Course Genie
Construction

CITB Temporary Works Supervisor (TWS) Course

Official CITB Site Safety Plus scheme. Nationally recognised certificate on completion, delivered through accredited providers.
From £199+VAT Cities 7 Need help? 0300 030 1003

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About the CITB Temporary Works Supervisor (TWS) Course

The CITB Temporary Works Supervisor course, often shortened to TWS, is a 1-day course for people who supervise temporary works on a construction site. It is part of the CITB Site Safety Plus scheme and, like the coordinator course, is built around BS 5975, the British Standard code of practice for temporary works.

Temporary works are the parts of a project that support the permanent works while they are built, such as excavation support, formwork, falsework and propping. The Temporary Works Supervisor oversees specific temporary works on the ground, making sure the agreed procedures are followed and risks are controlled during day-to-day operations. The role supports the Temporary Works Coordinator, who holds overall responsibility for the process. A supervisor is usually appointed on larger sites, or where the coordinator is managing several sites at once.

This is not a general awareness course; its focus is the role and responsibilities of the supervisor under BS 5975. Anyone taking overall responsibility for temporary works should take the 2-day Temporary Works Coordinator course instead.

The certificate is valid for 5 years. To stay certified, supervisors retake the course before the certificate expires.

What the day covers in practice

The day is built around the supervisor role in the BS 5975 process, and CITB requires full attendance to take the assessment. You work through what temporary works are and how they fail, the management process the coordinator runs, and the supervisor part of it: checking that erection, use and striking follow the agreed design and method, keeping records, and knowing exactly when to stop work and escalate to the Temporary Works Coordinator. The CITB assessment closes the day. Our temporary works guide is a good plain-language primer to read before you attend.

Classroom or online TWS

Both formats carry the same CITB certificate. The online version is a live virtual classroom over Zoom or Microsoft Teams, tutor-led on a fixed date, not self-paced e-learning. Because it is a single day, TWS is one of the easiest certificates to fit around a live project: live dates and prices for both formats are listed at the top of this page.

Cost, what is included and CITB grant funding

Prices vary by venue, date and format, and the price against each date at the top of this page is the full cost of a place, including the assessment and the CITB certificate at most venues. For typical UK prices and what moves them, see our TWS course cost guide, which is updated with live prices. TWS is a CITB Site Safety Plus course, so CITB-registered employers can claim a short course grant when a delegate passes, and contractors booking several supervisors can request a group quote via our employer booking service.

How long it lasts and renewal

The TWS certificate is valid for five years. There is no separate refresher for the supervisor course: you renew by retaking the one day before your certificate expires, which also brings you up to date with any changes to BS 5975 and industry practice since your original course.

Supervisor or coordinator: getting the right course

Take TWS if you oversee specific temporary works on the ground under someone else's coordination. Take the 2-day TWC course if you hold, or are moving into, overall responsibility for the temporary works process on a project. Supervisors are not junior coordinators: the two are different appointments under BS 5975, and acting as coordinator needs the coordinator course. Many supervisors also hold SSSTS for their general supervisory duties, with TWS covering the temporary works role specifically.

New to the standard itself? Our plain English article on what BS 5975 is covers the 2024 two-part update and how the roles fit together.

Who it's for

  • Those who supervise, or are about to supervise, temporary works on site
  • Site supervisors and gangers given responsibility for specific temporary works
  • Workers who support a Temporary Works Coordinator on the ground
  • Trades and team leaders involved in formwork, falsework, propping or excavation support
  • Anyone appointed as a Temporary Works Supervisor under BS 5975
  • Supervisors on larger sites where a coordinator cannot oversee every operation
  • Groundworkers and steel fixers supervising specific temporary works
  • Sub-contractor supervisors working under a temporary works coordinator

Entry requirements

  • There is no formal entry qualification, but a construction background is assumed
  • Practical site experience relevant to temporary works is recommended
  • Prior safety training such as SSSTS is helpful but not mandatory
  • An understanding of method statements and site procedures
  • Photo identification on the day
  • Day-to-day involvement in temporary works on site

What you'll achieve

  • A CITB Temporary Works Supervisor certificate valid for 5 years
  • A clear understanding of the supervisor role under BS 5975
  • Knowledge of how the supervisor supports the Temporary Works Coordinator
  • The ability to make sure agreed temporary works procedures are followed on site
  • Confidence in controlling the risks in day-to-day temporary works operations
  • An understanding of the relevant legislation and codes of practice
  • A recognised qualification accepted by main contractors for the supervisory role
  • The ability to make sure temporary works procedures are followed correctly

