SSSTS Course requirements
11 August 2025
Understanding the SSSTS course requirements is the first step towards enhancing your career in construction. Here we outline what the course involves and what you need to know before enrolling.
What is the SSSTS Course?
The SSSTS course is a comprehensive two-day training program designed to provide site supervisors with the essential knowledge and understanding of health, safety, welfare, and environmental issues relevant to their role. It equips supervisors with the skills to contribute to a safe working environment, understand their legal responsibilities, and effectively communicate safety matters to the workforce. This qualification is widely recognised as the industry standard for site supervisors.
CITB SSSTS Course content:
The CITB-accredited SSSTS course covers a range of vital topics to ensure supervisors can effectively manage safety on site. Key areas typically include:
- The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and relevant regulations: Providing a foundational understanding of the legal framework for health and safety in construction.
- Specific site issues and how they affect supervisors: Focusing on the practical application of safety principles to real-world construction scenarios.
- The supervisor's role in the implementation of site inductions, toolbox talks, and method statements: Equipping supervisors with the skills to effectively communicate safety information and procedures.
- Supervising safe systems of work: Understanding how to monitor and ensure that work is being carried out safely according to established procedures.
- Timely intervention when unsafe acts are identified: Empowering supervisors to take appropriate action to prevent accidents and incidents.
- Understanding risk assessments: Providing an overview of the risk assessment process and the supervisor's role in it.
- Monitoring site activities effectively: Teaching supervisors how to observe work practices and identify potential hazards.
- The importance of good communication in maintaining a safe site: Emphasising the role of clear and effective communication in promoting a positive safety culture.
SSSTS Course duration and how long is the SSSTS Course?
The standard SSSTS course duration is two days. This is typically delivered as a 2-day block release course, requiring full-time attendance for both days. When someone asks, "How long is the SSSTS course?", the answer is consistently two full days of focused training.
SSSTS qualification requirements:
The SSSTS qualification requirements are relatively accessible, making it an excellent entry point into formal safety training for supervisors. There are no formal prerequisites in terms of prior qualifications required to attend the course. However, it is beneficial for delegates to have some experience of the construction environment to understand the practical context of the training.
The course is designed for individuals who are:
- Existing site supervisors
- Individuals who are about to take on supervisory responsibilities
- Team leaders and foremen
Delegates should have a reasonable understanding of spoken and written English to fully participate in the course and complete the assessments. The course involves active participation in discussions, group exercises, and a final multiple-choice examination. Successful completion of the examination leads to the award of the CITB SSSTS certificate, which is valid for five years.
In summary, the SSSTS course is a two-day intensive training program providing essential health and safety knowledge for construction site supervisors. There are no formal entry requirements, making it an accessible and crucial qualification for career progression in site supervision.
RISK are a multi-award winning CITB Approved Training provider, dedicated to delivering high-quality SSSTS courses that equip you with the fundamental knowledge and skills to excel in your supervisory role and contribute to a safer construction environment.
