Candidates can now sit the mandatory Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) Operatives test at PERI UK’s facilities immediately before their CISRS-accredited scaffolding course or formwork training, removing a common cause of delayed starts.
As a CISRS Centre, PERI UK has incorporated the Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) Operatives test into its training provision, enabling candidates to complete this mandatory pre-course requirement alongside their practical training and simplifying the route to professional capability.
The initiative helps address a common issue PERI UK has identified as being experienced by training providers across the industry, where delegates arrive for courses without a current HS&E test certificate, preventing them from starting their scheduled training and creating unnecessary delays to a construction timeline.
Making training more accessible
The HS&E test is an established industry-recognised assessment associated with construction competence and card schemes. Candidates undertaking CISRS-accredited scaffolding training must have a current HS&E test, with tests valid for five years.
“People were arriving ready to complete their training only to discover their health and safety test had expired or they hadn’t completed one at all,” explains Terry Hall, field services manager at PERI UK. “That meant they couldn’t continue with the course and had to leave to arrange another assessment. “By offering the test alongside our training, we’re removing that obstacle. Candidates can complete everything they need in one place and continue with their training without unnecessary delays.”
Previously, candidates would typically have taken the HS&E test at a separate test centre, often at locations that also provide driving theory tests. PERI UK’s approach provides greater flexibility by bringing the assessment closer to the practical training environment.
While the service is currently available at PERI UK’s dedicated training facilities in Brentwood, the arrangement can also be extended to other PERI facilities where appropriate.
Supporting competence across PERI’s training programme
The HS&E test is relevant across PERI UK’s training provision and is not limited to scaffolding courses. It complements the company’s wider training programmes covering scaffolding, formwork, climbing systems, and other product training.
All candidates receive joining instructions confirming that a current HS&E test is required before training. However, where a candidate arrives without a valid test, the availability of the assessment at the training centre provides an opportunity to complete it on the day rather than having to postpone their training.
“Training shouldn’t simply be about compliance,” Terry states. “It’s about ensuring people are genuinely competent before they go onto site. The better prepared someone is before they begin work, the safer they’ll be, the more confident they’ll become and the better the outcome for the project.”
The HS&E Operatives test assesses candidates’ knowledge of general construction health and safety, helping to demonstrate that they understand the fundamental requirements for working safely on site.
Investing in workforce competence
PERI UK continues to invest in training and workforce development across its product portfolio, supporting contractors through accredited learning programmes covering formwork, climbing systems, and scaffolding.
The integrated HS&E testing provision is the latest addition to PERI UK’s training offering, complementing accredited product training, technical demonstrations, and The Brentwood Experience visitor programme.
Together, these initiatives reflect PERI UK’s long-term commitment to helping contractors improve competence, raise safety standards, and ultimately get more from modern construction systems and improve the industrial landscape from the ground up.
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