scaffolder
  • OPITO BOSIET with CA-EBS
  • OPITO MIST
  • OEUK Offshore Medical
  • OPITO Banksman/Slinger where required

Offshore wind scaffolding

  • CISRS Advanced Scaffolder
  • GWO BST including Working at Height and Sea Survival
  • WINDA ID registration
  • GWO ART where the rescue plan requires it
  • GWO Slinger Signaller for lifting

Marine or vessel-based construction

  • Trade card
  • STCW Basic Safety Training
  • ENG1 or accepted medical
  • Vessel and client induction

Rope-access offshore work

  • Trade qualification
  • IRATA Level 1–3
  • BOSIET or GWO depending on whether the asset is oil and gas or wind

BOSIET, GWO and STCW are not trade qualifications. They prove offshore, wind or marine safety training. Operatives still need their CISRS, CPCS, ECS, welding, rigging or other occupational competence alongside them.

VARENTO scores compliance from the core card (CSCS or CISRS). Every other scheme is recorded as an additional competence against the worker profile, with its own expiry date and evidence.