SMSTS Courses | Site Management Safety

What is the SMSTS course?

The SMSTS course covers all relevant legislation and other aspects which affect safe working in the building, construction and civil engineering industries.  It highlights the need for risk assessment in the workplace, the implementation of the necessary control measures, and adequate communication to sustain a health and safety culture among the workforce.

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Delegates will gain the knowledge required to comply with legislation and regulations within a construction environment, such as the Health and Safety Act 1974.

Course Overview

The Safety Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) course examines the health, safety, and environmental legislation affecting workers' safety in the building, construction, and civil engineering industries. It is supported by Build UK and emphasises the importance of risk assessment in the workplace, implementation of necessary control measures, and adequate communication to maintain a health and safety culture among workers.

Who is the course for?

SMSTS is intended for those in charge of managing, monitoring, implementing, and reporting in a construction environment.

How long is the course?

SMSTS is a five-day, 37.5-hour course.

What will I learn?

This course is designed to help site managers do the following:

• Manage and implement health, safety, and environmental issues under current legal provisions and their management role.
• Implement new guidance and industry best practices.
• Learn about responsibility and accountability for site health, safety, welfare, and the environment.
• Recognise that a secure site is more efficient, cost-effective, productive, and environmentally friendly.

This course's outcome is divided into several modules that delegates should be able to complete by the end of the course.

Module 1: Legal and Management – It deals with the legal aspects of site management and touches on the following:

• The purpose of health, safety, and environmental legislation and the various legislative requirements that must be met.
• The legal obligations of the employer, self-employed person, and employee to promote health and safety awareness and safety management standards.
• Construction (Design and Management) regulations that address health, safety, and welfare issues on construction projects.
• The principles of a health and safety management system, including what it consists of and how it should be used.
• The importance of risk assessment in lowering workplace accidents.
• Legal requirements for providing information and ensuring the audience of a specific site understand it.
• Good communication and its importance on site with all employees.
• Principles of leadership and worker engagement.
• The importance of accurate measurement, monitoring, and reporting of workplace health and safety.
• Statutory and non-statutory forms, notices and registers used in the building and construction industry.
• Causes of workplace accidents and preventative measures.

Module 2: Health and welfare – This section covers employees' health and welfare on site, split into various parts.

• The importance of availing suitable CDM complying welfare facilities.
• The relevance of taking a positive approach to dealing with mental health issues in the workplace.
• Identifying, managing, and assisting people affected by drugs and alcohol.
• The consequences, effects, and management of lead in buildings.
• The health risks posed by asbestos, as well as the legal requirements to manage that risk.
• The risk posed by inhalation of airborne particles and control measures to protect the workforce.
• The dangers posed by excessive noise and how to avoid them.
• Harmful effects of excessive vibration and how to protect oneself from this risk.
• Reducing the risk of workplace injury while considering the task, environment, and control measures.

Module 3: General safety – This section, which is concerned with general safety which includes:

• The requirements to be considered when setting up a construction site.
• Correct fire planning and management of potentially dangerous substances, including handling and control.
• Hazards of working on or near live electrical circuits and good working practices.
• Requirements for managing temporary work.
• Importance of control and proper management of work equipment on site.
• The efficient management of mobile equipment and the responsibilities that come with using it legally.
• Legal requirements for lifting operations, equipment, and accessories, as well as steps taken to avoid risks, plan ahead of time, and ensure proper training and maintenance.
• Legal framework and guidance that supports management of health, potential risks and how to control them.

Module 4: High-risk activities– This section mainly discusses high-risk activities and covers:

• Risks that come with working at great heights, near fragile materials, openings, holes, and roof edges.
• Health and safety requirements when picking and using standard access equipment.
• Safety issues relating to the use of scaffolds.
• Importance of fall arrest and suspension equipment.
• The significance of excavation planning and safe excavation practises.
• Risks that accompany working with underground and overhead services.
• Definition of confined spaces, how to carry out a risk assessment and work safely.

Course Requirements

Although there are no formal criteria, participants in this course should already be in or soon to be in a position to manage a site. It is advised to have a prior understanding of health and safety, and those without it must take the two-day SSSTS course. Individuals must also be adept in written and spoken English.

Assessments and Certification

To pass this course, a delegate must complete all core exercises and pass the trainer review and end-of-course exam. The SSSTS exam typically consists of 25 questions, 18 of which are multiple choice and 7 of which are multi-response, and lasts 35 minutes, with a pass mark of 26 out of 32. The exam papers are returned to the CITB (The Construction Industry Training Board) for marking once completed. Candidates can access their exam results as soon as the examination board releases them to Training4Employment, usually within 5 to 7 working days.

Successful candidates will receive a CITB Site Safety Plus certificate that is valid for five years. There is usually no physical SMSTS Card, but your SMSTS certificate qualification can be listed when applying for a CSCS card.

Retakes

If a delegate has completed the four core exercises, passed the trainer's review, and scored 72%-78% on the exam, they are eligible to retake it. The course allows for one re-sit within 90 days, which can be on the same day or the last day of another course. If the delegate receives less than 69% or fails to retake the exam, they must complete the entire SMSTS course again before being allowed to retake the test.

What does the course include?

The SMSTS course highlights the need for risk assessment in the workplace, the implementation of the necessary control measures and adequate communication to sustain a health and safety culture among the workforce.

Content included in the course over a 5-day period include:

✅ Health & Safety Law, including CDM Regulations

✅ Health & Safety Policies, risk assessments, and method statements

✅ Induction, training, communication and leadership and worker engagement

✅ Inspection & Audit, statutory forms, notices, and registers

✅ Accident prevention, control, reporting and investigation

✅ Management of health, welfare facilities, stress and mental health at work and drugs and alcohol

✅ COSHH, Lead, Asbestos, Dust, Fumes, Noise and Vibration and Manual Handling

✅ Site organisation, fire prevention and control, electrical safety and temporary works

✅ Plant and work equipment, mobile plant and vehicles, lifting operations and equipment and mobile workforce and driver safety

✅ Work at Height Regs, safe working at height, common access equipment, scaffolding, fall arrest and suspension equipment and excavations

✅ Underground and overhead services and confined spaces

✅ Changes in accepted working practices

There will also be a multiple-choice examination at the end of the course

The SMSTS certificate is valid for 5 years, after which time candidates must sit the SMSTS Refresher course in order to renew their SMSTS certification

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