What is the Difference Between SSSTS and SMSTS?

For professionals in UK construction, two essential safety training courses define the steps of career progression: SSSTS and SMSTS. Both schemes, certified by CITB, are critical for maintaining safety standards on site, but they’re targeted at fundamentally different levels of responsibility. Understanding the distinction is vital for choosing the correct training path for your career, and for ensuring your site operates compliantly. In short, the difference lies in scope, and in seniority.

SSSTS

Defining the Scope of the SSSTS

The Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme is designed for those who have, or are about to acquire, supervisory responsibilities. This two-day course focuses on the supervisor’s role in implementing control measures, managing risk assessments, and communicating instructions effectively to the workforce. It teaches supervisors how to manage a team on a day-to-day basis, and report to the site manager.

The Broader Authority of the SMSTS

The SMSTS (Site Management Safety Training Scheme), in contrast, is an intensive five-day course aimed at those in managerial roles, such as Site Managers, Project Managers, and Contracts Managers. The scope of the SMSTS is much broader and more strategic. It covers:

Legal Compliance: Understanding and implementing site-wide compliance with the CDM Regulations.
Planning: Developing and managing the site-wide safety management system.
Accountability: Assuming responsibility for the overall health and safety of the entire site and workforce.

The Supervisor course teaches you how to supervise a task; the Site Manager teaches you how to manage the entire project environment.

supervisor

Frequently Asked Questions