SSSTS Training in Newcastle upon Tyne – £199 Live Online

Course overview

On any given morning across Tyneside there is a supervisor standing at the gate running the induction, walking a new starter through the site rules and making the call on whether a job is safe to begin. That responsibility rarely comes with much fanfare, but it carries real legal weight, and contractors want proof that the person holding it knows what they are doing. The CITB Site Supervisors’ Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is that proof. It is a two-day course built for the supervisors, gangers, foremen and first-line managers who direct work on the ground, and we deliver it as a live online video-link class so you can qualify from anywhere in Newcastle upon Tyne or the wider North East without giving up two days to travel.

You join a genuine tutor-led classroom in real time, take part in the discussion, ask questions as they occur to you and sit the assessment on screen. Nothing about the qualification is watered down for being delivered remotely. If you would rather attend in person, a traditional classroom option is available too, and it leads to exactly the same certificate.

What the SSSTS Is, and What It Is Not

The SSSTS is the recognised entry-level safety qualification for anyone with a supervisory role on a construction or civil engineering site. It sits within the CITB Site Safety Plus scheme, is endorsed by CITB and is recognised by the UK Contractors Group (UKCG). That recognition is exactly why so many principal contractors and clients working across Newcastle and the North East name a current SSSTS as a minimum requirement for supervisory staff before they are allowed on site.

It is worth being clear about the difference between the two best-known Site Safety Plus courses, because delegates sometimes book the wrong one. The SSSTS is a two-day course for supervisors and team leaders. The SMSTS, the Site Management Safety Training Scheme, is the longer five-day course aimed at site managers and agents who plan, organise and control an entire site. If your job is to supervise a squad, a trade or a section of the works rather than to run the whole project, the SSSTS is the qualification you need. Booking the two-day course saves you three days you do not need to spend, and gives you precisely the level of certification your role calls for.

Who Should Take This Course

This course is written for the person who stands between the site manager and the workforce, the one who has to turn the safety plan into what actually happens on the ground. It is a strong fit if you are:

• A site supervisor, ganger, chargehand or foreman on a Newcastle or North East site
• A first-line manager or team leader who has stepped up from the tools
• A tradesperson about to take on supervisory duties for the first time
• Responsible for running site inductions, toolbox talks and daily briefings
• Expected to monitor risk assessments and method statements day to day
• Working anywhere across Tyneside and asked by a main contractor or client to hold a current SSSTS
• An employer wanting to raise the safety competence of newly promoted supervisors

You do not need years behind you to attend. A good number of delegates book the SSSTS at the exact moment they are promoted, so the certificate and the new responsibility land together, and they walk onto their next job already holding what the contractor expects to see.

What the Course Covers

Across the two days your CITB-approved tutor works through the legal duties and the practical safety skills a supervisor is expected to apply on site. The emphasis stays on what you actually do — planning a task, briefing a team, spotting a hazard and acting on it — rather than theory for its own sake. Core topics include:

• Health and safety law and where the supervisor’s legal responsibilities sit within it
• The supervisor’s role in maintaining a safe site and building a positive safety culture
• Understanding, monitoring and communicating risk assessments
• Method statements and safe systems of work put into practice
• Delivering effective site inductions and toolbox talks
• Recognising hazards, monitoring the site and knowing when work needs to stop
• Communicating safety information clearly to a workforce
• The supervisor’s part in monitoring, reporting and record keeping

Because the class is live and interactive, the sessions are shaped around discussion and real-world scenarios rather than a one-way lecture. You are encouraged to bring the situations you meet on your own site into the room, so that by the end you can translate the learning straight into practice rather than filing it away. For supervisors used to the mix of work around the region — from city-centre commercial and student accommodation schemes to housing, industrial units and civil engineering across the North East — the discussion connects to the kind of jobs you actually run.

Course Structure and Assessment

The SSSTS runs across two consecutive days, each from 08:30 to 16:00, so both sessions finish comfortably by 4pm. That timing gives delegates room to deal with an early handover on site or manage childcare and other commitments without a late finish hanging over the day. It is delivered over a genuine video link, so you learn in real time from a qualified instructor who is present throughout to answer questions and work through examples with the group, just as they would in a physical classroom.

Assessment is straightforward and holds no surprises. To achieve the qualification you need to:

• Attend both days in full and take part in the group exercises and discussions
• Complete the short activities and knowledge checks during the sessions
• Pass a multiple-choice examination at the end of the course

Our SSSTS courses carry a 98% pass rate, and that figure comes directly from how the material is taught. The tutor works through it with you, ties it to real site situations and keeps checking understanding as the course progresses, rather than leaving everything to a final cram. Engage with the two days and the exam holds very little to fear.

