Ad
Friday, August 8, 2025
15.5 C
London

The Voice of Scaffolding Since 2008  |  U.K. Edition

CISRS Hits Back at Breakaway Training Alliance Criticism

- Advertisement -

The Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) has issued a strong response following criticism from a newly formed industry group, the Scaffolding Training Alliance (STA), labelling it an “unrecognised and unverified entity.”

The STA, which has only recently emerged onto the scaffolding scene, issued a statement raising concerns over proposed reforms to the CISRS training framework. In response, CISRS and its owner, the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC), say they are disappointed by the public commentary, especially as the proposals are still under development and not yet subject to formal consultation.

Wayne Connolly, Chair of CISRS, said the changes are being driven by clear demand from employers and scaffolders themselves, not commercial interests.

As Wayne Connolly prepares to assume the role of NASC President tomorrow (November 28,) he has unveiled an ambitious two-year plan that aims to usher in a new era of growth and opportunity for the scaffolding industry. 
Wayne Connolly, Chair of CISRS

“The changes that have been announced for CISRS and that are in development have been demanded by employers and cardholders, while some commercially interested training providers have resisted modernisation,” said Connolly.

“CISRS and NASC will continue to work directly with accredited centres and recognised industry stakeholders professionally and will not entertain discussions with groups whose composition and intentions are unclear.”

The STA claims to represent a collective of access professionals and training providers concerned about the direction of scaffolding training in the UK. However, little is known about the group’s membership or governance.

In defending the planned updates to its long-established training scheme, CISRS emphasised that reforms would improve access and quality across the board.

As reported yesterday, proposals include increasing training capacity for 16–17-year-olds, boosting the amount of practical learning time, and introducing tougher quality assurance procedures.

“A key improvement will be the mandatory recording and monitoring of learner outcomes, including failure rates – a move long resisted by some centres but essential for transparency and continual improvement,” Connolly added.

He said that CISRS’s commitment remains with the workforce and employers who depend on its standards, noting the organisation’s longstanding collaboration with Unite the Union.

“We believe change must be guided by those who use and rely on CISRS qualifications and not by commercial training providers with vested interests.”

CISRS and NASC say they remain open to “constructive, informed, and transparent” dialogue as they continue modernising the scheme to meet the future needs of the scaffolding and access industry.

ScaffMag has reached out to the STA for further comment.

- Advertisement -

Popular Categories

Most Read >

Scaffolding Association Joins Build UK to Boost Industry Voice

The Scaffolding Association has formally joined Build UK as...

Pilosio Partners with Sky Climber to Bring FlyDeck System to North America

Italian scaffolding manufacturer Pilosio has entered the North American...

New Zealand to Ease Scaffolding Rules on Construction Sites

New Zealand is set to overhaul its scaffolding regulations...

Scaffolding Industry Mourns the Loss of Founding Leader David Spice

Christchurch, New Zealand — The scaffolding community across New...

TG30 Update Drives Surge in Scaffold Compliance Downloads

The National Access and Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) has seen...
- Advertisements -

Related Articles >

STA Issues Open Letter Urging Pause to CISRS Reforms

The Scaffolding Training Alliance (STA) has issued a detailed open letter to the industry, calling for an immediate pause to planned changes to the CISRS training scheme and raising concerns over governance, consultation,...

Latest Topics

NASC and SAIA Join Forces to Elevate Global Scaffold Standards

The National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) and the...

Pilosio Partners with Sky Climber to Bring FlyDeck System to North America

Italian scaffolding manufacturer Pilosio has entered the North American...

Scaffolding Association Joins Build UK to Boost Industry Voice

The Scaffolding Association has formally joined Build UK as...

ScaffCycle Launches to Help Firms Trade Surplus Scaffold

A new online platform designed to help scaffolding companies...
- Advertisement -