CITB Revision Notes 2026 — Free Study Material

Solid CITB revision notes are the foundation of a first-time CSCS test pass. The CITB Health, Safety and Environment test draws from a question bank organised into 21 examinable topics, and while the test format gives you 45 minutes for 50 questions, the content asks for precise recall — exact decibel thresholds, exact ladder angles, exact inspection intervals. This guide condenses the official CITB syllabus into focused topic notes you can use alongside our free mock tests. Read the notes, drill the topic, take a timed mock — repeat until you are scoring 45+/50 consistently, then book the real exam with confidence.

Why CITB revision matters

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is the statutory levy body for UK construction and the author of the Health, Safety and Environment test. Their revision material — the official CITB revision book and Health, Safety and Environment test app — is the gold standard, but it is paid material that not every candidate can afford. The free notes on this page cover the same 21 examinable topics in plain English and link to free practice tests on every topic. They are written by a working CSCS instructor and updated whenever CITB refreshes the syllabus.

One important truth about CITB revision: reading notes alone will not get you to 90%. The test is built around scenarios, not memorisation, so the notes need to be paired with timed practice so you can apply the principles under pressure. Start with the notes, then drill each topic on our practice tool until you are consistently above 80% on each topic before sitting full mocks.

The 21 CITB topics — at a glance

The full CITB syllabus is organised into five knowledge clusters covering 21 examinable topics. Click any topic below for a free practice test on that specific area, or scroll down for full revision notes.

• 1. General responsibilities
• 2. Accident reporting
• 3. Emergency procedures
• 4. PPE
• 5. Health and safety law
• 6. Manual handling
• 7. Noise and vibration
• 8. Hazardous substances (COSHH)
• 9. Asbestos awareness
• 10. Welfare facilities
• 11. Site induction and security
• 12. Risk assessments and method statements
• 13. Permits to work
• 14. Signs, signals and barriers
• 15. Dust, silica and respiratory risks
• 16. Working at height
• 17. Excavations and confined spaces
• 18. Electrical safety
• 19. Plant and site transport
• 20. Fire prevention
• 21. Environmental and waste management

Topic 1 — General responsibilities

Every worker, regardless of role, has duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: to take reasonable care of yourself and others, to cooperate with your employer on safety, to use equipment as instructed and not to interfere with anything provided for safety. Employers have a reciprocal duty to provide safe systems of work, training, PPE, supervision and a safe place of work “so far as is reasonably practicable”. Key revision points: induction is mandatory before starting work on any new site; you must challenge unsafe behaviour at the time; refusing to work in genuinely unsafe conditions is your right.

Topic 2 — Accident reporting and recording (RIDDOR)

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 require certain incidents to be reported to the HSE:

• Fatalities and specified injuries (fractures other than fingers/toes, amputations, loss of sight, crush injuries, serious burns) — report immediately, confirm in writing within 10 days.
• Over-7-day injuries — worker unfit for normal duties for more than 7 consecutive days — report within 15 days.
• Dangerous occurrences (scaffold collapse, crane failure, electrical short causing fire) — report immediately.
• Diagnosed occupational diseases — HAVS, severe dermatitis, occupational asthma.

All workplaces must keep an accident book (BI 510 or equivalent) for any injury that needs first aid or worse. Near-miss reporting is not legally required but is best practice — most major accidents are preceded by multiple near-misses.

Topic 3 — Emergency procedures and first aid

Every site must have an emergency plan covering fire, medical, structural collapse and weather emergencies. Memorise the fire extinguisher colour codes — they come up on almost every paper:

• Red (water) — Class A only (wood, paper, fabric). Never electrical.
• Cream (foam) — Class A and B (flammable liquids).
• Blue (dry powder) — A, B and C (gases). Safe on electrical up to 1000 V.
• Black (CO₂) — Class B and electrical only.
• Yellow (wet chemical) — Class F (cooking oils and fats).

First aid: DR ABC (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation), call 999, do not move a casualty unless they are in further danger, and never give an unconscious casualty anything to drink. Sites with more than 50 people typically need at least one trained First Aider on duty during all working hours.

Topic 4 — PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

PPE is the last line of defence, not the first. The hierarchy of controls always prefers elimination, substitution or engineering controls over PPE. That said, PPE on a UK construction site is non-negotiable: hard hat (replace every 3 years or after impact), hi-vis (Class 2 minimum, Class 3 for roads), safety footwear with steel toecap and midsole, gloves appropriate to the task, and eye protection where there is dust, splash or impact risk. Inspect PPE before each use; report damage immediately; never share head or eye protection.

Topic 6 — Manual handling (TILE)

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to avoid, assess and reduce manual handling risks. The assessment is built around TILE:

• T — Task: twisting, stooping, distance carried, repetition.
• I — Individual: training, capability, health conditions, pregnancy.
• L — Load: weight, size, shape, stability, sharpness.
• E — Environment: floor condition, lighting, temperature, space.

HSE guideline weights for an “average” healthy adult: men 25 kg at waist height, women 16 kg. Anything heavier should be lifted in teams or with mechanical aids.

Topic 7 — Noise and hand-arm vibration

Two sets of numbers you must memorise:

• Noise lower action value: 80 dB(A) — provide hearing protection on request.
• Noise upper action value: 85 dB(A) — mandatory hearing protection, designate hearing protection zones.
• HAVS exposure action value: 2.5 m/s² A(8) — health surveillance required.
• HAVS exposure limit value: 5 m/s² A(8) — must not be exceeded.

Topic 8 — Hazardous substances (COSHH)

COSHH = Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. Every hazardous substance on site must have a safety data sheet (SDS) and a COSHH risk assessment. The hierarchy of controls applies in order:

1. Eliminate the substance entirely.
2. Substitute with a less hazardous alternative.
3. Engineering controls (extraction, water suppression).
4. Administrative controls (procedures, limits).
5. PPE (gloves, RPE, eyewear).

Topic 16 — Working at height

The Work at Height Regulations 2005: any work at any height where a fall could cause injury is “work at height”. Key numbers:

• Ladder angle: 75° — use the 1:4 ratio (1 unit out for every 4 up).
• Scaffold inspection: every 7 days while in use, plus after high winds or impact.
• Guardrails: 950 mm minimum height, with intermediate rail and 150 mm toe board.
• Harness inspection: every 6 months by a competent person, plus a pre-use check.
• Ladders extend 1 m above the stepping-off point.

Topic 18 — Electrical safety

Construction sites use 110 V CTE (Centre-Tapped Earth) systems where reasonably practicable — limiting any single conductor to 55 V to earth. Higher voltages require RCD protection. Buried cable indicators: yellow ducting (gas), red ducting (electricity), blue ducting (water). Overhead lines: stay at least 9 m below or work to a permit with goalposts. CAT and Genny scanning is mandatory before any digging near services.

How to use these notes effectively

Revision notes are a starting point, not a substitute for practice. The most effective study pattern alternates between reading (passive learning) and testing (active recall):

1. Read a topic section above slowly. Take notes in your own words.
2. Drill the same topic on the practice tool — 10–20 questions at a time.
3. Review every wrong answer and re-read the relevant note.
4. Repeat for the next topic.
5. Every 3–4 days, take a full timed 50-question mock test to check progress.

Most candidates score 60–70% on their first mock test and reach a comfortable 90%+ after two weeks of this rotation. For a complete pre-test strategy, see our How to pass CSCS first time strategy guide, or jump straight into the Green Card test guide if that is your target card.