This CITB-accredited course provides a practical introduction to health, safety, welfare and environmental awareness in the construction industry.
The course is intended to help delegates understand:
- Their own responsibilities for looking after their health and safety, and that of others
- The responsibilities of employers and others on site
- How to recognise hazards and risks
- Why site rules, safe working practices and personal protective equipment (PPE) are important
- What to do if they identify an unsafe situation or believe someone's health and safety may be at risk
The course covers five key areas of health, safety, welfare and environmental awareness:
- General rules, regulations and responsibilities
- Who is responsible for safety?
- What are your duties at work?
- Health and welfare
- How to keep clean and safe.
- Key information about welfare facilities on site.
- General safety
- What is a hazard?
- What is a risk?
- High-risk activities
- What types of work are more dangerous?
- How to stay safe when working from height.
- Environmental awareness
- How to protect the environment.
- What to do with waste or spills.
What will you do on the course?
The course is designed to be interactive, with activities including:
- Talking about safety with others in class
- Looking at pictures and signs and dealing with scenarios and real-life case studies
- Short workbook activities to make safety decisions
- Game style activities to make safety decisions
- Learning how to spot hazards and risks in real situations that you may face on site
Assessment
The course ends with a 30-minute, closed book multiple choice test.
The test consists of 25 questions:
- Each question is worth 1 mark
A minimum score of 20 out of 25 marks (80%) is required to pass.
Anyone working in, or alongside, the construction and civil engineering sector.
It is ideal for:
- New entrants & Apprentices: Anyone beginning a career in construction or civil engineering
- Refreshing Certification: Anyone whose previous CITB Health & Safety Awareness certificate is more than 5 years old and needs to renew their certification
- CSCS Card Applicants: Those wanting to obtain a Green CSCS Card. Taking this course and passing the CITB, Health, Safety and Environment test is a mandatory requirement to secure this card. The CITB, Health, Safety and Environment Test can be booked directly with HSS Training.
Course Entry Requirements
There are no formal entry requirements for this course. However, delegates should:
- Be aged 16 or over. Delegates under 18 must bring a completed CITB Parental Consent Form to the first day of training
- Have a good understanding of written and spoken English. If you have any concerns about this, please refer to our FAQs or 'additional support' section below.
Additional Support
As a company that is committed to providing high quality services to all our clients, we will always aim to make reasonable adjustments ensuring all individuals receive the required help they need. Click here to learn more
Certification
Delegates successfully completing the course will receive a CITB Health & Safety Awareness certificate valid for five years.
CITB Health & Safety Awareness (HSA) Course FAQs
About CITB
Q1. What is CITB?
The Construction Industry Training board (CITB) is the UK's industry body for construction training. It sets standards, provides accredited construction courses, and aims to help improve health, safety, welfare and skills across the construction sector.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
About the Course
Q2. What is the CITB Health & Safety Awareness course?
The HSA course is a one-day introduction to health, safety, welfare and environmental awareness for people who work on or around construction sites.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q3. What topics are covered in the HSA course?
General health and safety responsibilities, health and welfare, hazards and risks, high-risk activities, working at height, PPE, site vehicles and environmental awareness, including waste, spills, dust and noise.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q4. How long does the HSA course take?
The course runs for 1 day.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Who Should Attend
Q5. Who should take this course?
Those who are new to construction or civil engineering, those working towards a CSCS Labourer (Green) Card, and anyone who needs to renew their certificate that is more than five years old.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q6. Do I need any previous qualifications?
No formal qualifications are required. Delegates should have a good understanding of spoken and written English to take part in the course and complete the assessment.
_________________________________________________________________________________
How the Training Works
Q7. Can I take the HSA course online?
Yes, you can take this course in person or remotely with training delivered by a CITB-approved HSS trainer. To find out more about the virtual classroom option visit the CITB Health & Safety Awareness (HSA) - Remote Learning course page.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q8. Is there parking available at the training centre?
Most of our training venues offer free on-site parking, although spaces may be limited. You’ll receive full parking details once your booking is confirmed. Alternatively, you can check the parking availability at your chosen venue by visiting our Training Centres page.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q9. What do I need to bring with me?
Please bring valid photo ID, your National Insurance number and lunch, as lunch is not provided.
