SSSTS Training in Cambridge – £199 Live Online

Course overview

If you have just taken charge of a work gang, a subcontract package or a corner of a busy Cambridgeshire site, you have almost certainly discovered that supervising people is a very different job from doing the work yourself. Suddenly you are responsible for inductions, toolbox talks, risk assessments and the safety of everyone around you. The Site Supervisors’ Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is the qualification built for exactly that moment, and our Cambridge course delivers it in a way that fits around live site commitments.

Two-day live online video-link class, 08:30–16:00. This is a real classroom taught in real time by a qualified CITB-approved tutor — not a recorded module you click through on your own. You join over a straightforward video link, take part in the discussions and group exercises, and finish each day at 4pm. For supervisors based anywhere in Cambridge or the wider county, it means earning the same recognised certificate without the round trip to a distant training centre.

What is the SSSTS course?

The SSSTS is a nationally recognised CITB Site Safety Plus qualification designed for people who hold, or are about to take on, supervisory responsibility on construction and civil engineering sites. It is recognised by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the UK Contractors Group (UKCG), which is why so many principal contractors ask for it as a condition of putting someone in a supervisory position. The course concentrates on the supervisor’s specific duties: understanding health and safety law, monitoring the work, controlling risk on the ground and setting the right example for the team.

It is worth being clear about where SSSTS sits, because the two schemes are easily confused. SSSTS is the two-day course for supervisors and first-line managers. The five-day SMSTS (Site Management Safety Training Scheme) is the longer qualification aimed at site managers and agents who plan and organise whole projects. If you supervise a team rather than run the site, SSSTS is almost always the right course for you.

Who should attend?

The Cambridge SSSTS course is aimed at anyone who directs the work of others on site, or is about to. It suits:

• Site supervisors and gangers
• First-line managers and team leaders
• Experienced tradespeople moving up into a supervisory role
• Foremen and chargehands with safety responsibilities
• Supervisors in general construction, groundworks, fit-out and civil engineering
• Anyone who delivers site inductions, runs toolbox talks or signs off method statements
• Subcontract supervisors who need a recognised card to work on principal-contractor sites

You do not need any previous safety qualifications to attend. Many delegates come to the course as they take on their first supervisory role, while others are formalising knowledge they have picked up informally on the tools over the years.

What the course covers

Over the two days, your tutor works through the health and safety topics a supervisor deals with day to day, always framed around the supervisor’s role in monitoring and controlling risk rather than writing policy from scratch. Content includes:

• Health and safety law and the supervisor’s legal responsibilities
• The Health and Safety at Work Act and its supporting regulations
• The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) and how they affect supervisors
• Risk assessments and method statements — reading, applying and monitoring them on site
• Carrying out effective site inductions and toolbox talks
• Behavioural safety and building a positive safety culture within a team
• Monitoring, reporting and record-keeping
• Managing common site risks such as working at height, excavations and manual handling
• Occupational health and welfare on site

The sessions are interactive throughout, with group discussion and practical scenarios so you can relate each topic back to your own site. Because the tutor is live on the video link, you can ask about the specific situations you face rather than working through generic examples in isolation.

Course structure and assessment

To achieve the SSSTS certificate, you will need to:

• Attend both training days in full, 08:30 to 16:00 each day
• Take an active part in the group tasks, discussions and exercises
• Complete the short knowledge checks during the course
• Pass the end-of-course assessment, which combines a multiple-choice exam with a case-study exercise

The pace is set so that engaged delegates keep up comfortably, and our SSSTS courses carry a 98% pass rate. Your tutor prepares you for the assessment as the two days progress, so there is no separate revision burden — the exam reflects what you have covered and discussed together.

Entry requirements

The course, materials and examination are all delivered in English, so delegates need a good standard of spoken and written English to take part fully and complete the assessment. Some experience in the construction industry is helpful, though it is not mandatory. For the online class you will also need a computer, laptop or tablet with a webcam and microphone — features built into most modern devices — along with a reasonable internet connection. If you have ever joined a video call, you already have everything you need, and clear joining instructions are sent out before your start date.

Why train online from Cambridge

Cambridge and its surrounding towns continue to see steady construction activity, from laboratory and life-science schemes and university and college estates work to housing growth around the city and civil engineering across Cambridgeshire’s road and utilities networks. That kind of pipeline means more experienced trades are being asked to step up and supervise, and principal contractors increasingly expect a valid SSSTS card before they will let them.

Delivering the course as a live online class solves the practical problem that comes with that demand. Instead of releasing a supervisor for a day of travel on top of the training itself, or waiting for a classroom date to come up locally, your team can join from a site cabin, the office or home anywhere in the county. Supervisors in Cambridge city centre, Ely, St Neots, Huntingdon, Cambourne, Waterbeach and the villages across Cambridgeshire all sit in the same virtual classroom, taught by the same tutor to the same national standard. The certificate is identical to the one earned in a physical room — the only difference is that nobody spends the week commuting to it.

