Take part in the Safe Pass Programme

If you have a job as a construction worker, then you’ll need to have a Safe Pass card – it’s the law. You can get a card by taking part in a one-day Safe Pass Programme that trains you in safety awareness on construction sites. This makes sure you understand the risks of working on a construction site and can carry out your job without causing danger to yourself or others. The Safe Pass Programme is operated by SOLAS and is a requirement for anyone working on a construction site in any capacity including apprentices, trainees and and on-site security.

Every contractor in the country is required to make sure that everybody working for them on a construction site has completed Safe Pass training. Your Safe Pass card will last for four years, and you will have to attend another day course when it expires if you’re still working in construction. It’s illegal to forge a Safe Pass card or to provide fake information to SOLAS.

How do I apply for the Safe Pass Programme?

You or your employer can apply for Safe Pass training by contacting an approved Safe Pass tutor. You can use this search tool to find registered Safe Pass tutors by typing “Safe Pass” in the Programme Name field. You can also apply through your local employment services office or Intreo centre who will put you in touch with an appropriate tutor.

Your employer should normally pay for you to take the course. They are also required under the law to give you time off for the training without loss of pay. Your employer can’t require you to reimburse them the cost of the training, even if you leave your job, unless it explicitly says so in your contract of employment. If you’re unemployed but need Safe Pass training to take up a job on a construction site, your local employment services office may be able to help you pay the fee.

What will I learn?

The Safe Pass Programme is designed to improve your safety awareness on construction sites. This means making you more knowledgeable about what can go wrong, how to reduce the likelihood of that happening, and what to do in case it does. You’ll go through basic health and safety training and receive a card that confirms you’ve gotten some real training in the area. SOLAS keeps a register of all construction site workers who complete the training for future reference purposes.

The specific areas of training you’ll receive are as follows:

• Promoting a safety culture
• Duties and responsibilities at work
• Accident reporting and prevention
• Working at heights
• Excavations and confined spaces
• Working with electricity, underground and overhead services
• Personal protective equipment
• Use of handheld equipment and tools
• Safe use of vehicles
• Noise and vibrations
• Manual handling
• Health and hygiene. 

Need more information?

We are here to answer your questions and talk through your options. Our online chat service is for 16 to 25 year olds and is available Monday to Friday, 4pm to 8pm. Chat to us now about your situation.

• Chat now to a trained Youth Information Officer
• Or leave us a message and we will email you back