Any additional requirements will be detailed in your joining instructions.
______________________________________________________________________________
Assessments & Certification
Q10. What is a CSCS card and what do the different levels mean?
A CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card is proof that those who work in construction have the neccessary training and qualifications to work safely on site. Each card corresponds to a different level of skill or role:
- Green Card: Labourer Card - For labourers performing general site duties with non-specific or basic site skills.
- Red Card: Apprentice/Training Card - For workers in training, apprentices, or those gaining experience before completing a construction qualification.
- Blue Card: Skilled Worker - For qualified tradespeople such as carpenters or bricklayers who have proven specific skills for their job on site.
- Gold Card: - Higher-Level Skilled Worker - For managers, supervisors, or those with higher-level safety responsibilities.
- Black Card: Management - For professionals such as engineers or site managers who hold Level 4/5 site management qualifications.
- White Card: Academically or Professionally Qualified - For professionals with construction-related degrees or recognised competence from CSCS approved professional bodies.
For a detailed overview of CSCS cards, including all card types and prerequisites, visit the CSCS Card Information guide.
__________________________________________________________________________
Q11. How is the HSA course assessed?
The course ends with a closed book multiple choice assessment, consisting of 25 questions. Your trainer will explain the assessment requirements to you.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q12. Will I receive a certificate after passing?
Yes, successful delegates receive a digital CITB Site Safety Plus Health & Safety Awareness certificate, valid for 5 years.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q13. Can this course help me obtain a CSSC Labourer's Green Card?
Yes, successfully completing this course along with the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test, helps delegates apply for a CSCS Labourer's Green Card.
_________________________________________________________________________________ Delegate Support & Accessibility
Q14. What support is available if I have additional needs or require adjustments?
At HSS Training, we are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive learning environment. If you feel you’d benefit from additional support, whether you’re neurodivergent, have a disability, a specific learning need or if English isn’t your first language, please refer to our Reasonable Adjustments Guide for more information.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Still Have Questions?
If you need further support please contact us on 0345 605 0006, use our live chat or email training@hss.com.
_________________________________________________________________________________
This CITB-accredited course provides a practical introduction to health, safety, welfare and environmental awareness in the construction industry.
The course is intended to help delegates understand:
- Their own responsibilities for looking after their health and safety, and that of others
- The responsibilities of employers and others on site
- How to recognise hazards and risks
- Why site rules, safe working practices and personal protective equipment (PPE) are important
- What to do if they identify an unsafe situation or believe someone's health and safety may be at risk
The course covers five key areas of health, safety, welfare and environmental awareness:
- General rules, regulations and responsibilities
- Who is responsible for safety?
- What are your duties at work?
- Health and welfare
- How to keep clean and safe.
- Key information about welfare facilities on site.
- General safety
- What is a hazard?
- What is a risk?
- High-risk activities
- What types of work are more dangerous?
- How to stay safe when working from height.
- Environmental awareness
- How to protect the environment.
- What to do with waste or spills.
What will you do on the course?
The course is designed to be interactive, with activities including:
- Talking about safety with others in class
- Looking at pictures and signs and dealing with scenarios and real-life case studies
- Short workbook activities to make safety decisions
- Game style activities to make safety decisions
- Learning how to spot hazards and risks in real situations that you may face on site
Assessment
The course ends with a 30-minute, closed book multiple choice test.
The test consists of 25 questions:
- Each question is worth 1 mark
A minimum score of 20 out of 25 marks (80%) is required to pass.
CITB Health & Safety Awareness (HSA) Course FAQs
About CITB
Q1. What is CITB?
The Construction Industry Training board (CITB) is the UK's industry body for construction training. It sets standards, provides accredited construction courses, and aims to help improve health, safety, welfare and skills across the construction sector.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
About the Course
Q2. What is the CITB Health & Safety Awareness course?
The HSA course is a one-day introduction to health, safety, welfare and environmental awareness for people who work on or around construction sites.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q3. What topics are covered in the HSA course?
General health and safety responsibilities, health and welfare, hazards and risks, high-risk activities, working at height, PPE, site vehicles and environmental awareness, including waste, spills, dust and noise.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q4. How long does the HSA course take?
The course runs for 1 day.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Who Should Attend
Q5. Who should take this course?