If you would still prefer a traditional classroom setting, that option remains available too, so you can choose whichever format suits your team and workload.

Your certificate and renewal

On successfully completing the two days and passing the assessment, you are awarded the CITB Site Safety Plus SSSTS certificate. It is recognised across the UK construction industry and is valid for five years. Before it expires, you renew it by completing the one-day SSSTS Refresher, which keeps your knowledge current with any changes in legislation and best practice and extends your certificate for a further five years.

Pricing

The SSSTS course is £199 for the live online class and £279 for the classroom option. Both routes lead to the same nationally recognised CITB certificate and include your course materials and assessment. The online price reflects the saving on travel, accommodation and lost site time, which is often what makes it the more cost-effective choice for Cambridge-based employers training more than one supervisor.

Book your SSSTS course in Cambridge

Give your supervisors the recognised qualification that principal contractors ask for, along with the practical safety knowledge to lead their teams well. Reserve a place on our next live online SSSTS course today, or get in touch with our team to discuss dates, the classroom option, or training several supervisors from your Cambridge or Cambridgeshire business together.

Frequently asked questions

Is the SSSTS course really run live, or is it a recorded video?

It is fully live. You join a real classroom over a video link and are taught in real time by a qualified CITB-approved tutor across both days, 08:30 to 16:00. You can ask questions, join the group exercises and get answers as you go — it is not a self-paced recording.

Do I need to travel to a venue in Cambridge?

Not for the online class. Because it is delivered by live video link, you can take part from a site office, your workplace or home anywhere in Cambridge or Cambridgeshire, with no travel required. If you specifically want a classroom setting, that option is available too.

What is the difference between SSSTS and SMSTS?

SSSTS is the two-day scheme for site supervisors, first-line managers and team leaders who direct the work of others. SMSTS is the five-day scheme for site managers and agents who plan and organise entire projects. If you supervise a team or a work package rather than running the whole site, SSSTS is the course you need.

How long is the SSSTS certificate valid, and how do I renew it?

The certificate is valid for five years. To renew it, you complete the one-day SSSTS Refresher before it expires, which brings your knowledge up to date with current legislation and best practice and extends your certificate for another five years.

What technology do I need to join the online course from Cambridge?

A computer, laptop or tablet with a webcam and microphone — both built into most modern devices — plus a reasonable internet connection. If you have ever joined a video call, you are already set up. We send clear joining instructions in advance and can help if you have any trouble getting connected.

Do I need construction experience or a previous safety qualification to attend?

No previous safety qualification is required, and while some construction experience is helpful it is not mandatory. You do need a good standard of spoken and written English, as the course and the exam are delivered in English. Many delegates take the course as they move into their first supervisory role.

Can I train several supervisors from my Cambridgeshire company at once?

Yes. The live online format is well suited to training a group of supervisors together, since nobody needs to travel and your team can join from wherever they are based across the county. Contact our team and we can talk through available dates and the best option for your business.

Modules breakdown

Our comprehensive SSSTS training covers the following key areas:

Health and Safety Law

• Current legislation affecting construction supervision
• Legal responsibilities of supervisors on site
• Understanding Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) requirements
• Health and safety regulations specific to construction activities
• Consequences of non-compliance for individuals and companies

Risk Management

• Principles of risk assessment
• Understanding and implementing method statements
• Delivering method statement briefings for workers
• Managing common site hazards effectively
• Control measures for various construction activities
• Managing hazardous substances

Supervisory Responsibilities

• The supervisor’s role in safety management
• Building and maintaining a positive safety culture
• Identifying and addressing bad practice
• Effective communication techniques
• Managing subcontractors and visitors
• Conducting site inductions and safety briefings

Practical Safety Management

• Planning for site safety
• Conducting effective toolbox talks
• Safety inspection procedures
• Accident reporting and investigation
• Record-keeping requirements
• Promoting safety awareness among workers

Health and Wellbeing

• Occupational health concerns in construction
• Behavioural safety approaches
• Managing workplace stress
• Noise, vibration and dust exposure
• Manual handling best practices
• Worker welfare requirements

Environmental Issues

• Environmental responsibilities on site
• Waste management and reduction
• Energy efficiency considerations
• Pollution prevention
• Sustainable construction practices
• Regulatory compliance

Course Structure

The CITB SSSTS course is delivered over two consecutive days through our professional remote learning platform:

• Led by experienced instructors with extensive construction backgrounds
• Interactive sessions with fellow construction professionals
• Comprehensive digital training materials provided
• Practical scenarios and case studies
• Group discussions and knowledge-sharing opportunities

Full attendance across both days is required to qualify for the examination. The course combines theoretical knowledge with practical application to ensure relevance to daily supervisory duties.