If a contractor can’t prove the right training for the exact job, they shouldn’t start. Frontline contract workers often arrive with PDFs and assurances, but those files don’t always match the person or the task they’ve been given.
What slips through when no one checks
Pre-qualification usually covers insurance and licences. Training records get less attention. We accept a certificate of completion at face value and move on. Work starts. At that point it’s hard to send someone off site over paperwork without stopping the programme.
If there’s an incident, investigators ask who checked the training and when, as well as whether it happened. A clause that passes liability to the contractor doesn’t prove the check took place. A system upload doesn’t prove it either. It only shows what the contractor sent over.
Sub-tier contractors add another blind spot. The main contractor may send clean files while the crew on site works for someone else further down the chain. Those workers may have missed the site-specific induction or hold generic cards that don’t cover the exact task they’ve been given. A completed module is not the same as proven ability to do the work safely. Without a pre-start check, we won’t spot that gap until something goes wrong.
Paper can also hide weak assessment. A practical test under watch tells you more than a tick in an online system. We rarely know who actually delivered the session or whether that trainer was approved to do so. If we don’t ask before mobilisation, we authorise access on trust. Trust is not evidence.
Files that look tidy at the gate can fall apart under review. Dates don’t line up and names are close but not exact. It is easier to address the audit risks in contractor training records before an injury or spot check forces a review of hurried access decisions. A pre-start audit gives the responsible manager time to resolve gaps before assigning work.
No proof means no start.
Start with the task, not the certificate
Pull the scope and list what each role will actually do. Then match training to those duties with a skills matrix that pairs tasks with required competencies. A generic safety card may not cover entry to a confined space or hot work.
Ask for the site-specific induction as a separate record. It should cover the hazards of this site alongside the general rules. If the contractor can’t show it, book it before authorising access. Keep that induction record with the trade certificates so you can see both together in the worker’s file.
List every employer in the chain, not just the logo on the van. Ask who engages each sub-tier contractor and get training files direct from that source. A 40-minute video with a tick-box pass doesn’t prove someone can operate plant or manage a rescue, so look at how competence was assessed as well as the pass mark.
Verify identity, source and dates
Match the name on each certificate to photo ID at sign-on. Watch for swapped first names or one file shared across two workers. If the photo ID doesn’t fit the record, stop the check and escalate.
Don’t accept a screenshot on its own. Check the certificate code or training log with the issuing body where you can, and compare course codes and dates to the provider’s record. Resolve mismatched codes or conflicting dates with the provider before relying on the document; they may reflect an error rather than alteration.
Check expiry where applicable and the scope of the qualification before assigning work. For local assessments, confirm which procedure version was used and whether changes require review. Identify the assessor or provider and establish that they had the appropriate authority for that assessment. Do not assume every certificate needs the same renewal schedule.
Where you have appropriate system access, review the history behind the file. It can help establish when information was entered and by whom, but a login or upload timestamp alone does not prove who completed an assessment. Ask the provider to resolve conflicting information.
Check whether older training remains relevant to the current task. A qualification earned before joining this contractor can be valid evidence, while a batch upload may explain identical timestamps. Investigate discrepancies on their merits and record the source confirmation rather than assuming fraud or an assessment failure.
Decide access and keep proof
Decide access for each worker and record it in plain terms. If your process permits limited induction activities, define their scope and supervision separately. Do not assign work whose prerequisites remain unresolved, and do not confuse site access with permission for every task. Escalate doubts to the hiring manager that same day rather than leaving them until the following week.
Log what you checked and the date you checked it. Note who did the check and what proof backed the decision. Keep copies of the files you relied on with date stamps and version history intact. If the same worker returns next month, you’ll have a baseline to compare against.
Pre-start audits put the access decision before the work. They stop work that isn’t proven. Do the check while you can still say no.
