CSCS cards to carry health

CBH, which started life as a regional pilot to promote health issues among small building firms, has now become a national standards-setting organisation.

Part of its role will be to hold and manage a database containing records from any workers who have undergone a health check. A small portion of this information – which could be simply the date of the last check-up and whether someone is ‘fit to work’ – will be stored on a chip in the CSCS card.

CBH is also putting together standards setting out how to handle safety critical workers and which trades should be health checked and when – and for what. The standards should be published this summer. And CBH will be accrediting occupational health providers so that contractors can choose from a register of competent firms, although they may be thin on the ground in some regions.

CBH project manager Michelle Aldous predicts a slow start: ‘There is going to be a fairly slow uptake in the short term,’ she says. Aldous added that safety critical workers, such as plant operators, should be the priority.

The health database will be administered by industry pension body B&CE, which means that health information won’t be lost when workers move around.

CBH will also offer advice, particularly to SMEs, including a website which will link in with the HSE and spell out legal requirements and provide resources such as tool box talks.