In order to meet the requirements of the CIWM (WAMITAB) Operator Competence Scheme, technically competent managers must sit a Continuing Competence test every two years, to demonstrate their knowledge and skills have kept up to date with changes made across the waste management industry e.g. the introduction of new legislation, technologies and/or techniques.

Therefore, all competent persons falling within the Scheme are required to demonstrate ‘Continuing Competence’ by completing a multiple-choice test. 

Exams can be booked through Pearson VUE 

They run exams for various sectors and are probably most known for providing exams such as ‘’Driver Theory’’ test. 

Pearson VUE provides various tests and is the principal company for providing CIWM (WAMITAB) continuing competence test. 

If you felt confident that you had kept your knowledge up to date regarding all the generic requirements of the test or even your specific competency, then you probably would not be reading this! 

Often people attending for the first time don’t know what to expect, or they feel they haven’t kept themselves up to speed with changes in Legislation and Regulation or other aspects of what the test entails. 

So, we provide an interactive two-day training course. Day one covers all the generic elements of the test, Legislation, Environmental Protection and Health & Safety, and day two covers your activity-specific competence or competencies. 

This serves three purposes. One, it allows for your Knowledge to be brought back up to date in the relevant subject areas covered. 

Two, it provides background and understanding regarding what’s required during the test and the process to prevent issues such as selecting the wrong competencies when sitting the test. 

Three, it provides more certainty that you will PASS. 

Health, Safety & Environmental Compliance Services Limited has a first-attempt pass rate exceeding 95% of all attendees.

During the course, we can help you book your own test, we will give you dummy tests in the same format as the actual test. We will provide you with revision documents to take away with you should you need to revise any further after the course.

We can provide courses in groups as individuals at any location, be it your site, your home, your conference centre, or in our training facility. We can tailor the training to meet your needs!

Predicted Schedule (Depending upon the course content, the instructor may require the course to start and finish at different times on subsequent course days depending on the number of Delegates and number of activity-specific tests required). 

Day 1 

09:00 – 09:20 – Registration / Induction  

• Introduction

• The Continuing Competence Test

09:30 – 12:00 – Legislation – Generic 

• Waste acceptance, classification and coding 

• Waste Hierarchy and the Duty of Care, Waste Carrier requirements. 

• Record keeping, Transfer & Consignment Notes 

• Environmental Permitting 

• Enforcement options 

12:00 – 12:30 – Lunch Break 

12:30 – 14:00 – Health & Safety – Generic 

• Legislative requirements to include RIDDOR, LOLER, COSHH

• Noise, Vibration and Asbestos 

• Risk assessment – Hazards, risk and control measures 

• Use of personal protective equipment 

• Managing people on site 

• Traffic management plans to include signage 

• Permit to work requirements 

• Manual handling          

• Hygiene 

14:00 – 16:00 – Environmental Protection – Generic 

• Environmental risk assessment and SPR linkages 

• Control of Emissions such as mud, dust, litter, pests and noise. 

• Containment and storage to include site infrastructure, such as drainage and bunding

• Fire Prevention 

• Environmental Incidents such as spillage. 

16:00 – 16:10 – Planning  

At this stage, the trainer will plan with you the exact time for your activity-specific competence or competencies for those needing to do more than one activity-specific test. 

On day 2 you will only need to sit through your activity-specific test option, which will be one or more of the following: 

• Landfill Hazardous (LH)

• Landfill Non-Hazardous (LNH)

• Landfill Inert (LIN) 

• Landfill Closed (LC)

• Treatment Hazardous waste (TMH)

• Treatment Non-Hazardous Waste (TMNH)

• Transfer Hazardous (TSH)

• Transfer Non-Hazardous (TSNH)

• Clinical Waste (CW)

• Contaminated Land (CLR)

• Aerobic Composting (AC)

• Metal Recycling Sites (MRS)

• End of Life Vehicles (ELV)

• Anaerobic Digestion (AD)

• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

• Land Spreading (LSNHW)  

Day 2 

09:00 – 09:10 – Registration 

09:10 – 12:00 – Activity-Specific Competencies 

12:00 – 12:30 – Lunch Break 

12:30 – 16:00 – Activity-Specific Competencies

We have provided details of the costs of the training and what is included below:  

Standard Package

£345.00 + VAT Per Delegate 

Includes:

• Training Course Covering the 3 Generic Subjects and 3 Activity-Specific Subjects 
• Revision Guides 
• Training materials and guidance 
• FREE continuing competence reminder, every 2 years, providing you let us know when you have passed the test and you keep us updated should your contact details change! 

Here you can access an example of how the screen will appear when you sit the test, allowing you to make sure you make the right selection. 

Click Here to access the example screen, where you will select your activity-specific test option(s), remember the generic sections are automatically included within the test! 

