The Safety Pass Alliance (SPA) is a not-for-profit body whose passport scheme gives contractors a recognised, transferable proof of health and safety awareness. It exists so that a contractor arriving on a client site does not have to sit the same induction-level training again for every new client — one passport, accepted across the participating industry.
Every SPA passport is built the same way: a Core module covering general health and safety awareness, plus an industry-specific module covering the hazards particular to the sector you work in. You need both. The Core on its own is not a passport, and the sector module cannot be taken without it.
Which SPA course do I need? Work out the sector first. If you work on petrol forecourts, take Core & Petrol Retail. Food and drink manufacturing sites, Core & Food and Drink. Quarries, cement and aggregates, Core & Mineral Products. Each combined course delivers both modules together, which is how most people take it.
Already hold a passport? Take the renewal for your sector rather than the full combined course. Renewals are shorter and cheaper, but they assume a current or recently expired passport — check your expiry date before booking.
SPA or CCNSG? Different schemes for different industries. CCNSG is the engineering construction passport, run by ECITB. SPA covers petrol retail, food and drink and mineral products among others. Your client specifies which one they accept — check before booking either.
SPA passport courses
The Core module on its own, and the three combined courses that deliver Core plus an industry module together.
Foundation
The general health and safety module
◆ Core module
Health and safety law, hazard identification, risk assessment, safe systems of work, PPE and emergency procedures — the awareness every contractor needs regardless of sector. Take this where you already hold a current industry module, or where your client has specified Core alone.
Petrol retail
SPA Passport — Core & Petrol Retail
Forecourts and fuel storage sites
★ Both modules
Core plus the petrol retail module in one course. Covers the hazards specific to forecourt work — flammable atmospheres, fuel deliveries, tank and line work, public interface and the controls that go with them.
Already hold this? Petrol Retail Renewal →
Food and drink
SPA Passport — Core & Food and Drink
Food and drink manufacturing sites
★ Both modules
Core plus the food and drink module. Covers hygiene requirements alongside the safety hazards of production environments — machinery, confined spaces, hot and cold areas, cleaning chemicals and the discipline of working in a food-safe setting.
Already hold this? Food and Drink Renewal →
Mineral products
SPA Passport — Core & Mineral Products
Quarries, cement, asphalt and aggregates
★ Both modules
Core plus the mineral products module. Covers the hazards of quarrying and processing sites — mobile plant and vehicle movements, conveyors and stored energy, dust and silica, edges and stockpiles.
Already hold this? Mineral Products Renewal →
SPA passport renewals
Shorter courses for those who already hold a passport in that sector. Check your expiry date before booking.
Renewal
Refreshes an existing petrol retail passport without repeating the full combined course. Covers changes in legislation and industry practice since you last certified.
Renewal
Refreshes an existing food and drink passport. Covers current hygiene and safety requirements for contractors working on production sites.
Renewal
Refreshes an existing mineral products passport for contractors working on quarries and processing sites.
Book the renewal before the passport lapses. A renewal assumes you hold a current or very recently expired passport. Leave it too long and you are back to the full combined course — both modules again, at several times the cost and time. As with every card scheme, the useful habit is to diarise the expiry date the day the card arrives rather than the year it runs out.
Which passport does your client accept?
Several contractor passport schemes operate in the UK. They are not interchangeable, and the client decides.
SPA — this scheme
Petrol retail, food and drink, mineral products and other participating sectors. Core module plus an industry module, taken together.
The ECITB scheme for engineering construction — power stations, refineries, chemical plants and major process sites.
The energy and utilities register, covering water, gas, power and drains and sewers through its SHEA schemes.
Not a passport but the construction equivalent, and often what a principal contractor means when asking for site safety training.
Training a team? Passport training is usually bought for whole crews rather than individuals, and delivering it at your own premises removes the travel and lets everyone certify on the same date — which makes the next renewal round a single booking rather than a rolling headache. See on-site training for groups or call 0808 1966 830.
SPA passport questions
What is an SPA safety passport?
A card demonstrating that a contractor has completed health and safety awareness training to a recognised industry standard. Its purpose is portability — rather than sitting a separate induction-level course for every client, one passport is accepted across the sector, which saves both the contractor and the client considerable time.
Do I need the Core module and an industry module?
Yes, for a full passport. Core covers general health and safety awareness; the industry module covers the hazards specific to your sector. Most people take them together on a combined course, which is why the combined options above are the usual choice. The Core alone is available where you already hold a current industry module.
How long is an SPA passport valid?
Passports run for a fixed period and are then renewed by a shorter refresher rather than the full course. Validity can differ between industry schemes, so check the individual course page for the sector you are certifying in — and note the expiry date when the card is issued, since the renewal route depends on it.
Is SPA the same as CCNSG?
No. Both are contractor safety passports built on the same principle, but they serve different industries and are run by different bodies. CCNSG is the ECITB scheme for engineering construction. SPA covers petrol retail, food and drink, mineral products and other participating sectors. Holding one does not satisfy a client asking for the other.
Can I take a renewal if my passport has expired?
Usually only within a limited window after expiry. Beyond that you retake the full combined course. Because the rules vary by sector, check with us before booking a renewal on an expired card rather than assuming — booking the wrong one wastes a day and a fee.
Do I need a passport if I already have a CSCS card?
Possibly, because they answer different questions. A CSCS card evidences occupational competence for construction work; a safety passport evidences health and safety awareness for the sector whose site you are entering. A client operating a petrol forecourt or a food production site may require the passport regardless of what construction cards you hold.
Is there an exam?
Assessment is by test at the end of the course rather than a lengthy examination — these are awareness qualifications, not technical ones. Delivery is classroom-based so that the sector content can be discussed against the sites delegates actually work on. See the individual course page for the format your provider uses.
How much does an SPA course cost?
It depends on the sector, the provider and whether you are taking a combined course or a renewal. Renewals cost substantially less than the full combined course they refresh. For crews, on-site delivery is usually cheaper per head. Current prices for every date are shown on the course search.