On successful completion you receive the CITB Site Safety Plus SSSTS certificate, which is valid for five years. To keep it current you complete a one-day SSSTS Refresher before the expiry date, rather than sitting the full two days again. The refresher updates your knowledge in line with any changes to legislation and best practice and renews the certificate for a further five years.

Entry Requirements

There are no formal prerequisites and no prior safety qualification is needed to attend. The one requirement to be aware of is language: because the course materials and the examination paper are delivered in English, all delegates need a good standard of spoken and written English to follow the sessions and complete the assessment fully. Some experience in the construction industry helps you put the content in context, but it is not mandatory. For the live online class you will also need a computer, laptop or tablet with a webcam and microphone, both of which are built into most modern devices, along with a reasonably stable internet connection. If you have ever joined a video call, you already have everything you need, and we send clear joining instructions in advance. If you are unsure whether the course is right for you, contact our team before booking and we will happily advise.

Why Train Online from Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle and the wider North East have plenty going on across construction, from commercial and residential development in and around the city to industrial, logistics and civil engineering work stretching out across Tyneside and beyond. Demand for supervisors who hold a current SSSTS is steady, and taking a competent person off site for two days to travel to a fixed venue is rarely convenient for anyone, least of all when they are needed on the job.

Delivering the SSSTS as a live online class removes that friction. Supervisors anywhere in Newcastle upon Tyne and across the North East can qualify from a laptop at home, in the site cabin or wherever suits, with no commute across town, no parking to hunt for and no travel costs to claim back. A firm with people spread across several sites can put two or three of them through the same course without everyone converging on one location on the same morning. You still get the full live experience: a real tutor teaching in real time, group discussion and the chance to raise your own questions as they come up.

Crucially, the learning is not diluted for being remote. You see and hear the tutor live, you speak up whenever you need to, and you sit the same assessment as a classroom delegate for the same nationally recognised certificate that contractors across the region accept. For most supervisors in the North East the live online route is simply the more practical way to get certified.

Pricing

Our CITB SSSTS course is £199 for the live online video-link class, which is the option most Newcastle supervisors choose for its convenience and value, and £279 for the classroom option if you would prefer to attend in person. Both routes cover the full two days of tutor-led training, your course materials and the end-of-course examination, and both lead to exactly the same CITB-recognised SSSTS certificate, valid for five years. The only real difference between them is how you attend. There are no hidden extras.

How to Book

Booking your SSSTS in Newcastle upon Tyne takes only a few minutes. Choose the live online or classroom option, pick a date that suits you and reserve your place online. If you are arranging training for several supervisors, or you want to line the course up with a project start on site, get in touch and our team will help you find dates that work and answer any questions about the course, the technology or group arrangements. With demand for qualified supervisors across the North East holding steady, booking ahead is the surest way to secure the date you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to travel to a venue in Newcastle to attend?

No. We deliver the SSSTS as a live online video-link class, so supervisors across Newcastle upon Tyne and the North East can qualify from home or the site office without travelling. You learn in a real, tutor-led classroom in real time. A classroom option is available as well if you would prefer to attend in person.

Is the online SSSTS recognised by contractors in Newcastle and the North East?

Yes. The qualification is exactly the same however you attend. The SSSTS is endorsed by CITB and recognised by the UK Contractors Group (UKCG), so the certificate is accepted by principal contractors and clients across Newcastle, Tyneside and the wider construction industry as evidence that a supervisor holds the required health and safety competence.

What is the difference between the SSSTS and the SMSTS?

The SSSTS is a two-day course for supervisors, team leaders and first-line managers who oversee a section of the work. The SMSTS is a five-day course for site managers and agents who plan and control an entire site. If you supervise a team rather than run the whole project, the SSSTS is the right course for you.

How long is the course and what time does it finish each day?

The SSSTS is a two-day course. Each day runs live from 08:30 to 16:00, so both days finish by 4pm. Attending both days in full is a requirement for achieving the qualification, so it is worth setting the time aside clear of site commitments.

How much does the SSSTS course cost?

The live online video-link class is £199 and the classroom option is £279. The price includes the full two days of tutor-led training, your course materials and the final examination. Both options lead to the same CITB-recognised certificate.

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

The CITB SSSTS certificate is valid for five years. To keep it current you complete a one-day SSSTS Refresher course before your certificate expires, rather than repeating the full two-day course.

Do I need any experience or qualifications before booking?

There are no formal entry requirements and no prior safety qualification is needed. You do need a good standard of spoken and written English, as the materials and exam are delivered in English. Some construction experience is helpful but not essential, which is why many delegates take the SSSTS just as they move into a supervisory role.

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.