SSSTS Training in Sunderland – £199 Live Online

Course overview

The first time you are handed the clipboard rather than the tools, the job changes overnight. You go from doing the work to answering for it – running the morning induction, walking a new gang through the method statement, checking a scaffold tag before anyone climbs it and being the person a visiting client asks when they want to know how a task is being controlled. The CITB Site Supervisors’ Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is written for exactly that step up. This two-day course gives Sunderland supervisors, foremen, gangers and first-line managers the health and safety knowledge to lead a section of site confidently, legally and without cutting corners.

We run the SSSTS as a live online video-link class, which means you can gain the qualification from anywhere in Sunderland or across the North East without losing time to travel or parking. You join a real classroom in real time, led by a CITB-approved tutor, ask questions as they occur to you and sit the assessment on screen. If you would rather learn in person, a traditional classroom option is available as well – the certificate you earn is identical either way.

What the SSSTS Is – and How It Differs From the SMSTS

The SSSTS is the recognised safety qualification for anyone holding a supervisory role on a construction or civil engineering site. It is endorsed by CITB and recognised by the UK Contractors Group (UKCG), which is why so many principal contractors and clients across the North East insist a supervisor holds a current SSSTS before they are allowed to take charge of a work area.

It is worth being clear about the two courses that sit at the centre of the CITB Site Safety Plus scheme, because they are easy to mix up. 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 and control an entire project. If your job is to supervise a squad, a trade or a section of the works rather than run the whole site, the SSSTS is the qualification that matches your role.

Who Should Take This Course in Sunderland

The course is designed for people who direct the work of others, whether that responsibility is brand new or something you have grown into on site over the years. It is a strong fit if you are:

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

You do not need years of service behind you to attend. A large number of delegates book the SSSTS at the exact point they are promoted, so the qualification and the extra responsibility land at the same time.

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 focus stays on what you actually do – how you plan a task, brief a crew, spot a hazard and act on it – rather than theory for its own sake. Core topics include:

• The Health and Safety at Work Act and where the supervisor sits within it
• An overview of the CDM Regulations and how they shape duties on site
• Understanding, monitoring and communicating risk assessments
• Method statements and safe systems of work put into practice
• Running effective site inductions and toolbox talks
• Behavioural safety and building a positive safety culture within your team
• Managing occupational health, welfare and the common hazards found on site
• The supervisor’s role in monitoring, reporting and keeping records

Because the class is live and interactive, the sessions are built around discussion and realistic scenarios rather than a one-way lecture. You talk through the kinds of situations that come up across the North East construction sector – from riverside and city-centre regeneration to housing, commercial fit-out, logistics and civils work around the region – and you can put your own site questions to the tutor as they arise.

Structure and Assessment

The SSSTS runs over two consecutive days, each from 08:30 to 16:00, so both sessions finish comfortably by 4pm. Finishing at four gives delegates room to deal with an early handover, catch a call from site, or manage childcare and other commitments without a late finish hanging over the day.

The assessment is straightforward and holds no nasty surprises. To achieve the qualification you need to:

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

Our SSSTS courses carry a 98% pass rate, which reflects how much of the learning happens live with a tutor who keeps checking understanding as the two days progress. Engage with the sessions and the exam rarely catches anyone out.

Entry Requirements

There are no formal prerequisites, and you do not need any prior safety qualification to book. Because all of the course materials and the examination paper are delivered in English, delegates do need a good standard of spoken and written English to follow the sessions and complete the assessment. Some construction experience is helpful but not essential. For the online class you will also need a computer, laptop or tablet with a webcam and microphone – both 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 ahead of the start date.

Why Train Online From Sunderland

Sunderland and the wider Wearside area have plenty of construction and civils work on the go, from housing and regeneration schemes to commercial, industrial and infrastructure projects across the North East. When a contractor needs supervisors qualified before a job kicks off, the two things that usually slow that down are travel and lost time on site. Delivering the SSSTS by live video link removes both.

Rather than losing extra hours to a commute or an overnight stay, your supervisors log in from home, the site cabin or anywhere with a connection and learn in a genuine classroom led by a genuine tutor. It keeps delegates closer to their sites, strips out the cost and hassle of travelling, and makes it far easier to release two or three people from the same firm at the same time. For supervisors based in Sunderland, Washington, Houghton-le-Spring, Hetton-le-Hole and the surrounding towns, everyone attends the same high-quality course without anyone having to plan a journey around it.

The learning is not diluted for being remote. You see and hear the tutor live, you speak up the moment you have a question, and you sit exactly the same assessment as a classroom delegate. If you would honestly rather be in a room, the classroom option stays open – but for most North East supervisors 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 and £279 for the classroom option. That covers the full two days of tutor-led training, your course materials and the end-of-course examination. On successful completion you receive the CITB Site Safety Plus SSSTS certificate, which is valid for five years. To keep it current you take a one-day SSSTS Refresher before the certificate expires, rather than sitting the full two days again.

How to Book

Booking your SSSTS in Sunderland takes only a few minutes. Choose the live online or classroom option, pick a date that suits you and reserve your place. If you are booking for several supervisors at once, or you want to line the training up with a project starting on site, get in touch and our team will help you find suitable dates and answer any questions about the course, the technology or group arrangements.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. We deliver the SSSTS as a live online video-link class, so supervisors across Sunderland, Wearside and the wider North East can qualify from home or the site cabin without travelling. A classroom option is available too if you would prefer to attend in person.

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

The SSSTS is a two-day course. Each day runs from 08:30 to 16:00, so both days finish by 4pm. Attending both days in full is a requirement for achieving the qualification.

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 a whole site. If you supervise a team rather than run the entire project, the SSSTS is the course for you.

Is the online SSSTS recognised by contractors across the North East?

Yes. The qualification is identical however you attend. The SSSTS is endorsed by CITB and recognised by the UK Contractors Group, so the certificate is accepted by principal contractors and clients throughout Sunderland, the North East and the wider construction industry.

How much does the SSSTS course cost in Sunderland?

The live online video-link class is £199 and the classroom option is £279. The price includes the two days of tutor-led training, your course materials and the final examination.

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 it expires, rather than repeating the full two-day course.

Do I need 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 in English. Some construction experience is useful 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.