SiteKiln gives you plain-English information, not legal advice or training guidance. If you need advice specific to your situation, check with CITB or your training provider.
7.8.1 The short version
SMSTS and SSSTS are CITB's flagship site-safety courses for people running jobs: SSSTS for supervisors, SMSTS for managers. They are not law on their own, but on most decent sites they are treated as the minimum ticket for anyone in charge of people.
SSSTS is a 2-day course for gang leaders, foremen and supervisors; SMSTS is a 5-day course for site and project managers and business owners with site responsibility.
7.8.2 Why it matters
If you are telling other people what to do on site, HSE and clients expect you to understand the basics of health and safety law, CDM, RAMS and how to manage risk -- "I've been on the tools 20 years" is not enough anymore. Main contractors now routinely write "SSSTS or equivalent for supervisors" and "SMSTS or equivalent for managers" straight into their pre-qual and site rules.
From your side, these tickets are often the difference between staying as "a good tradesman" and being trusted with gangs, sections of work or full sites -- and getting paid accordingly.
7.8.3 SSSTS -- Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme
SSSTS is CITB's two-day course for people who supervise teams on site.
It is aimed at:
- Working foremen and gang leaders.
- Supervisors responsible for day-to-day output, toolbox talks and basic checks.
- People stepping up from chargehand roles.
Typical content:
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act and key construction regulations.
- Supervisory responsibilities under CDM -- what "reasonably practicable" looks like on the ground.
- Risk assessments, method statements and permits -- what they mean in real life.
- Toolbox talks, behavioural safety and dealing with poor practice.
The certificate is valid for 5 years; before it expires you do a 1-day SSSTS Refresher to keep it live. There is no separate "SSSTS CSCS card", but the qualification can be recorded against your CSCS profile as evidence of supervisor training.
7.8.4 SMSTS -- Site Management Safety Training Scheme
SMSTS is CITB's five-day course for people managing whole sites or major packages.
It is aimed at:
- Site managers and project managers.
- Business owners with site-management responsibilities.
- Senior engineers, agents and client reps who control or co-ordinate construction work.
Typical content:
- Health and Safety at Work Act and detailed CDM duties.
- Managing site risks: work at height, excavations, lifting ops, scaffolds, demolition, services, confined spaces.
- Developing and implementing site management systems for health, safety, welfare and environment.
- Leadership, culture, behavioural safety and communication.
The SMSTS certificate is also valid for 5 years and is renewed with a 2-day SMSTS Refresher before expiry. Many contractors expect SMSTS alongside a black CSCS card for site managers.
7.8.5 Quick SMSTS/SSSTS health check
You are roughly where clients expect you to be if:
Anyone who supervises a gang or section on site has SSSTS (or is booked on) and it is in date.
Anyone who manages a site or big package has SMSTS in date, not a certificate that died five years ago.
You have a simple rule in the business: no promotion into formal supervisor/manager roles without the matching CITB ticket in the plan.
You know when your certificates expire and have refreshers booked before the five-year mark, so you never have a gap.
If any of that is a "no", that is a training plan problem, not a paperwork detail -- and it is one of the first things a half-switched-on client will notice when they look at your site team.
7.8.6 What to do next
- If anyone in your team supervises a gang or section, check they have SSSTS in date or book them on.
- If anyone manages a site or large package, make sure they have SMSTS in date.
- Check expiry dates now and book refreshers before the 5-year mark so you never have a gap.
- Make it a rule: no promotion into supervisor or manager roles without the matching CITB ticket in the plan.
7.8.7 Who to contact
- CITB -- 0344 994 4400, citb.co.uk -- for course bookings, grants and approved training providers (free to check)
- CSCS -- 0344 994 4777, cscs.uk.com -- for card applications and how SMSTS/SSSTS links to CSCS (free to check)
- Your training provider -- for course dates, refreshers and venue options
- Local authority building control -- for site competence queries on specific projects
7.8.8 Sources and legislation
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 -- employer and worker duties on safety. legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/37
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 -- CDM duties on competence, supervision and management. legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/51
- Building Act 1984 -- framework for building standards. legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/55
7.8.9 Related guides on this site
- 7.1 CSCS cards -- full breakdown
- 7.2 NVQs and SVQs -- routes to getting carded
- 7.7 First aid at work certification
- 10.8 Site management as a career
- 10.7 Management qualifications
- 2.1 Health and safety basics for small builders
Know someone who needs this?
Was this guide useful?
Didn't find what you were looking for?
Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email us at hello@kilnguides.co.uk.
In crisis? Samaritans 116 123 ·