Effective from 1st January 2024 the test fee is £184; this fee covers the Generic Knowledge Test and the Activity Specific Test irrespective of the number of Activity Specific Tests chosen (a maximum of three Activity Specific Tests can be taken at one time).

Tests are delivered by an organisation called Pearson Vue, which delivers a range of tests nationally; the most well-known is the driver theory test. Pearson Vue have at least one or more test centres in every major town or city, so there should be plenty of availability local to you, providing you schedule your test in advance. 

When creating an account using the below link, we advise you to use your own personal email to allow access to book future ‘’Continuing Competence Tests’’ and to provide ease of access to your account rather than having to change or set up new accounts because you have used a company or joint email address that you no longer have access to. 

In order to book your ‘’Continuing Competence’’ test CLICK here for the Pearson Vue Website.

Process

The test itself is split into two stages.

Stage one covers 18 generic multiple-choice questions on Legislation, Environmental Protection and Health & Safety. You're required to achieve at least 50% in the generic section of the test. 

Stage two is aimed at your specific competency or for those who hold multiple competencies, you will have to select and complete an additional test for each specific competency (Please be aware you cannot do any more than three specific tests at any one time). 

Each specific test contains 12 multiple-choice questions. You are required to achieve at least 50% in each competency section of the test.

The overall pass mark required is 70% however, as above, you need to achieve at least the minimum percentages in each stage to pass the test. 

For further information, CLICK here for the CIWM (WAMITAB) Website. 

We advise that you arrive at the test centre 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. 

This will give you adequate time to complete the necessary sign-in procedures.

Be prepared to show a valid form of personal identification that contains both a photo and a signature which would be either a modern UK photocard driving license (full or provisional) or a passport of any country containing a photograph and signature. If you have none of these, you may present a Citizen’s ID Card. You must bring the original/physical ID to the centre. Photos or copies of ID will not be accepted at the test centre.

It is essential that the identification (ID) you present at the test centre, on the day of your test shows your name exactly as you entered it at the time of booking your test.  This includes ensuring CAPITAL letters are used where appropriate.

Please also note, the centre will also take a picture of you which will remain on file until you attend to sit the test again in 2 years' time, this is for security reasons and to ensure the person attending is the person sitting the test! 

You will be notified if you have not been successful by CIWM (WAMITAB) within 10 working days of the test. If successful, your Continuing Competence certificate will be sent to you by post. 

Candidates will need to correctly answer 50% or more of the questions in the Generic Knowledge Test section and 50% or more of the questions in each Activity Specific Test(s) chosen and achieve an overall pass mark of 70%, which is 21 correct answers out of a possible 30 based on someone completing the generic subjects and 1 activity specific subject. 

If in doubt, Click Here once you sit the test, and you can use the CIWM (WAMITAB) test score calculator! 

If you require an up-to-date continuing competence test to act as the Technically Competent Manager (TCM) on a permitted waste site, then you will have to re-book the test as soon as possible to remain compliant with the requirements of your environmental regulator.

Please note: to meet regulatory requirements continuing competence certificates should be accompanied by a relevant primary qualification, EPOC or facility type if Deemed Competent/Environment Agency Assessed.

Yes, the system has the option for dyslexic candidates to listen to the test being read in English.  For people with dyslexia additional time may also be available, but must be requested using the reasonable adjustments application process which we have explained below. 

If you want to apply for a reasonable adjustment, please complete the Continuing Competence Access Arrangements Form and email it to info.admin@ciwmquals.co.uk with any evidence. 

If CIWM (WAMITAB) approves your application, you will receive a confirmation email within 5 working days. 

You will then need to contact Pearson VUE 24 hours after approval, in order to schedule a test with an ‘accommodation’ at the test centre.

Click on the below links, to access the relevant syllabus and free guidance relevant to each of the subjects covered within the test: 

1) Generic Environmental Protection 

2) Generic Health and Safety 

3) Generic Legislation 

Click on the below links to access the relevant syllabus and free guidance relevant to each of the subjects covered within the test: 

1) Aerobic Composting 

2) Anaerobic Digestion 

3) Contaminated Land Remediation (CLR)

4) End of Life Vehicles (ELV)

5) Healthcare Waste (HW)

6) Landfill Closed (LC)

7) Landfill Hazardous Waste (LH)

8) Inert Landfill Waste (LIN)

9) Landfill Non-Hazardous Waste (LNH)

10) Landspreading 

11) Metal Recycling Sites (MRS)

12) Transfer Hazardous Waste (TSH)

13) Transfer Non-Hazardous Waste (TSNH)

14) Treatment Hazardous Waste (TMH)

15) Treatment Non-Hazardous Waste (TMNH)

16) Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)