Those who are new to construction or civil engineering, those working towards a CSCS Labourer (Green) Card, and anyone who needs to renew their certificate that is more than five years old.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q6. Do I need any previous qualifications?
No formal qualifications are required. Delegates should have a good understanding of spoken and written English to take part in the course and complete the assessment.
_________________________________________________________________________________
How the Training Works
Q7. Can I take the HSA course online?
Yes, you can take this course in person or remotely with training delivered by a CITB-approved HSS trainer. To find out more about the virtual classroom option visit the CITB Health & Safety Awareness (HSA) - Remote Learning course page.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q8. Is there parking available at the training centre?
Most of our training venues offer free on-site parking, although spaces may be limited. You’ll receive full parking details once your booking is confirmed. Alternatively, you can check the parking availability at your chosen venue by visiting our Training Centres page.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q9. What do I need to bring with me?
Please bring valid photo ID, your National Insurance number and lunch, as lunch is not provided.
Any additional requirements will be detailed in your joining instructions.
______________________________________________________________________________
Assessments & Certification
Q10. What is a CSCS card and what do the different levels mean?
A CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card is proof that those who work in construction have the neccessary training and qualifications to work safely on site. Each card corresponds to a different level of skill or role:
- Green Card: Labourer Card - For labourers performing general site duties with non-specific or basic site skills.
- Red Card: Apprentice/Training Card - For workers in training, apprentices, or those gaining experience before completing a construction qualification.
- Blue Card: Skilled Worker - For qualified tradespeople such as carpenters or bricklayers who have proven specific skills for their job on site.
- Gold Card: - Higher-Level Skilled Worker - For managers, supervisors, or those with higher-level safety responsibilities.
- Black Card: Management - For professionals such as engineers or site managers who hold Level 4/5 site management qualifications.
- White Card: Academically or Professionally Qualified - For professionals with construction-related degrees or recognised competence from CSCS approved professional bodies.
For a detailed overview of CSCS cards, including all card types and prerequisites, visit the CSCS Card Information guide.
__________________________________________________________________________
Q11. How is the HSA course assessed?
The course ends with a closed book multiple choice assessment, consisting of 25 questions. Your trainer will explain the assessment requirements to you.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q12. Will I receive a certificate after passing?
Yes, successful delegates receive a digital CITB Site Safety Plus Health & Safety Awareness certificate, valid for 5 years.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Q13. Can this course help me obtain a CSSC Labourer's Green Card?
Yes, successfully completing this course along with the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test, helps delegates apply for a CSCS Labourer's Green Card.
_________________________________________________________________________________ Delegate Support & Accessibility
Q14. What support is available if I have additional needs or require adjustments?
At HSS Training, we are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive learning environment. If you feel you’d benefit from additional support, whether you’re neurodivergent, have a disability, a specific learning need or if English isn’t your first language, please refer to our Reasonable Adjustments Guide for more information.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Still Have Questions?
If you need further support please contact us on 0345 605 0006, use our live chat or email training@hss.com.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Anyone working in, or alongside, the construction and civil engineering sector.
It is ideal for:
- New entrants & Apprentices: Anyone beginning a career in construction or civil engineering
- Refreshing Certification: Anyone whose previous CITB Health & Safety Awareness certificate is more than 5 years old and needs to renew their certification
- CSCS Card Applicants: Those wanting to obtain a Green CSCS Card. Taking this course and passing the CITB, Health, Safety and Environment test is a mandatory requirement to secure this card. The CITB, Health, Safety and Environment Test can be booked directly with HSS Training.
Course Entry Requirements
There are no formal entry requirements for this course. However, delegates should:
- Be aged 16 or over. Delegates under 18 must bring a completed CITB Parental Consent Form to the first day of training
- Have a good understanding of written and spoken English. If you have any concerns about this, please refer to our FAQs or 'additional support' section below.
Additional Support
As a company that is committed to providing high quality services to all our clients, we will always aim to make reasonable adjustments ensuring all individuals receive the required help they need. Click here to learn more
Certification
Delegates successfully completing the course will receive a CITB Health & Safety Awareness certificate valid for five years.
Want to train at your premises?
This course can be delivered as a dedicated course at your premises / site.
Find out More