The CCNSG Safety Passport, also called the CCNSG National Course or the ECITB safety passport, is the two-day course that gets workers onto UK engineering construction sites. Most power, petrochemical, oil and gas and steel clients require a valid card before granting site access, which makes this a practical necessity rather than a nice-to-have.
Duration2 daysFace to face, with a knowledge test at the end
Card validity3 yearsFrom the date of issue, with no grace period
Entry requirementsNoneBut you need photo ID and a good standard of English
On the dayTemporary cardValid six weeks; the full card follows from the ECITB
Who it is for
You need this course if
- You are working on an engineering construction site and hold no current passport
- A client or principal contractor has asked for a CCNSG card before site access
- Your card has already expired, in which case the renewal is no longer an option
- You are new to the sector and want the card most widely accepted across it
Before you book
- You must bring photo ID and your National Insurance number, or you will be turned away
- Acceptable ID is normally a UK photo card driving licence or a passport; anything else usually needs approving in advance
- Some providers also ask for passport-sized photographs, so check the joining instructions
- You need to understand spoken and written English well enough to sit the test
What the two days cover
The syllabus is set by the scheme, so the content is the same whichever ECITB-approved provider you book. It is built around the hazards that actually kill and injure people in engineering construction.
- Safe behaviour at work, and personal responsibility for it
- Maintaining a safe place of work
- Health and safety legislation, regulations and safe working practices
- Permits to work and the systems that control high-risk activity
- Confined space entry and excavations
- Safe use of tools and equipment across different working environments
- Responding safely to emergencies
Assessment and your card
The course is delivered through face-to-face tuition, delegate discussion and shared experience, with candidates assessed by multiple-choice question papers covering the modules. Pass, and you are normally issued a temporary safety passport valid for six weeks on the day, with the full CCNSG card sent out by the ECITB afterwards. The card is valid for three years from issue. Around 30,000 people complete this course every year, and the ECITB issues roughly 100 safety passports a day.
Diarise the expiry the day you get the card
The three years runs from issue, and the one-day renewal must be sat before that date. There is no grace period whatsoever. Let it lapse by a single day and you are back here, doing two days instead of one and paying accordingly. If you are responsible for a squad, put the expiry dates somewhere systematic on the day the cards arrive rather than finding out at a site gate.
Common questions
Can I do the CCNSG Safety Passport online?
No. It is delivered face to face by ECITB-approved providers, and much of the value is in the discussion between delegates about real incidents. Anyone advertising a fully online CCNSG Safety Passport is not offering the recognised scheme.
What ID do I need to bring?
Photo identification and your National Insurance number. That normally means a UK photo card driving licence or a passport. Other forms of photo ID usually have to be approved in advance by the provider, so raise it at booking rather than on the morning. Providers turn people away for this, and the course fee is rarely refunded.
How soon do I get my card?
Successful candidates normally receive a temporary safety passport valid for six weeks at the end of the course, which is enough to get on site while the full card is produced. The ECITB issues the three-year card afterwards.
What happens when it runs out?
Sit the one-day CCNSG Renewal before the expiry date and your certification continues for another three years. Miss the date and the renewal is closed to you: the only route back is this two-day course again.
Do I need this or a CSCS card?
It depends on the site. CCNSG is the engineering construction passport, used on power, petrochemical, oil and gas and steel sites. CSCS is the construction industry card scheme. They are separate systems and neither substitutes for the other, so workers moving between building sites and engineering construction often carry both.
Compare CCNSG Safety Passport dates and prices below
Envico lists two-day CCNSG Safety Passport dates from ECITB-approved providers across the UK, so you can compare venue, date and price in one place. Already hold a card? See the one-day Renewal. Supervising a team? Add Leading a Team Safely. Or browse all CCNSG courses.
