FAQs

RoofCERT shows employers, clients and suppliers that a roofer is competent and up to date with industry standards. To achieve this, they should be repeatedly showing their competence by updating their:

• Technical Knowledge—pass a knowledge test of 35 multiple choice questions in their roofing discipline. The test can be taken online or in-person, and can be done outside of normal working hours. The knowledge test will compare a roofer’s knowledge with the minimum technical requirements
• Practical Skills—prove they hold a relevant NVQ/SVQ Level 2 (SCQF Level 5 in Scotland) or above in their chosen roofing discipline, or pass a RoofCERT Experienced Worker Route practical assessment
• Industry technical and safety knowledge—show their documentation to prove up-to-date technical and health and safety knowledge through Continuous Professional Development (CPD). This can be done through uploading the certificates or completing a declaration on the roofers behalf.

 

The aim is to have one standard for individual roofers that repeatedly proves their competence, whilst recognising previous achievements, and helps to demonstrate commitment to quality workmanship.

RoofCERT is the only national accreditation scheme for roofing operatives in the UK.

RoofCERT is an accreditation scheme for roofers. Operatives can demonstrate their technical knowledge and essential skills, proving their competence to employers and clients.

Businesses whose operatives have their RoofCERT accreditation can expect to benefit from improved quality of installation, fewer snags and increased customer satisfaction. Meanwhile, showing that roofing is a professional career will help attract new entrants, helping to tackle skills shortages.

The poor workmanship of cowboy roofers makes the whole industry look bad. RoofCERT separates operatives from the rest and proves that you use skilled roofers who take pride in the job they do and care about quality. It also demonstrates that your business is committed to upskilling and placing quality first.

There is an industry drive for re-checking skills and knowledge over time. The government is also developing building safety legislation that will require many operatives across the construction industry to demonstrate that their skills meet building regulations and industry standards.

RoofCERT also supports proof of competence for NFRC Competent Persons Scheme in line with Mandatory Technical Competencies (MTCs).

For more information see:

Minimum Technical Competencies (MTCs)

Construction Leadership Council (CLC): report by Working Group 2

In 2016, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) commissioned research to better understand the state of skills and training among roofing contractors. The report found that roofers were on average less qualified compared to many roles in other parts of the industry. It also noted the shortage of local training provision and assessors to provide on-site training and competency assessment. It can be hard for the smallest businesses and the self-employed to take time out for training. Snagging rates are therefore high and costly, which impacts productivity.

RoofCERT covers slating, tiling, Reinforced Bituminous Membranes (RBM), Single Ply, Mastic Asphalt, and roof sheeting and cladding. More routes will become available in the future, for example in liquids, lead and hard metals, and green roofing.

You can get accredited in multiple disciplines. You will need to take the technical knowledge test to show proof of competency in each discipline, but most of the other evidence can be cross-referenced against your existing accreditation.

RoofCERT is for individuals. It shows that they are keeping up their competency. The accreditation will remain with the individual throughout their career as long as the scheme criteria is maintained.

RoofCERT can help businesses wanting to register their operatives for accreditation by providing support and advice throughout the process.

RoofCERT is a CITB-funded programme managed by NFRC CPS, with support from across the roofing industry. NFRC believes that an accreditation scheme will improve trust in roofers, as it has done for other sectors, helping to drive out unskilled and unsafe cowboys who undercut responsible roofing contractors. The aim is that accreditation will help to professionalise the industry, making it more attractive to new entrants.

The process is simple, and registration starts here.

If you need help getting started, please email hello@roofcert.co.uk or call 020 3940 0053.

Following registration, each operative must:

• Pass a knowledge test of 35 multiple choice questions in your discipline.
• Show that you hold a relevant N/SVQ Level 2 (SCQF Level 5 or above in Scotland) or above in your chosen discipline, or pass a RoofCERT practical assessment
• Provide the relevant CPD (Continuous Professional Development) certification or provide evidence of CPD through a declaration provided by their employer/main contractor.

 

This is then followed by evaluation of all the certification by a competent assessor.

Full accreditation is given to operatives that do the above.

Operatives will need to renew their accreditation every three years by re-taking up to date knowledge tests and some CPD training.

When your operative has passed the knowledge test, they will have been allocated a file on RoofCERT’s portal Track My Risks. Contractors will also have access to the account if registration is initiated via your company.

Once logged into their own file, they will need to upload the certificates. They can do this through taking a picture of the certificate and uploading the photo or uploading a file already saved on their device.

We will be notified when all the certificates have been uploaded but you can also let us know by sending us an email.

If your operative is struggling with this step, then please encourage them to get in touch with us.

RoofCERT captures an installer’s existing qualifications, but also recognises experience gained on site following an assessment by a trained and experienced Skills Evaluator. Please email hello@roofcert.co.uk to find out more about starting your operatives on the Experienced Worker Route (EWR). This can be delivered on site or at a local training centre.

No. It’s open to all experienced roofing operatives in the industry. RoofCERT has been designed to suit everyone from large firms to microbusinesses.

CITB have committed funding to support the accreditation of up to 2,000 contractors for a single discipline until 2023.

After that, installers who want to be accredited or re-accredited will be charged a fee.

RoofCERT accreditation is only open to those with a minimum three years’ roofing experience, although new entrants to the industry can register their interest.

It is essential that the accreditation scheme targets those entering roofing and supports their development into an experienced roofer. Demonstrating a career pathway will encourage new entrants into the roofing trade.

The intention is that RoofCERT becomes the industry standard for roofing operatives. It will be self-sustaining with responsibility for the continued development and management of the accreditation scheme, satisfying the upskilling needs of the industry to support increased productivity.

Accreditation can take as little as two weeks, but your operatives can complete it at their own pace.

Any certification provided as evidence must remain in date.

Simply go to roofcert.co.uk/register and enter your details.

You will receive a confirmation email and a unique ID that will stay with you.