CISRS Announces CSCS Licence Termination to Ensure Inclusive Working Practices

CISRS is becoming the Competence In Scaffolding Record Scheme. The same trusted standards stay in place, but certification will now be independent of any one sector, so employers and cardholders no longer need multiple cards and competences to work across different industries.

The scheme's governance has historically been focused on construction. The new approach extends it to every sector that relies on safe and reliable scaffolding and access, including utilities and petrochemical.

Clive Dickin, CISRS CEO said: “The same scaffolders undertake the same activities using the same qualifications and competence standards regardless of whether they are operating on a construction project, inside an aircraft hangar or on an offshore installation. The sector certification scheme recognised by scaffolding employers and their clients needs to adjust and reflect this reality.”  

At present, CISRS is allied to the Construction Sector Card Scheme (CSCS) which requires that cards issued under its licence be only used in construction. As a result of this requirement, introduced in March 2024, CISRS has decided that a more inclusive approach is required to ensure it does not infringe the CSCS rules. Therefore, from 1 January 2027 CISRS will be renamed the Competence In Scaffolding Record Scheme and it is planned that on 1 June 2027 CISRS will leave the remit of CSCS as duplicate cards, applicable in construction and other sectors, would put an undue pressure of cost on scaffolders and their employers. 

Supporting the move, Richard Beresford, Chief Executive, National Federation of Builders said: "The National Federation of Builders fully support CISRS' move to realign the scheme. CISRS represents a set of standards and evidence of competence that our members trust.

"Making sure that the same skills are recognised in the same way across all sectors of the built environment is necessary to avoid costly duplication and potential confusion. CISRS has built its credibility over time and it is recognised by everyone in the sector as the reliable standard of training, assessment and certification in scaffolding and access.

"We believe that it is essential that it continues to be that for all of our industry and we are confident that these changes will help ensure that in the future."

Maintaining Trust

Clive Dickin added:

 “It is essential to understand that this change represents an administrative and governance adjustment rather than any reduction in competence standards or a change to on-the-ground processes and procedures. All CISRS qualifications, training programmes, assessment routes and card verification systems will remain operational with a commitment to become OFQUAL registered within three years.” 

Existing cards will remain valid for their duration. As of June 2027, new and renewed cards will be issued, increasingly online, with a slightly different design without the CSCS logo, but the competences and standards that underpin them will remain unchanged and the training and further education providers that currently deliver the existing card will be able to offer the new one. 

It is important to note that the policy of a single card for a card holder for which ever sector they are supporting, construction, marine, aviation, petrochemical, will be unhindered.  

Nothing changes for card holders:  

• All CISRS qualifications will remain valid. 

• No change to the quality of the qualifications will be made and no competence routes will be withdrawn. 

• All existing cards will be valid at all the same sites as before.  

Nothing changes for companies that rely on the card:  

• CISRS remains the recognised competence card for scaffolding and access occupations. Employers can continue to trust the standards and competence that CISRS stands for. 

• They will not have to deal with multiple cards for multiple sectors.