In order to ensure safe work on sites there has been an increasing requirement for contractors to undergo a minimum level of health and safety training. This has been especially necessary in the hazardous industries. To ensure the contractors have completed this training, entry to sites is being restricted to those who can prove that they have undergone the necessary training (health and safety responsibilities). This is more commonly achieved by means of a ‘Safety Passport’.

National Safety Passports are an increasingly important way for employers and companies who employ contractors, to establish health and safety competence among their workforce. The safety passport is similar to any other passport in that it allows the holder access to a passport-controlled environment.

The national safety passport provides details of the health and safety training (essential skills) that the holder has received and is used as evidence that the bearer is qualified to an acceptable and recognised level of health and safety awareness. There are a number of Passport schemes in existence and there are also other forms of Safety training which achieve this minimum level of awareness. Some of these schemes are not recognised by certain sectors of the industry as they may be from other areas (ie off-shore or European). However, some of the other forms of training cover the passport syllabus in deeper or greater detail.

EMSS aims to harness some of these ‘other’ schemes and standardise the syllabus content which will incorporate existing passport schemes that meet or exceed the agreed minimum standard. NESHEP and the National Skills Academy have developed a standard gleaned from years of research into industry best practice and several decades of experience and expertise.

These essential minimum safety standards dictate the required minimum safety standards necessary to work safely on any high hazard site and have been thoroughly audited by industry leaders.

Personnel carry their EMSS (essential minimum safety standard) Passport Card as proof that they have been trained and validated as reaching the essential minimum safety standard required. The client sites where this person works can authenticate the passport card online.

This will prove that the card is genuine but please note that an EMSS Passport card should not be considered as proof of identity.

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