In N.Ireland ontractors seeking government or public works contracts from April 2004 must ensure that ALL their operatives have the CSR card (construction skills register).This is achieved by sending operatives to a training provider for ONE day. Here they will be bored senseless, asked to complete an end test that a dead slug could pass before being issued with a very important looking identity type card. This apparently will have a positive impact on health and safety in the construction industry!Bah!
What sort of health and safety competence is required of operatives elsewhere?

Sounds like another "pie-in-the-sky" government scheme which will just increase bureaucracy and costs while achieving nothing worthwhile.

I've never been involved with govt. contracts in England. What is required of contractors here? NICEC registration alone, or something more?

Lyle,
I agree with Paul, in this respect.
Any Health And Safety regime should be Privately-Owned, to make it accountable to those that use it.
Anything Government-owned is bound to have HUGE in-efficiencies and we all know how G/Departments run to escape blame when something does go wrong.
Save your money and have a Privately owned scheme!.