The CITB Health, Safety & Environment (HS&E) test

HS&E stands for Health, Safety and Environment. The test is set and owned by CITB (the Construction Industry Training Board), not by CSCS, and you sit it at an approved test centre. It is a knowledge check: it assesses your knowledge rather than delivering training, and it is not a practical. It simply checks that you know how to keep yourself and others safe on site. official

So "the CSCS test" is a misnomer: CSCS does not own it. People call it that because it is used as part of applying for certain CSCS cards.

Construction has several separate card schemes. The CITB HS&E test is a key part of construction scheme-card requirements, so someone who has passed it has met a recognised health and safety check. There are different versions of the test, so check which one the card you need requires. official

The CITB HS&E test also forms part of the requirements for other construction industry scheme cards, so it is not only used for the green card.

CITB runs the HS&E test in three types, matched to the kind of work. You sit the one your card needs: official

For the green Labourer card, it is the Operatives test. to confirm

• The Operatives test is 50 questions in 45 minutes, and you need 45 out of 50 (90%) to pass. official
• It mixes knowledge questions with behavioural case-study questions that put you in a situation and ask what you would do. to confirm
• It is taken at an approved test centre. official CITB's demo previews the question styles. to confirm

The CITB test fee is £23.50. official The card application itself is a separate CSCS fee of around £36, so the fixed baseline for the test plus the card is about £59.50 (before any course). official Book direct through CITB. CITB provides a demo test and revision materials to prepare with. official A training provider may also bundle the test into a course price. to confirm

Passing the HS&E test does not give you a card. It is one of the two things the green Labourer card needs; the other is the Level 1 Award (or a CSCS-recognised alternative). A test pass on its own is not a card. The test is a step, not the destination. official How the green card works →

Is the HS&E test the same as the CSCS test? People use the names interchangeably, but strictly it is the CITB HS&E test. CSCS does not own it; it is called "the CSCS test" because it is used when applying for certain CSCS cards.

Which version do I take for the green card? The Operatives test. to confirm

Do I take it before or after the course? You need both the test pass and the Level 1 Award (or a recognised alternative) before you apply; do them in whichever order suits. to confirm

What does it cost and when must I use the pass? £23.50. You use the pass to apply for your card within its validity window; the exact window and renewal rules vary, so check CSCS.

Does passing give me a card? No. It is one of two requirements for the green Labourer card; you still need the Level 1 Award (or a recognised alternative) and the card application.