Police swoop on skills card test centre

Officers from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Financial Crime Unit raided the unbiased testing centre in Winchester over the weekend.

The swoop was the fruits of an ongoing investigation following a tip-off from the Development Business Coaching Board (CITB) that the centre was accepting cost to assist individuals fraudulently go CSCS expertise card security assessments.

Following the raid officers made a number of seizures, together with electronics and money, and have arrested 4 males as a part of their investigation:

They’ve been launched on bail till 15 Could while enquiries proceed.

Detective Inspector Jamie Johnson, Head of the Financial Crime Unit stated, “Serving to individuals fraudulently go these assessments places not solely the topic themselves, but additionally these working round them, at critical danger of hurt, as they’re getting into constructing websites with out correct coaching and understanding of the way to perform work safely.

“To be knowingly concerned in and profiting off of an operation that might, within the worse case situation, trigger critical harm and even demise via malpractice is one thing that we take extremely critically, and we’re working alongside the Development Business Coaching Board to make sure anybody concerned on this felony exercise is dropped at justice.”

Chris Simpson, Head of CITB’s Normal Setting Physique, added: “It’s very important that we guarantee the development workforce is well-trained and competent, and this implies guaranteeing our testing strategies are sturdy and everyone seems to be finishing assessments to the usual anticipated.

“These arrests are a part of our dedication to delivering a reliable workforce and display our dedication to stamping out any type of dishonest or deception affecting our services.

“Falsifying well being and security {qualifications} implies that the holder has not demonstrated the skilled competence and consciousness of well being and security laws that’s required for them to work safely within the building trade.

“We’re dedicated to making sure that colleagues and members of the general public are saved secure, with an trade that they will depend on. CITB shall be working with our colleagues at CSCS to make sure that fraudulent assessments are revoked and that any CSCS playing cards which have been obtained fraudulently are additionally withdrawn.”