All About The CITB Health And Safety Awareness (HSA) [Updated January 2025]

Who is the CITB HSA (Health And Safety) course for?

The CITB Health and Safety Awareness (HSA) is for those who require a CSCS card to be able to work on a construction site, but don’t hold a current National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) which will allow for an experienced worker CSCS card, or for those who require knowledge on the standards to be followed to meet legislation within the construction industry.

Why do I need this?

This course will provide a practical summary of health, safety, welfare and environmental issues. It identifies the delegate’s responsibilities for looking after themselves and others, outlines the employer’s duties and explains what should be done if the worker thinks that anyone’s health and safety is being put at risk.

The course provides health and safety awareness and is endorsed by Build UK as the standard training for all operatives on site, and on achievement of this course accompanied with a valid Health, Safety and Environmental Test, it can lead to a CSCS Labourers Card.

The course aims

The CITB HSA course aims to ensure the individual health and safety responsibilities of the worker are understood.

• Why they are carrying out their identified duties.
• What is expected of them while on site.
• How they contribute to the safety of the workplace.

Where is this course held?

This course can be held in a classroom where we can offer dedicated courses to the organisation based at a venue of your choice or we have scheduled courses for individual bookings.

We also deliver these courses remotely via the Zoom iCloud meetings platform, no account is required to undertake this method of course delivery and assistance can be provided to support you with this, this is still an interactive way of learning the information necessary to support this role with one of our highly specialised tutors, again we can offer dedicated courses to the organisation based at a venue of your choice or we have scheduled courses for individual bookings.

How long does the HSA take to complete?

The course is held over 1 day (Total of 7.5 hours)

Will I be issued a certificate upon successful HSA completion?

Yes. On successful completion, the learner will receive an accredited digital CITB certificate. A proof of pass letter can be immediately provided if required upon receipt of the course results from the trainer.

How long is the HSA certificate valid?

The certificate is valid for 5 years. 

Are there any entry requirements for HSA?

Delegates must be competent in English at the operative level. The course content is suited to all ability levels.

Is there a CITB levy completion grant attached to this course?

Yes! There is a £30 grant attached to this course per delegate. As an ATO, we’d automatically claim this on your behalf.

Is there a progression for this course?

There are many progression routes for operatives who develop skills and trades within the construction sector, this could be through on-site assessment to obtain a skills/trade-related NVQ, Workforce Skills Support can assist you in selecting the most appropriate qualification to meet your skill set.

We offer a wide range of NVQs from Level 1 to Level 7 and include skill sets such as (but Not Limited to):

• Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment
• Level 2 & 3 Site Carpentry
• Level 2 Plant Operators, i.e. Telehandler, excavator, dumpers, rollers, dozers etc.
• Level 2 & 3 Steel Erecting
• Level 2 & 3 Plant Maintenance
• Level 2 & 3 Painting and Decorating
• Level 2 & 3 Stone Masonry
• Level 2 & 3 Bricklaying
• Level 2 Groundworker – General Construction
• Level 2 Highways Maintenance – Various operations
• Level 2 Drilling Operations
• Level 2 Slinger/Signaller
• Level 2 Interior systems
• Level 2 Utility Avoidance
• Level 2 Roofing & Cladding
• Level 2 Passive fire installations
• Level 3 Supervisors 
• Level 3 Occupational Health and Safety
• Level 6 Occupational Health and Safety
• Level 6 Contracts and Site management
• Level 7 Senior Site Management
• And many more

How is this NVQ delivered?

The National Vocational Qualifications  (NVQs) are completed by demonstrating your performance through on-site observations and by providing documentary evidence of you carrying out the role for the respective qualification. You will be allocated an assessor who will help build your portfolio, giving you help and guidance throughout your assessment. We will assist you in choosing the correct qualification that meets your job role.

Is there a CITB levy completion grant attached to these NVQs?

Yes! There may be a £600 grant attached to these NVQs. As a CITB Approved Training Organisation (ATO), we’d automatically claim this on your behalf.

Fully Funding Skills Training

CITB is providing 100% funding for a limited period from January through to end of March to test fully funding future skills training.

As a CITB Levy registered company, you can benefit from 100% funding for a limited time from January through to the end of March to fully fund future skills.

This covers training such as Leadership and Management, Digital Skills, Net Zero and Green Skills. Training must be completed by the 31st March in order to qualify for full funding. This includes the following NVQ’s if they are enrolled before the end of March (NVQ’s do not need to be completed by this date):

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

• Level 7 Diploma in Construction Senior Management
• Level 6 Diploma in Construction Contracting Operations Management
• Level 6 Diploma in Construction Site Management
• Level 6 Diploma in Senior Site Inspection
• Level 4 Diploma in Construction Site Supervision
• Level 3 Diploma in Construction Contracting Operations
• Level 3 Diploma in Occupational Work Supervision (Construction)

NET ZERO

Insulation

• Level 2 NVQ Diploma Insulation and Building Treatments
• Level 3 NVQ Diploma Insulation and Building Treatments 

Waterproofing

• Level 2 NVQ Diploma Waterproof Membrane Roofing Systems 
• Level 2 NVQ Diploma Sub-Structure Work Occupations – Pathway 13 Structural Waterproofing Roofing

Roofing

• Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Roofing Occupations (on Pathway 6 – Solar Collector Roofer – Access, and Pathway 7 – Solar Collector Roofer – Protection/Handover)

What you need to know:

• Company must be up to date with the annual CITB levy return and any related payments
• Company needs to be signed up to the CITB Employer Networks, if not already, your regional advisor will do this with you
• This is simplified funding – there will be no CITB Short Qualification Grant on achievement of this qualification
• If delegates leave before completing and you have no replacement, you will have to cover the cost of the qualification to reimburse the CITB
• Delegates will need to be enrolled before 31st March 2025
• The same eligibility rules apply as for the CITB Grants and full details can be found in the Grants Scheme Policy see serial 5 for whom you can apply this for in your workforce
• If you have an unspent Skills and Training fund, the possibility of funding via this route as an alternative may be explored first

Why choose Workforce Skills Support 

We have highly successful achievement/pass rates for both Health and Safety Awareness (HSA) and through our NVQ delivery of qualifications we offer, we will also assist you through your learning journey and provide support to each individual and provide all learning materials required, our achievement statistics for the past year are detailed below:

2021 – HSA – 100% Pass Rate

2022 – HSA – 100% Pass Rate