We’re a CSCS IT Partner and we work closely with them to help customers easily validate whether their workforce has a relevant CSCS card or not. Whether an operative is completing their online induction prior to visiting site or whether someone has turned up out of blue, we link to the CSCS card database and we can check live information to see whether that person’s card is legitimate or not.
About CSCS
CSCS is the leading skills certification scheme within the UK construction industry. The cards provide proof that individuals working on construction sites have the required training and qualifications for the type of work they’re going to be doing. CSCS keeps a database of people working in construction who have achieved or are committed to achieving a recognised construction related qualification.
Data Checking
Data protection is high on the agenda for many businesses at the minute, and at Biosite we take it very seriously. By being an IT Partner, we have access to CSCS data through their Go Smart API. It’s a piece of software that we link to and it will match CSCS card information.
We don’t have open access to any data from CSCS. Furthermore, we can only link to it through a portal when our customer has provided prior authorisation. This means there is always clarity about what data we’re checking, for whom and for what purpose, and it’s therefore GDPR compliant.
When an operative is completing the online induction they’ll simply add in the details about their CSCS card and we perform the live check then and there. If the card is accepted then an operative can continue with the process. If the card is not recognised then the company can decide what to do.
On site, it’s just as simple an exercise. We supply customers with a card reader. When an operative turns up, they place their card on the reader and it matches it directly with the CSCS database through the Go Smart API. If it reads it successfully, then a person will know then and there. If there’s a problem, the site has the power to decide what to do.
Error Reading Card
There will be cases when a “no card detected” or “error reading card” message will appear. Although it may appear that this is the result of a fault, it’s actually rarely the case.
There are multiple cards out there that carry the CSCS logo but some are partner schemes and therefore will not be accessible through the CSCS database. Examples are CPCS and CISRS. If an operative has one of these cards it might be relevant but we don’t have the functionality to check this; it’s just not possible. We only have access to check actual CSCS cards.
Providing a Better Check
There are numerous people that need to access a construction site that won’t have a CSCS card but will have an equally valid partner scheme card that shows the CSCS logo. It is necessary for them to be there and sites need to grant them access, but tracking so many variables can be difficult.
This is where Biosite’s new Smart Credentials feature may help. It allows for more detail to be captured at the point of registration, and it’s done in a smart way that narrows down the options for people and allows them to highlight exactly what accreditations they’ve got.
Furthermore, when using Biosite’s software, a unique profile is created for every individual regardless of what site they’re working on. This means that duplication is completed eliminated and a proper track of who is on which site and what credentials they have is achieved; and it will stay on your system for as long as you need it to.
If you’d like more information on how Biosite can check the credentials of your workforce, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
