The ECS HS&E Assessment demonstrates that you meet the minimum standards of health, safety, environmental and fire-safety knowledge required for electrotechnical work on UK construction sites—aligned with CSCS requirements but tailored for electrical professionals.
This assessment is essential to apply for an ECS card unless you qualify for a valid exemption.
It’s a closed-book, multiple-choice test of 50 questions to be completed in 30 minutes. You must answer at least 43 correctly to pass. The questions are drawn randomly from a database covering topic areas such as general health & safety, manual handling, fire safety, work at height, electrotechnical hazards and environmental awareness.
Test Fee: The ECS HS&E Assessment costs £99.
You can take the assessment online via remote invigilation through your MyECS or Employer Portal, or in person at approved centres (for example JIB, ECA, Unite and recognised training providers) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Yes. If you hold an equivalent or higher-level health & safety qualification, you may be exempt from taking the assessment. However, the CSCS (CITB) Health & Safety test is not accepted as an exemption for the ECS scheme.
You should download and study the official ECS Question & Answer revision guide, which contains all the questions from the assessment’s question bank. No books, notes or devices are allowed during the test, so thorough preparation is important.
Your ECS HS&E pass is normally valid for 2 years. Within this time you must apply for an ECS card. Once your ECS card has been issued, the card itself is typically valid for up to 3 years, depending on card type and route.
The ECS HS&E Assessment includes content specific to electrotechnical roles and electrical fire safety risks, whereas the CSCS Health & Safety test is more general. ECS therefore requires its own tailored HS&E assessment for electrical workers.
You can book via your MyECS account, through the Employer Portal, or directly through approved ECS HS&E providers. Standard test fees apply and third-party agents may charge an additional service fee, so always check that you are not paying more than necessary.
Booking Fee: The ECS HS&E Assessment booking fee is £99.
Your result is recorded automatically in your MyECS account. You can then proceed to apply for an ECS card by submitting your qualifications, identity evidence and any other required documents for the card type you need.
You must provide verified proof of your electrical qualifications (for example NVQs, apprenticeship documentation, awarding body certificates). The ECS scheme does not accept unit credits or informal claims of experience as a substitute for full qualifications.
Card Fee: The standard ECS card application service fee is £79.