About the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test
The CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) test is required for most CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card applications. A CSCS card is needed to work on the majority of UK construction sites. The test is sat at a CITB-approved test centre and consists of questions drawn from the official CITB question bank covering health, safety, and environmental topics relevant to construction work.
The test covers six core areas:
- Health and Welfare: occupational health risks, asbestos awareness, hand-arm vibration, noise, dust, and welfare facilities on site
- Safety: personal protective equipment (PPE), working at height, manual handling, electrical safety, fire prevention, and emergency procedures
- Environment: waste management, pollution prevention, noise and dust control, protected species, and environmental legal duties
- Legislation: Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, CDM Regulations 2015, COSHH, and RIDDOR
- Behavioural Case Study: scenario-based questions testing judgement and decision-making on site, assessing how you would respond to safety situations
- Specialist knowledge: additional questions relevant to your trade or role (e.g. working at height for scaffolders, electrical safety for electricians)
The test consists of 50 questions to be completed in 45 minutes. Pass mark is 45 out of 50 for most operatives. Fee: £22.50.
Important: The pass mark of 45 out of 50 (90%) is very high, you can only afford to get 5 questions wrong. Many candidates underestimate this and fail. You can retake after 3 working days but must pay the £22.50 fee again. Without a valid CSCS card you will be turned away from most UK construction sites.
Key CITB HS&E Test Facts to Know
- Fee: £22.50, booked directly through CITB
- Questions: 50 questions selected from the official CITB bank
- Pass mark: 45 out of 50 for operatives (90%); 46 out of 50 for managers and professionals (92%)
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Retake wait: Minimum 3 working days before rebooking
- CDM 2015: Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015, defines duties of client, principal designer, principal contractor, designer, and contractor
- COSHH: Control of Substances Hazardous to Health, know the hierarchy of controls: eliminate, substitute, engineering controls, administrative controls, PPE
- Asbestos: Must not be disturbed, if found unexpectedly, stop work and report. Know the three types: chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite
- RIDDOR: Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, know what must be reported and to whom (HSE)
- Fire triangle: Fuel, heat, oxygen, remove one element to extinguish. Know extinguisher types and their applications
The CITB and CSCS provide only a limited free sample test. Practice Tests UK fills that gap with 100+ realistic questions across all CITB topic areas with step-by-step explanations for every answer.
| Feature | CITB Official Sample | Practice Tests UK |
|---|
| Practice questions | Basic sample only | 100+ questions |
| Answer explanations | Limited | Every question |
| Instant feedback | No | Yes |
| Progress tracking | No | Yes |
| Drill by topic area | No | Yes |
Free sample: Try 10 free questions below. Use Drill Mode to target the areas you find hardest.
