The CITB Health and Safety Awareness course is a one-day training program designed to provide essential knowledge on maintaining a safe working environment in the construction industry. It covers fundamental topics such as legal responsibilities, risk assessment, accident prevention, and the importance of reporting unsafe activities. This course is particularly beneficial for individuals who are new to the construction sector or those seeking to refresh their knowledge, ensuring they understand their role in promoting health and safety on site.
Using HSA for a CSCS Labourer card. A Labourer card application needs a CITB Health, Safety and Environment test pass plus an accepted health and safety qualification. CITB HSA is one of the alternatives CSCS accepts, but it is not the only route and it is not the longest lasting. The Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment has lifetime validity, whereas HSA is accepted for five years and must have been completed within four years of the date you apply. If the card is your main reason for training, the Level 1 Award is usually the better long-term choice. Note also that first-time Labourer cards issued since February 2025 run for two years rather than five.
Already in a skilled trade? CSCS does not require the Level 1 Award or an alternative if you hold, or are enrolled on, a relevant qualification for a skilled occupation. In that case a trade Construction NVQ and the appropriate HS&E test lead to the card that matches your role, and a Labourer card is the wrong card to hold.
Starting out and not sure where HSA leads next? Our free Which CITB course do I need? tool maps your duties to the right Site Safety Plus course and explains how the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test fits into a CSCS card application.
For directors and senior managers, see CITB Directors’ Role for Health and Safety (DRHS). Part of the wider Health and Safety Training range. Card requirements are set by CSCS and can change — checked September 2026.
