About the exam
CITB HS&E Specialist Exam structure
An independent Great Britain study guide for the current CITB Health, Safety and Environment Specialist tests, combining the shared GT100-V14.1 A–E core with one of twelve alternative Section F routes in a single slug.
Issuer and path
CITB HS&E Specialist Tests Study Guide is administered through Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). Check official resources before booking, retesting, or relying on a stale requirement.
A. Working Environment
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Operative responsibilities, site arrangements, safe behaviour, reporting, consultation and learning from incidents.
B. Occupational Health
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Welfare, first aid, PPE and prevention of asbestos, dust, substance, noise, vibration and handling harm.
C. Safety
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Signs, fire, electricity, tools, work equipment, mobile plant and lifting operations on construction sites.
D. High Risk Activities
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Work at height, excavations, underground and overhead services, confined spaces and emergency escalation.
E. Environment
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Environmental awareness, pollution prevention, resource efficiency and lawful waste control at operative level.
F. Specialist Activities
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Twelve alternative CITB Specialist chapters. A candidate combines the common A-E core with only the route required for the selected test.
Before booking
Use the current CSCS Card Finder or relevant card scheme to identify the exact Specialist code. Book directly through CITB and follow its current identity and assistance instructions. Do not book a generic Specialist test or assume that passing one route covers another.
Official Outline Coverage Map
Coverage is mapped to official outline item counts so content depth can be checked without hard-coding a single exam.
| Topic | Official outline items | Your questions | Your flashcards | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Responsibilities | 0 | 24 | 6 | Priority |
| Accident Reporting and Recording | 0 | 24 | 6 | Priority |
| Health and Welfare | 0 | 17 | 6 | Good |
| First Aid and Emergency Procedures | 0 | 17 | 6 | Priority |
| Personal Protective Equipment | 0 | 16 | 6 | Priority |
| Asbestos | 0 | 17 | 6 | Priority |
| Dust and Fumes (Respiratory Hazards) | 0 | 17 | 6 | Priority |
| Noise and Vibration | 0 | 16 | 6 | Priority |
| Hazardous Substances | 0 | 16 | 6 | Priority |
| Manual Handling | 0 | 16 | 6 | Good |
| Safety Signs and Signals | 0 | 17 | 6 | Good |
| Fire Prevention and Control | 0 | 17 | 6 | Priority |
| Electrical Safety | 0 | 17 | 6 | Priority |
| Work Equipment and Hand-Held Tools | 0 | 17 | 6 | Priority |
| Mobile Work Equipment | 0 | 17 | 6 | Priority |
| Lifting Operations and Equipment | 0 | 17 | 6 | Priority |
| Working at Height | 0 | 17 | 6 | Priority |
| Excavations | 0 | 17 | 6 | Priority |
| Underground and Overhead Services | 0 | 16 | 6 | Priority |
| Confined Spaces | 0 | 16 | 6 | Priority |
| Environmental Awareness and Waste Control | 0 | 13 | 6 | Good |
| Supervisory Safe Coordination (SUP) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| Demolition Planning, Stability and Control (DEM) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| Plumbing Services, Isolation and Hot Work (PLUM) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| Highway Traffic and Work-Zone Control (HIW) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| Work-at-Height Systems and Rescue (WAH) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| Lifts, Escalators, Isolation and Shafts (LAEE) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| Tunnelling Ground, Atmosphere and Emergency Control (TUNN) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| Heating and Plumbing Energy and Pressure (HAPS) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| Pipefitting, Welding, Hot Work and Fume (PFW) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| Ductwork Fabrication and Installation (DUCT) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| Refrigeration, Refrigerants and Pressure (RAAC) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
| Services and Facilities Maintenance Control (SAF) | 0 | 20 | 6 | Priority |
How to use this guide
How to prepare for a CITB Specialist test
Lock in common site safety first, confirm the exact route with the card scheme, then add the relevant specialist hazards and competence boundaries.
1. Identify the booked route
Keep the common A–E knowledge separate from the one Section F chapter relevant to the work.
2. Recognise the specialist energy or interface
Look for structure, traffic, height, pressure, atmosphere, movement, heat, electricity, refrigerant or public exposure.
