What is the CITB HS&E Test and how does it relate to SSP?

Question Answer

The CITB Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) Test is a 45-minute touch-screen assessment delivered at any approved CITB centre. It is the prerequisite for most CSCS-recognised cards. SSP courses such as SMSTS and SSSTS do not require the HS&E Test to attend, but candidates need both to apply for the matching CSCS card.

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Key facts

45-minute touch-screen, multiple-choice assessment delivered at CITB-approved test centres.
Five versions: Operatives, Specialists (e.g. plumbing, demolition, highways), Supervisors, Managers and Professionals (MAP), and the Working Environment Test (WET). Take the version that matches the CSCS card you are applying for.
Pass mark set by CITB. Result issued on the day.
Certificate is valid for 2 years.
Required as a prerequisite for most CSCS-recognised cards: Green Labourer, Blue Skilled Worker, Gold Supervisor, Black Manager, and the CSCS-recognised plant cards (CPCS and NPORS) on their CSCS route.
Not a prerequisite to attend SMSTS, SSSTS or any other SSP course. The pairing applies at the CSCS card-application stage.

What the HS&E Test covers

The CITB HS&E Test is the standard general-construction safety assessment that underpins the CSCS card framework. It is delivered on a touch-screen terminal at an approved CITB test centre and runs for approximately 45 minutes. The test covers the core hazards and legal duties that every UK construction worker must understand:

The legal framework. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, CDM 2015, the operative’s personal duty.
The main site hazards. Working at height, plant and vehicles, electricity, noise, dust, hand-arm vibration, manual handling, fire, confined spaces.
PPE and respiratory protective equipment.
Method statements, risk assessments and toolbox talks.
Accident reporting and emergency response.
Environmental responsibilities. Waste, pollution, ecology.

The questions are multiple-choice and the pool is updated periodically by CITB.

The five test versions

There are five versions of the HS&E Test. Take the version that matches the CSCS card you intend to apply for:

Operatives. For labourers and general operatives applying for the CSCS Green Labourer card.
Specialists. For skilled trades (plumbing, demolition, highways and others) applying for trade-specific Blue or Gold cards.
Supervisors. For site supervisors applying for the CSCS Gold Supervisor card.
Managers and Professionals (MAP). For site managers and construction professionals applying for the CSCS Black Manager or White Professional card.
Working Environment Test (WET). For international workers and other specific routes.

Choosing the wrong version is a common reason CSCS card applications stall. We confirm the correct version for your card route when you enrol on an SSP course.

How the HS&E Test pairs with SSP

The CITB Site Safety Plus suite demonstrates competence-based safety training at every level of site responsibility. The HS&E Test demonstrates baseline safety knowledge across the construction industry. Most CSCS card routes need both:

CSCS Green Labourer card. CITB Health & Safety Awareness (HSA) course + Operatives HS&E Test.
CSCS Gold Supervisor card. SSSTS course plus the relevant NVQ + Supervisors HS&E Test.
CSCS Black Manager card. SMSTS (or equivalent) + NVQ Level 6 in Construction Site Management + MAP HS&E Test. See our SMSTS vs Black Manager NVQ FAQ for the full pathway.

SSP delivers the training. The HS&E Test demonstrates the underlying knowledge. The CSCS card requires both.

When you need the HS&E Test, and when you don’t

You need a current HS&E Test certificate when:

You are applying for any CSCS-recognised card for the first time.
Your existing CSCS card is approaching its 5-year expiry and the renewal route requires a current HS&E Test.
Your employer or main contractor specifies it on pre-qualification documents.
You are applying for the CSCS-recognised NPORS card (the HS&E Test is the prerequisite for the CSCS route on NPORS).

You do not need the HS&E Test:

To attend an SSP course (HSA, SSSTS, SMSTS, SEATS, TWS, TWC, Director’s Role). These are course attendances, not CSCS card applications.
For the traditional NPORS card route (no CSCS logo).
To attend a Plant Operations NVQ assessment.

Validity, retest and booking

The HS&E Test certificate is valid for 2 years. If you fail, you can retest after a short cooling-off period set by CITB. The test is bookable directly through CITB at any approved test centre. MPTT advises on the right version and the nearest test centre when you enrol on an SSP course. For many SSP candidates the HS&E Test is taken in the same week as the SSP course to keep the CSCS card application moving.

Quick answers to related questions

What is CITB Site Safety Plus?

CITB Site Safety Plus (SSP) is the UK construction industry’s core health and safety training programme. It covers every level of site responsibility, including new operatives, supervisors, site managers and company directors, with separate Temporary Works pathways.

Do I need to pass the HS&E Test before I can attend SMSTS?

No. SMSTS attendance has no HS&E Test prerequisite. You need the HS&E Test when you apply for the CSCS Black Manager card on the strength of SMSTS plus your NVQ Level 6.

How long is the CITB HS&E Test certificate valid?

2 years from the test date. After 2 years you must retake the test if you need a fresh CSCS card application or renewal.

Last updated: 2026-05-21. Reviewed by the MPTT CITB Site Safety Plus training team, CITB-approved instructors.

Need the HS&E Test and an SSP Course Together?

Midland Plant Training & Testing books CITB Site Safety Plus courses (HSA, SSSTS, SMSTS, SEATS, TWS, TWC, Director’s Role) at our accredited centre and on client sites across England, and we advise on the right CITB HS&E Test version for your CSCS card route. Tell us the role, the card you are targeting and the deadline, and we will line up the SSP course and the HS&E Test booking together.

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