Are you checking PASMA cards properly?

If you’re responsible for managing work at height, you already understand how vital it is to ensure everyone involved is competent. Competence isn’t just a best practice, it’s a legal obligation and, in many cases, it starts with checking the qualifications of the person in front of you.

When it comes to building, inspecting and using mobile access towers, tower scaffolds and low level access equipment, PASMA training is the industry standard. It’s common practice to ask operatives to produce their PASMA card before they begin work.

But here’s the critical question:
Once you’ve seen the card, do you know what you’re actually looking for?
A quick glance isn’t enough. There are four key checks you should carry out before clearing anyone to work with access towers on your site.

1. Does the card belong to the person presenting it? It sounds obvious, but this simple step is easy to forget.

Every PASMA card includes:

• The cardholder’s full name
• A clear head-and-shoulders photo.

Always verify that the photo and name match the individual presenting the card. If they don’t, stop the process and investigate further.

2. Is the card still valid?
Every PASMA card has an expiry date. If the card has expired, the holder is no longer qualified to carry out the activities listed on it. It’s possible they have been retrained and issued with a new card. If so, ask to see the updated version. Never accept expired cards as proof of competence.

3. Does the qualification match the task?
Just because someone has a PASMA card doesn’t mean they’re qualified for every type of tower. PASMA offers a range of specialist courses for different categories of towers – including cantilever, linked, bridged, stepped and large deck structures.

Each configuration requires a specific PASMA qualification due to the unique skills needed to build these types of towers safely. Allowing an unqualified operative to assemble, alter, inspect or dismantle the wrong type of tower puts everyone at risk – including you, as the duty holder.

Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for site managers to check for ‘a PASMA card’ without reviewing the qualifications it contains. Don’t let that happen on your watch. PASMA is aware of cases where site managers are asking to see a PASMA card, but failing to check the specific qualifications on the card. Could this be happening in your workplace? If you have any doubts, PASMA recommends you review your competence checks to ensure your card verification process is based on up-to-date information and confirm that site managers are enforcing it correctly.

PASMA strives for a world where, when assembled and used correctly, every tower is safe. Photograph: Richard Chapman

4. Is the card genuine?
Sadly, fake or altered cards do exist. Thankfully, verifying the authenticity of a PASMA card is quick and easy:

• Use PASMA’s ‘Check a Card’ online tool (for all PASMA cards); or
• Use CSCS Smart Check online and app-based registry (for PASMA Access Tower Specialist cards only).

If you have any doubt about a card or the competence of the operative, don’t let the work commence. Instead, seek a properly qualified PASMA operative to carry out the task.

What to do next

Competence checks should be part of your standard site protocols. If you’re unsure whether these checks are being done correctly and consistently, now is the time to review your procedures.

Need to improve your competence checks? Want a better understanding of what good practice looks like? The PASMA Towers for Managers course is designed for safety professionals who need to demonstrate their competence to supervise work on towers. It helps you comply with the Work at Height Regulations and keep your towers accident-free zones. Contact a PASMA training member to book onto this course.

Remember, competent workers mean a safer site for everyone. Check PASMA cards properly.

Don Aers is technical director at PASMA

For more information, see: pasma.co.uk
E. [email protected]
T. +44 (0) 345 230 4041