3. Confirm competence and authorisation
A test pass never replaces the qualified person, appointment, permit, isolation or technical instruction required for the task.
4. Preserve the engineered control
Follow the approved sequence, physical protection, exclusion, ventilation, support and equipment limits.
5. Stop on change or failure
Withdraw or pause when conditions, alarms, support, isolation, communication or planned boundaries fail.
6. Escalate and verify before restart
Report facts to the controlling person and resume only after competent review restores a safe state.
GT100 Section F
Choose exactly one current route
The twelve domains are alternatives selected by occupation and card requirement.
Supervisory (SUP)
Front-line coordination, communication, monitoring, intervention and escalation without confusing supervision with management qualification.
Choose a topic to open below
Demolition (DEM)
Surveys, structural sequence, services, hazardous materials, exclusion, plant interfaces and controlled debris.
Choose a topic to open below
Plumbing (JIB) (PLUM)
Service isolation, pressure, heat, hot work, substances, confined locations and safe commissioning boundaries.
Choose a topic to open below
Highway Works (HIW)
Live-traffic interfaces, temporary traffic management, road users, site plant, visibility, excavations and services.
Choose a topic to open below
Specialist Work at Height (WAH)
Advanced selection and use boundaries for access, collective protection, restraint, arrest, rescue and falling objects.
Choose a topic to open below
Lifts and Escalators (LAEE)
Safe isolation, shafts and pits, suspended equipment, access, commissioning and public protection.
Choose a topic to open below
Tunnelling (TUNN)
Ground support, ventilation, atmosphere, underground transport, services, fire, water and emergency arrangements.
Choose a topic to open below
HVACR Heating and Plumbing Services (HAPS)
Heating-water and service hazards involving energy isolation, pressure, temperature, combustion interfaces and safe handover.
Choose a topic to open below
HVACR Pipefitting and Welding (PFW)
Hot work, welding fume, cylinders, fire, pressure, line isolation, fabrication and mechanical handling.
Choose a topic to open below
HVACR Ductwork (DUCT)
Sharp sheet material, lifting, access, temporary support, powered fabrication tools, sealants and commissioning interfaces.
Choose a topic to open below
HVACR Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAAC)
Refrigerant, pressure, temperature, electrical and environmental hazards plus qualified recovery and leak-control boundaries.
Choose a topic to open below
HVACR Services and Facilities Maintenance (SAF)
Multi-service maintenance in occupied premises using coordination, isolation, permits, asbestos information and controlled handback.
Choose a topic to open below
General Responsibilities
Personal duties, site rules, induction, risk controls, cooperation, public protection and stopping when work is unsafe.
Key rules
Rule 1
Workers must take reasonable care, cooperate with site arrangements, use controls properly and avoid putting themselves or others at risk.
Exam cue: Identify what the operative can do safely and what must be escalated to a supervisor or competent person.
Rule 2
A site induction and task briefing explain local hazards and controls but do not make an untrained person competent for unfamiliar work.
Exam cue: Follow the approved method and site rules while remaining alert to changing conditions.
Rule 3
Unsafe conditions, damaged controls and changes from the planned method should be reported and work paused when danger cannot be controlled.
Exam cue: Protect co-workers, visitors and the public, not only the person doing the task.
Common traps
Starting unfamiliar work because another worker says it is straightforward.
Prevention: Do not mix specialist routes or replace an engineered, competent control with a briefing, warning sign or PPE alone.
Treating a signed induction record as permission for every task on site.
Prevention: Do not mix specialist routes or replace an engineered, competent control with a briefing, warning sign or PPE alone.
Continuing after a guard, barrier or exclusion zone has failed because the job is nearly finished.
Prevention: Do not mix specialist routes or replace an engineered, competent control with a briefing, warning sign or PPE alone.
Memory anchors
Stop, Make Safe, Report
Pause when danger is uncontrolled, prevent access if safe to do so and tell the right person.
Induction Is Local
It explains the site's rules and hazards; task competence still needs suitable training and supervision.
Method Before Momentum
Check the approved safe method before production pressure turns a change into an unsafe shortcut.
Care Includes Others
Your duty extends to anyone who may be affected, including the public.
Use Controls Properly
Do not remove, bypass or misuse equipment provided for health and safety.
