Is an SMSTS course suitable for me?

Managers in the construction industry know that both keeping yourself and your colleagues safe and promoting a safe working culture are of ultimate importance. But with such a wide range of health and safety courses out there, it can sometimes be difficult to decide which one is right for you.

The Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) is a five day Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) course that covers a wide range of areas relevant to construction site management. This includes up to date UK legislation, responsibilities of site managers, the promotion of a safe working culture and how economic and productivity issues can work alongside safety concerns.

This course typically runs over a block of 5 days, but other options are available (covered in the content below).

Is the Site Management Safety Training Scheme course right for me?
The SMSTS course is designed for mangers or supervisors who have (or are about totake on) responsibility for construction sites. Their role should include elements of Construction Design and Management (CDM).

If you area supervising a gang/ team of workers rather than a site you may want to consider the two day Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) instead.

So when you choose which course to book onto, consider your current role or the role which you are aiming for. If this is a site management position, then it is a good bet that an SMSTS course will be right for you.

What if I can’t spare a week off site?
One of the key advantages of doing a SMSTS course is that there are three different ways to complete it.

As well as five-day block courses, many of the SMSTS courses are run on a day release basis.This means if your site cannot spare you for a full week then you can still attend the course for one day a week and complete the qualification over 5 weeks, whilst balancing your work and learning responsibilities. Day release courses usually run on the same day every week, unless there is a bank holiday

The other option is to have the trainer come to your site and deliver the course there.For this to happen you will need a minimum of 4 delegates to comply with CITB regulations. On the plus side, the more delegates there are, the greater saving you can make, in addition to the money saved on the delegates travel fees.

How will I be assessed?
Assessment for the SMSTS course is by multiple choice paper, sat at the end.

There are tasks and case studies throughout the course which apply to your learning to throughout the training, so the trainer can let you know how you are doing.

Do I need any previous knowledge or experience?
There are no prerequisites to sit the SMSTS course. People often confuse the SSSTS course as the qualification needed to enrol on Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS), but this is not the case.

The only requirements are that you are responsible, or are about to be responsible, for a construction site.

On the day you begin the SMSTS course you will be provided with all materials you will need. It is not necessary for you to study beforehand.

Will the course be available in my location?
The Site Management Safety Training Scheme course is available at numerous training centres throughout the UK. If you have a larger group of delegates, training can be arranged at your own venue, so this cuts down on traveling time and costs for the delegates.

How can I find a Site Management Safety Training Scheme course?
With over 100 CITB accredited providers of the Site Management Safety Training Scheme course in the UK it can be problematic to find the one nearest to your location or offering the best price. One of the best tools to use here is a website that provides a quick find service that can compare multiple costs, and locations - saving you time and money.

What’s the difference between the SMSTS and SSSTS courses?

The Site Management Safety Training Scheme and The Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme share many similarities

• They are both part of the CITB’s Site Safety Plus scheme

• They are both offered throughout locations in the UK and as dedicated courses in your location for four or more delegates

• They can both be renewed by completing shorter refresher courses instead of repeating the whole full course

Despite these similarities, SMSTS training is quite different from SSSTS Training.

SMSTS training is designed for delegates in managerial positions onsite. It is targeted towards those that control a construction site, take responsibility for the CDM Regulations and manage site supervisors. SSSTS training is for site supervisors, so a level below managers.