SMSTS or SSSTS – Which Is Right for Me?

The SMSTS course & SSSTS course are both part of the CITB Site Safety Plus Scheme. This scheme provides building, civil engineering and allied industries with courses for people to develop their careers and build on their skills.

SMSTS & SSSTS courses are for people within management or supervisory roles. They supply workers with the necessary knowledge and skills on how to manage and control a construction site safely. Both qualifications are nationally recognised and meet industry-approved standards.

But which course is best for you? Let’s look at them in more detail to understand the difference.

SMSTS

What Is SMSTS?

SMSTS stands for Site Management Safety Training Scheme. It is a CITB qualification that provides you with the necessary training to manage a construction site safely. It’s suitable for site managers, project managers, supervisors and any role that involves managing, controlling or monitoring a construction site. This course is also fitting for those looking to move up to this level of management.

What Does the SMSTS Course Cover?

The SMSTS course covers lots of important topics. Management requires skills to communicate with your workers effectively and maintain a safe working environment.

Some of the topics you will cover include:

• Risk Assessments
• Health and Safety Laws
• Behavioural Safety
• Scaffolding
• Demolition
• Management of Occupational Health 
• Construction Design and Management Regulations

By the end of the course, you should have knowledge of:

• How to implement industry best practices and new guidance.
• Responsibilities for site health, safety and welfare.
• How to effectively communicate on-site to improve safety.
• All relevant laws and regulations.

You can complete our SMSTS course online in just 5 days.

SMSTS Certificate

To complete the SMSTS course and receive your certificate you need to attend all 5 days of the course. You will be assessed through a multiple-choice and short-answer exam. Your tutor will also assess you throughout the course whilst you interact and take part in exercises.

SMSTS Refresher

An SMSTS qualification lasts for 5 years. Before your 5-year deadline, you can take the SMSTS Refresher course to extend your qualification for a further 5 years. The SMSTS Refresher is a 2-day course that covers changes to laws and regulations and will cover previous course information. The purpose of the refresher course is to make sure you are never working with outdated knowledge allowing you to keep your site as safe as it can be. The course is assessed by a multiple-choice and short-answer exam.

SMSTS Courses

SMSTS – Monday to Friday – 5-day Courses

SMSTS – Day Release Courses, 1 day a week for 5 weeks 

SMSTS – Weekend Courses

SMSTS Refresher Courses

All our SMSTS courses are delivered live via Zoom. You will learn in an interactive virtual classroom environment with our accredited tutors and official CITB resources are included. We offer a range of course times so there is bound to be a time that fits your schedule.

SSSTS

What Is SSSTS?

SSSTS stands for Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme. It is a CITB qualification that covers all the responsibilities a construction site supervisor needs to be aware of. It focuses on improving safety knowledge and reducing the risk of injury at work. It is suitable for workers who are about to enter a supervisory role within construction. Most sites require the SSSTS certificate for a site supervisor role.

What Does the SSSTS Course Cover?

The role of a site supervisor involves a lot of responsibility. Site supervisors work to keep the whole workforce safe so it’s incredibly important they understand all safety practices.

Some of the topics you will cover include:

• Health and Safety Laws
• First Aid and Emergency Procedures
• Behavioural Safety
• High-Risk Activities 
• Site Issues That Challenge Supervisors on a Daily Basis
• Work Equipment

By the end of the course, you should have knowledge of:

• Best practices, bad practices and what you should look out for as a supervisor.
• All the legal responsibilities of a supervisor.
• Welfare and environmental issues involved in work activities.
• Risk assessments and the need for method statements.

You can complete our SSSTS course online in just 2 days.

SSSTS Certificate

To complete the SSSTS course and receive your certificate you need to attend all 2 days of the course. You will be assessed through a multiple-choice and short-answer exam. Your tutor will also assess you throughout the course whilst you interact and take part in exercises.

SSSTS Refresher

An SSSTS qualification lasts for 5 years. Before your 5-year deadline, you can take the SSSTS Refresher course to extend your qualification for a further 5 years. The SSSTS refresher is a  1-day course that updates your knowledge on any changes to legislations and covers previous course information. This course ensures that all your site supervisor knowledge is up to date. It is assessed by a multiple-choice and short-answer exam.

SSSTS Courses

SSSTS – 2-day Courses

SSSTS – Weekend Courses

SSSTS Refresher Courses

All our SSSTS courses are delivered live via Zoom. You will learn in an interactive virtual classroom environment with our expert accredited tutors and official CITB resources are included. Check availability and book your course today.

SMSTS vs SSSTS

The Difference Between the Courses

The SSSTS course is for anyone wanting to become a supervisor within construction. It focuses on the importance of following health and safety measures and legal responsibilities.

The SMSTS course is more advanced as this course goes into depth about the management of a construction workforce and how to implement safety systems. Whereas the SSSTS course is designed to give supervisors the skills to establish compliance within these safety systems.

SMSTS is specifically tailored to managers and SSSTS is tailored to supervisors. So it all depends on what role you are aiming to work in.

Refresher Courses

It is important to remember that, with both the SMSTS and SSSTS, if you want to keep your qualification valid you need to complete the refresher course before your certificate expires, otherwise you will have to re-take the full course again.

SMSTS Refresher Course

SSSTS Refresher Course

If you would like more information about our full range of CITB Site Safety Plus courses including HSA, SMSTS, SSSTS, Temporary Works, SMSTS Refresher and SSSTS Refresher, please contact us through our Online Contact Form. Or alternatively, book a call with one of our expert training advisors using the ‘Book a Call’ form at the bottom of our contact page.