The Energy & utility Skills Register (EUSR) issues cards to some operatives in affiliation with the CSCS. These cards display a photograph of the holder, their name, and unique EUSR number. The reverse side of the card displays their registrations and their expiry dates. Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) affiliated cards are issued to operatives who have passed a Utility SHEA scheme since 1 December 2008. These operatives will have passed the new affiliated randomised health & safety test. If an operative has not passed one of these tests, then the CSCS hologram will not appear on their card.
CSCS affiliated cards carry the CSCS hologram in the top left corner. A coloured bar may also appear under this hologram denoting the level that the operative has achieved in line with the CSCS card colour scheme. The bars are as follows: red is a trainee, green an operative, blue a skilled worker, and gold is a supervisor. If an EUSR card does not carry the CSCS hologram it is not affiliated to the CSCS and the holder may not use it for access to CSCS sites.
Sygma Solutions is an EUSR approved trainer and a CITB approve trainer and conducts EUSR CAT and Genny courses which go into depth about cable and utility avoidance. The courses are divided into classroom sessions and working on site.
The courses cover the reasons for using buried utilities locating equipment, health and safety, the financial implications of cable strikes (which can be severe), guidance on compliance with HSG47, and other national legislation. Operatives are taught how to understand buried service plans (STATS) and why they may not always be accurate and can be misleading.
Electromagnetic theory is explained to show how buried cable and pipe locators work, and also their limitations. Operatives are then shown how the CAT and Genny work, with emphasis on the Genny and ensuring it is correctly calibrated. They learn how to interpret the signal, changes of direction and depth, and how to locate service joints.
Out on site, operatives will learn the importance of making visual site checks before any work is commenced and will be trained in the use of the CAT 4 and Genny in all modes. They will also learn how to identify problem services such as street lighting and small services.
There is then a written multiple-choice assessment paper which they will sit, the pass mark for which is 70%.