The Street Works (Qualifications of Operatives and Supervisors) (England) Regulations 2016 have now been replaced with new regulations as of today (Thursday 6th April 2017)
What do you need to know?
You will not have to do anything to move to the new system that the regulations are introducing, nor will the changes affect your existing certificates or street works cards. These will remain valid until their current expiry date.
There will be no requirement to hold any particular combination of (non-key) certificates – you will be able to tailor your certificates for the work you actually do. If you renew your old style certificates on a like-for-like basis, you will be reassessed in the same subjects as before.
On renewal, your old style certificates will automatically be converted to their new equivalents. Each certificate will have its own expiry date as there will no longer be a card expiry date.
The New Street Works Cards
Certificates
Originally there were 16 units before – now there are 16 certificates. The units have become individual certificates.
Operative Certificates will be known as the O-series and run from numbers 1-8, with O1 being the key certificate.
- O1 – Signing, lighting and guarding (Key Certificate)
- O2 – Excavation in the highway
- O3 – Reinstatement and compaction of backfill materials
- O4 – Reinstatement of sub-base and base in non-bituminous materials
- O5 – Reinstatement in cold lay bituminous materials
- O6 – Reinstatement in hot-lay bituminous materials
- O7 – Reinstatement of concrete slabs
- O8 – Reinstatement of modular surfaces, concrete foot ways
Supervisor Certificates will be known as the S-series and run from numbers 1-7, with S1 being the key certificate.
- S1 – Monitoring signing, lighting and guarding (Key Certificate)
- S2 – Monitoring excavation in the highway
- S3 – Monitoring reinstatement and compaction of backfill materials
- S4 – Monitoring reinstatement of sub-base and base in non-bituminous materials
- S5 – Monitoring reinstatement in bituminous materials
- S6 – Monitoring reinstatment of concrete slabs
- S7 – Monitoring reinstatement of modular surfaces, concrete foot ways
LA and O1 are the two key certificates for operatives. If you are an operative, you therefore need the following to be qualified to excavate or reinstate:
- LA – Location & avoidance of underground apparatus;
- O1 – Signing, lighting and guarding; and
- The relevant O-certificate(s), from O2 to O8
LA and S1 are the two key certificates for supervisors. If you are a supervisor, you therefore need the following to be qualified to monitor excavation or reinstatement:
- LA – Location & avoidance of underground apparatus;
- S1 – Monitoring signing, lighting and guarding; and
- The relevant S-certificate(s), from S2 to S7
You will not be required to hold a specific combination of non-key certificates, as long as you hold the key certificates, you are able to choose as few or as many of the others as you wish.
Renewing Certificates
If you are an existing card-holder and you decide to renew your certificates on a like-for-like basis, you will be reassessed in exactly the same subjects as before. You won’t need to be reassessed in the key certificates more than once every five years.
After 6 April 2017, you can keep using your old style card until it expires. If you add a new certificate before the old style card expires, a new style card will be issued showing the new certificate together with unexpired certificates from your previous card.
Click Here to read more from the Department of Transport.
