CSCS Mini Digger exam-day guide
CSCS Mini Digger · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photographic ID
Bring a current photo ID (e.g. driving licence or passport) with the same name as your booking. Confirm with the provider which ID types they accept before the day.
Booking confirmation and test reference
Bring your booking/confirmation email plus any candidate, CITB or scheme reference number you were given. A printed copy is safest if phone signal on site is poor.
Site PPE: safety boots
Lace-up safety boots with ankle support and intact toe caps. Trainers or soft shoes will normally stop you operating; confirm the provider's exact footwear requirement.
Hi-vis vest or jacket
Clean, serviceable hi-vis that fits over your clothing. Some sites specify sleeves or a particular class; confirm with the provider.
Hard hat, gloves and eye protection
Bring your own if the provider does not supply them. Confirm the full PPE list at the time of booking, as it varies between centres.
Weather-appropriate work clothing
The practical is outdoors in all weathers: layers, waterproofs and a change of clothes. Avoid loose clothing or dangling straps that could snag on controls.
Water, food and any medication
Days can be long with limited facilities. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are available on site and declare any medication that could affect your fitness to operate.
Reading glasses if you need them
Bring them if you use them for paperwork, signage or a screen-based element; the provider may require you to be able to read instructions.
Travel and arrival plan
Confirm the exact site entrance, parking arrangements and reporting time with the provider at least 24 hours ahead. Aim to arrive 15–30 minutes early; confirm the centre's late-arrival policy.
Payment or balance receipt
If any fee is outstanding, confirm in advance how and when it must be paid rather than relying on paying on the day.
Machine and familiarisation questions
Check whether the test machine is supplied by the provider and what model it is. If you will be tested on your own machine, confirm this in writing beforehand.
Declared medical or access needs
Tell the provider in advance about any injury, condition or access requirement so reasonable adjustments can be arranged. Do not leave it to the morning of the test.
Plan the day
Re-read your course notes on pre-start checks, controls, safe working near excavations and the shutdown procedure. Confirm the site address, reporting time and PPE list with the provider in writing.
Check your PPE actually fits and is undamaged, plan your route and journey time, and check the weather forecast for the test day.
Protect your sleep and avoid heavy physical work or late nights in the two days before; operating a machine safely depends on concentration.
Pack your bag: ID, booking confirmation, boots, hi-vis, hard hat, gloves, eye protection, waterproofs, water, food and any medication.
Call or check the provider's joining instructions one last time for any last-minute change of venue or time. Charge your phone and note any emergency contact number.
No alcohol, and check any medication for drowsiness warnings. Get an early night.
Eat a proper breakfast, leave with spare time, and arrive at the reporting point early so you are signed in and not rushing.
Sign in, present your ID, attend the safety briefing and listen for site-specific rules such as pedestrian routes, exclusion zones and where you must not walk.
Follow the assessor's instructions exactly. Ask for clarification if a task is unclear - asking is not a fail, guessing could be.
Demonstrate the full routine every time: walk-round and pre-start checks, correct mounting and dismounting with three points of contact, seatbelt, control checks, horn and travel alarm before moving.
Work at a controlled speed, keep bystanders out of the slew and travel zone, use a banksman or agreed signals where required, and stop if anyone enters the danger area.
Finish with the correct shutdown and parking procedure (machine on level ground, attachment lowered, isolation and keys removed as instructed), then confirm with the assessor before leaving the area.
Rules to check
Arrive at the reporting time stated in your joining instructions. Late arrival can mean losing your slot or fee - confirm the provider's late-arrival policy in advance.
Photo ID must be produced on the day and the name must match your booking. If your ID does not match, you may be refused the test.
Full PPE must be worn in the operational area at all times, including while observing others. Failure to wear required PPE can end your assessment.
You must not operate any machine if you are unfit through alcohol, drugs, medication or illness, and you must declare any such issue to the instructor.
Follow all site rules, instructor directions and exclusion zones. Never walk under a raised attachment or through a machine's slew radius.
Mobile phones must be off or silent and must not be used while you are in the cab or receiving instruction; confirm the centre's phone policy on the day.
Breaks and timings vary by centre and group size - confirm the day's schedule, including whether there is a theory or health-and-safety element, with the provider.
Practical assessments are marked against a checklist of safety-critical and operational criteria, and some criteria must be met outright regardless of other performance. Confirm the exact pass standard, number of attempts and retake/certification timelines with your provider rather than assuming.