Ask When Unsure
Uncertainty about a hazard, instruction or authority is a reason to stop and clarify.
Next best moves
Quick check-up
Use a short quiz to confirm the rule pattern is actually sticking.
Check-up Questions
Next step personalized recommendations
Open another topic next
Official resources
Verify the details with the official sources
Use these links for eligibility, scheduling, handbook rules, and issuer updates. Our guide helps you study; official sources tell you what the testing partner currently requires.
CITB Specialist tests
Current candidate page listing all twelve routes and confirming 50 questions, 45 minutes and a 45-of-50 pass mark.
CITB HS&E revision materials
Current route instruction: GT100 Sections A–E plus the relevant Section F chapter.
Current GT100-V14.1 revision material
Current CITB shop product for Operatives and Specialist preparation and the specialist-route family.
CITB Internet Test Centre scheme rules, version 2.0
Current CITB ITC page linking to the February 2026 rules, which confirm the 50-question multiple-choice format, 45-minute duration and delivered route list.
CSCS HS&E test requirement
Current guidance on Specialist use, Card Finder selection and the usual two-year application window.
HSE construction safety hazards
Primary Great Britain guidance on height, stability, electricity, fire, plant, excavation, lifting and demolition.
HSE demolition
Current guidance on surveys, competent methods, structural sequence, exclusion and debris control.
HSE work at height
Current hierarchy, planning and equipment-selection guidance for specialist height work.
HSE maintenance of work equipment
Primary guidance on non-routine maintenance, isolation, stored energy, barriers, permits and safe handback.
GOV.UK F-gas qualifications
Current Great Britain qualification requirements that remain separate from the RAAC HS&E test.
FAQ
Common CITB HS&E Specialist questions
Is this an official CITB revision product?
No. It is an independent study resource aligned to public CITB, CSCS, HSE and GOV.UK material. The current CITB GT100-V14.1 product remains the authoritative revision source for the live tests.
What is the current Specialist test format?
Each current Specialist test has 50 multiple-choice questions, allows 45 minutes and requires at least 45 correct answers, which is 90%.
Do I study all twelve specialist routes?
No. CITB says to prepare GT100 Sections A–E plus the relevant chapter in Section F. The twelve specialist domains in this guide are alternative routes inside one repository slug, not one combined assessment.
Which Specialist tests are currently listed?
CITB currently lists Supervisory, Demolition, Plumbing (JIB), Highway Works, Specialist Work at Height, Lifts and Escalators, Tunnelling, and five HVACR routes: Heating and Plumbing Services, Pipefitting and Welding, Ductwork, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, and Services and Facilities Maintenance.
How many questions are common and how many are specialist?
Current public candidate pages and the February 2026 ITC rules do not publish a fixed split. Earlier material described 44 common and 6 specialist questions, but that breakdown is not encoded as a current rule here. Use the official 50-question total and prepare both the whole common core and your selected route.
Why is the generic full mock disabled?
A valid route-specific mock must combine A–E with exactly one selected F chapter. The current generic practice framework cannot enforce that routing without a framework change, so this module does not offer a misleading mock that mixes all twelve alternatives.
How do I choose the correct route?
Use the current CSCS Card Finder or the relevant CSCS Alliance card scheme. Occupation, qualification and card type determine whether a Specialist test is required and which route applies.
Does passing a Specialist test prove trade competence?
No. It is a retained-knowledge assessment. It does not qualify someone to supervise, demolish, weld, enter tunnels, work on lifts, handle refrigerants or carry out other regulated or specialist tasks.
Does RAAC replace an F-gas qualification?
No. Current GOV.UK guidance requires the appropriate personal qualification for installation, service, leak checking, recovery or decommissioning work on F-gas equipment. A CITB HS&E result is separate.
Does passing give me a CSCS card?
No. CITB delivers the test while the card scheme checks the correct test level, result date, qualification and other evidence. CSCS normally requires the appropriate result within the two years before application.
Does this cover Northern Ireland law?
No. This tracker row uses a Great Britain scope. Northern Ireland has separate workplace health and safety legislation and enforcement arrangements, so GB legal details must not be transplanted without checking the correct jurisdiction.