What you'll learn on the CITB Temporary Works Supervisor (TWS) Course

1
BS 5975 and temporary works
How the British Standard applies to the supervision of temporary works.
2
The role of the Temporary Works Supervisor
The responsibilities of the supervisor and how the role supports the coordinator.
3
Procedures and the temporary works register
Following the agreed procedures and working to the temporary works register.
4
Risk control on site
Controlling the risks in day-to-day temporary works operations.
5
Examples of temporary works
Excavation support, formwork, falsework and propping on the ground.
6
Communication and reporting
Reporting issues to the coordinator and keeping the team informed.
7
Legislation and codes of practice
The legal framework and guidance that govern temporary works.
8
Checking and permits
The checks and permits a supervisor relies on before work proceeds.

CITB Temporary Works Supervisor (TWS) Course FAQs

A Temporary Works Supervisor, or TWS, oversees specific temporary works on the ground, making sure agreed procedures are followed and risks are controlled day to day. The role is defined in BS 5975 and supports the Temporary Works Coordinator.
The Temporary Works Supervisor course runs over one day.
The supervisor oversees specific temporary works on the ground and takes the 1-day course. The coordinator has overall responsibility for managing all temporary works on a project and takes the 2-day course. Supervisors support coordinators.
There is no formal entry requirement, but a construction background and relevant site experience are recommended. Prior safety training such as SSSTS is helpful.
The certificate is valid for 5 years.
You renew by retaking the Temporary Works Supervisor course before your certificate expires.
Yes. Many providers deliver it as a live online course, with the same content and CITB certificate as the classroom version.
Take the supervisor course if you oversee specific temporary works on the ground. Take the coordinator course if you have overall responsibility for managing and coordinating all temporary works on a project.
Prices vary by provider, location and whether you choose a classroom or online place. Compare live dates and prices at the top of this page.
Yes. The course includes a CITB assessment that you must pass to gain your Temporary Works Supervisor certificate.
A supervisor may oversee excavation support, formwork, falsework, propping or scaffolding on the ground, making sure the agreed procedures are followed during the work.
A supervisor is usually appointed on larger sites, or where the Temporary Works Coordinator is managing several sites at once and cannot oversee every operation in person.
Yes. They are separate roles. Many people take the supervisor course for a ground-level role and the coordinator course later if they move into overall responsibility for temporary works.
Yes. TWS is a CITB Site Safety Plus course, so CITB-registered employers can claim a short course grant when a delegate passes. Amounts are set by CITB for each grant scheme year and the claim is made by the employer.
BS 5975 is a code of practice rather than law, but CDM 2015 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 require temporary works to be supervised by competent people, and a current TWS certificate is how the industry expects that competence to be shown. Most principal contractors require it before you supervise temporary works on their sites.
They do different jobs. SSSTS covers general site supervision under the Site Safety Plus scheme; TWS covers the specific supervisor role in the BS 5975 temporary works process. If you supervise temporary works, contractors will normally expect TWS as well as, not instead of, your general supervisory training.
No. Supervisor and coordinator are different appointments under BS 5975. If you are asked to take overall responsibility for temporary works on a project, you need the 2-day <a href="/courses/temporary-works-coordinator/">Temporary Works Coordinator course</a>, not the supervisor course.
No. Unlike the coordinator course, TWS has no 1-day refresher variant: you renew by retaking the full course, which is itself one day, before your certificate expires.
The Temporary Works Coordinator, through the principal contractor, appoints supervisors where the scale of the project needs them: typically on larger sites, or where the coordinator covers several sites and needs eyes on the ground at each.
No. TWS is a CITB safety training certificate, not a card route. CSCS cards are earned through qualifications such as NVQs plus the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test; our <a href="/cscs-cards-guide/">CSCS cards guide</a> explains the routes.
Yes. Because it is one day, contractors often run TWS for a whole cohort of supervisors at once, either on public dates or in-company. Request a group quote through our <a href="/for-employers/">employer booking page</a>.
Photo ID, a passport or driving licence, for the identity check. For online delivery you need a webcam, a reliable connection and a quiet space for the day. Times are confirmed on your joining instructions.

Guides and resources

Temporary works and BS 5975 explained Read more What is BS 5975? The standard explained Read more Temporary Works Supervisor course cost Read more TWC vs TWS: which course do you need? Read more CITB funding for SMSTS and SSSTS in 2026 Read more
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