CCNSG - Client Contractor National Safety Group

CCNSG

Plugtest Engineers are covered by the Client Contractor National Safety Group (CCNSG) Safety Passport Scheme organised by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB). Some of our engineers have also had additional training to gain the Supervisor’s Passport. The aim of the CCNSG Safety Passport Scheme is to ensure a basic knowledge of health & safety for all site personnel to enable them, after appropriate site induction, to work on site more safely with lower risk to themselves and others. Many National and Internationally known companies subscribe to and specify Contractor Safety Training as a pre-entry requirement to their sites.

The Scheme

In the early 1990s a consortium of major industrialists from the power generation, steel, oil, gas and chemical industries recognised the need to train their contractors in basic safety. Most were providing a site induction, some were training their contractors, but there were no common standards. Two groups, in the North East and in West Wales, working in co-operation, set out to standardise their basic safety training and devised a core curriculum which became the foundation of a training scheme which has grown to national proportions.

The scheme, which results in the award of a ‘Safety Passport’ to contractor site personnel, is monitored and controlled by a national steering group known as the Client/Contractor National Safety Group (CCNSG). Representatives from major clients are nominated by local safety groups to serve on the CCNSG and there is also representation from contractors, training providers and trade unions. The CCNSG meets regularly to ensure that standards are being maintained and that the content of the training scheme continues to meet current safety legislation and current safety practices.

The Training and Assessment

The training programme covers ten modules including

Introduction to Health & Safety Law and Permits to Work
Safe Working Practices and Scaffolding
Safe Access and Egress, Accident and First Aid Procedures
Fire Precautions and Procedures
COSHH and Personal Protective Equipment
Manual Handling
Noise
Working with Cranes and Heavy Equipment
Excavations

There is an additional course for supervisors, which emphasises the key role that supervisors have in securing health and safety including safety communications and risk assessments.

The Success of the Scheme

Since the start of the scheme more than 160,000 passports have been awarded to client and contractors’ personnel and many more join the list every week. The passport is transferable to all participating clients and sites.

There has been a significant reduction in incidents and lost time accidents in every location where the scheme has been implemented. One satisfied company was able to report a 50% reduction during a major shutdown.

The information on this page is provided by Plugtest Ltd - For further information on our UK Portable Appliance Testing PAT service please visit our main page at www.plugtest.co.uk