Course Genie

NVQ Level 5 Diploma in Controlling Lifting Operations - Appointed Person

Accredited by ProQual

The NVQ Level 5 Diploma in Controlling Lifting Operations - Appointed Person is the competence qualification for a appointed person, and it is the qualification you need to upgrade your CPCS Red Trained Operator card to the CPCS Blue Competent Operator card in the A61 Appointed Person category. It is awarded by ProQual and regulated by Ofqual (qualification number 601/7662/3). It sits at Level 5 on the regulated qualifications framework.

An appointed person plans lifting operations and produces the lift plan: assessing the task, selecting the equipment and method, and setting out how the lift will be carried out safely. It is the most senior of the lifting roles. An NVQ is competence-based: instead of sitting written exams, you prove you can already do the job, assessed against national standards using evidence from your own work. The NVQ portfolio is built and assessed remotely, with your assessor supporting you by video call, so there is no time away from work for the qualification itself.

It is made up of mandatory units covering working relationships, planning lifting activities, planning work activities and resources, evaluating and confirming work methods, and planning the preparation of the site.

To get the CPCS Blue Competent Operator card you complete this NVQ, hold a current pass in the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test, and pass the separate CPCS technical tests for the A61 Appointed Person category. The NVQ is the competence part of that route. CPCS Blue cards are valid for five years.

CourseGenie also lists the other lifting NVQs, including Slinger/Signaller (Level 2) and Crane Supervisor (Level 4). You can also browse the full range of construction NVQs.

Who it's for

  • Experienced appointed persons who need the NVQ to upgrade to the CPCS Blue Competent Operator card
  • Appointed persons who hold a CPCS Red Trained Operator card in the A61 Appointed Person category
  • Workers carrying out appointed person duties who have the skills but not the formal qualification
  • Self-employed appointed persons wanting nationally recognised proof of competence
  • Workers whose site or employer requires a Blue Competent Operator card
  • Lifting personnel formalising experience built up on the job

Entry requirements

  • You should be carrying out appointed person work with enough work to evidence your competence
  • A CPCS Red Trained Operator card in the A61 Appointed Person category is the normal starting point
  • Relevant hands-on lifting experience is expected
  • Access to live work throughout to gather evidence
  • You work with a qualified assessor who supports you remotely
  • For the CPCS Blue card you also need a current CITB HS&E test pass and the CPCS technical tests
  • There are no written exams within the NVQ itself

What you'll achieve

  • The NVQ Level 5 Diploma in Controlling Lifting Operations - Appointed Person, regulated by Ofqual (number 601/7662/3)
  • The competence qualification needed for the CPCS Blue Competent Operator card (A61 Appointed Person)
  • Nationally recognised proof that you are a competent appointed person
  • Recognition by contractors and clients running lifting operations
  • A portfolio of evidence demonstrating competence against national standards
  • Completed remotely, with no written exams and no time away from work for the NVQ
  • A qualification that matches the lifting work you already do
  • A foundation for progression to higher lifting roles

What's covered

1
Developing working relationships
Building and maintaining good working relationships on site.
2
Planning lifting activities
Planning lifting activities and producing the lift plan.
3
Planning work activities and resources
Planning work activities and resources to meet the project.
4
Evaluating and confirming work methods
Evaluating and confirming safe work methods for the lift.
5
Planning site preparation
Planning the preparation of the site for the lifting operation.

How to enrol

  1. 1 Book and pay securely online using the button above. Enrolment is immediate, with no fixed start dates.
  2. 2 We send you a short skill scan form to confirm your experience and that this is the right qualification for you.
  3. 3 We register you with ProQual.
  4. 4 Your assessor gets in touch to get you started and guide you through building your portfolio remotely.

NVQ Level 5 Diploma in Controlling Lifting Operations - Appointed Person FAQs

It is a competence-based NVQ that proves you are a competent appointed person. You evidence your competence against national standards from your own work, with no written exams in the NVQ. It is the competence qualification for the CPCS Blue Competent Operator card in the A61 Appointed Person category. The ProQual qualification number is 601/7662/3.
It is the competence qualification you need to upgrade a CPCS Red Trained Operator card to the CPCS Blue Competent Operator card in the A61 Appointed Person category. CPCS Blue cards are valid for five years.
No. The NVQ is the competence part. For the CPCS Blue Competent Operator card you also need a current CITB HS&E test pass and to have passed the separate CPCS technical tests for your category.
Normally yes. The usual route is to hold a CPCS Red Trained Operator card in the A61 Appointed Person category, then complete this NVQ to upgrade to the Blue Competent Operator card.
It is assessed remotely against national standards. You build an online portfolio of evidence from your day-to-day work, including photographs and videos, and you have professional discussions with your assessor by video call. There are no written exams in the NVQ.
Yes. The NVQ portfolio is built and assessed remotely, so there is no time away from work for the qualification itself. The separate CPCS technical tests are taken at a test centre.
The qualification carries a total qualification time of around 985 hours, a notional measure of all the learning it represents rather than time off the job. Because the NVQ recognises skills you already use, most people complete the portfolio remotely in a few months.
No. They are separate. The NVQ proves your lifting competence; the CITB HS&E test proves your safety knowledge. You need both, plus the CPCS technical tests, for the Blue card.
Yes. Self-employed lifting personnel are well suited to the NVQ, because you evidence your competence from your own work. You just need enough relevant work to cover the standards.
There are no formal entry qualifications for the NVQ. You do need to be carrying out appointed person work with enough work to evidence your competence, and normally to hold a CPCS Red card in the A61 Appointed Person category.
This NVQ is awarded by ProQual and regulated by Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. The qualification number is 601/7662/3.
The cost varies by provider, and CITB-registered employers may be able to claim grant funding towards these NVQs. Compare live prices at the top of this page.
You build an online portfolio from your real work: photographs and videos of lifting operations, records of professional discussions held by video call, and witness statements from colleagues or supervisors.
You enrol and pay online, complete a short skills scan form, get registered with ProQual, and your assessor gets in touch to start building your portfolio. Enrolment is immediate, with no fixed start dates.
Yes. CPCS Blue Competent Operator cards are valid for five years and are then renewed. The NVQ qualification itself does not expire.

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