A complete guide to the CITB Site Safety Plus scheme: every course compared, the progression ladder, validity and refreshers, online options, cost and funding, and how the courses relate to CSCS cards.
The CITB Site Safety Plus (SSP) scheme is the recognised ladder of health and safety training for UK construction sites. It runs from a one-day awareness course for new operatives all the way up to the five-day site management course, with dedicated courses for temporary works and a board-level course for directors. This guide compares every Site Safety Plus course in one place, explains how they fit together, and clears up the most common confusion: how the courses relate to CSCS cards.
Site Safety Plus is run by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the body responsible for training standards in UK construction. It is a suite of short health and safety courses, each mapped to a level of responsibility on site, from new operatives through to site managers and directors. Courses are delivered by CITB-approved training providers across the UK and online, and the certificates are recognised by every major contractor. For most site roles, holding the right Site Safety Plus certificate is a condition of working on site, which is why these courses are among the most in-demand qualifications in UK construction.
Site Safety Plus is designed as a progression ladder that follows your career on site. Most people start with the Health and Safety Awareness course as a new operative, move up to SSSTS when they take on a supervisory role, and then to SMSTS when they manage a site or project. Two further routes sit alongside the main ladder: the Temporary Works courses (Temporary Works Supervisor and Temporary Works Coordinator) for anyone responsible for temporary works, and the Director's Role for Health and Safety for board-level leaders. SEATS adds site environmental awareness and can be taken at any stage.
| Course | Duration | Who it is for | Typical price | What it leads to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health & Safety Awareness (HSA) | 1 day | New site operatives | from £135 | An accepted route to the CSCS Green Labourer card (with the CITB HS&E test) |
| SEATS | 1 day | Site environmental awareness | from £165 | Environmental awareness across the site team |
| SSSTS | 2 days | First-line supervisors, foremen | from £199 | Safety knowledge for the CSCS Gold Supervisor card (card via a Level 3 NVQ plus the HS&E test) |
| SSSTS Refresher | 1 day | SSSTS holders renewing | from £159 | Renews an SSSTS certificate for another 5 years |
| SMSTS | 5 days | Site and project managers | from £439 | Safety knowledge for the CSCS Black Manager card (card via a Level 6 or 7 NVQ plus the Managers and Professionals test) |
| SMSTS Refresher | 2 days | SMSTS holders renewing | from £269 | Renews an SMSTS certificate for another 5 years |
| Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC) | 2 days | Coordinating temporary works | from £329 | Competence to coordinate temporary works under BS 5975 |
| TWC Refresher | 1 day | TWC holders renewing | from £199 | Renews a TWC certificate |
| Temporary Works Supervisor (TWS) | 1 day | Supervising temporary works | from £219 | Competence to supervise temporary works on site |
| Director's Role for Health and Safety | 1 day | Directors and senior leaders | enquire | Board-level health and safety responsibilities |
Typical prices are a guide only and vary by provider, location and date. For live dates and the current price, see the relevant course page.
There are two separate ladders in UK construction, and they are easy to confuse. The Site Safety Plus courses above are the training ladder: they prove your safety knowledge. The CSCS card colours are a separate ladder, and for most cards the card itself is earned through an NVQ plus the relevant CITB Health, Safety and Environment test, not through the safety course.
SMSTS and SSSTS can be logged in the My Skills section of the My CSCS app and are required by most main contractors, but they are not accepted as a CSCS card on their own.
Every Site Safety Plus certificate is valid for five years. To stay certified, you complete a shorter refresher before the certificate expires. SMSTS, SSSTS and the Temporary Works Coordinator course each have a dedicated refresher (the SMSTS Refresher, SSSTS Refresher and TWC Refresher); passing it extends your certificate for another five years. If a certificate lapses before you refresh, you have to retake the full course, so it is worth booking the refresher in good time. The one-day awareness courses do not have a refresher; you simply retake them when needed. If you do not pass first time, CITB re-sits usually have to be taken within 90 days of the original course.
Yes. Every Site Safety Plus course is available in two formats: in a classroom at a training centre, or as a live online course delivered over video, usually Zoom or Microsoft Teams. The content, the assessment and the CITB certificate are the same in both formats, so you can choose whichever suits your schedule. Online courses keep a tutor and a live group, so they are interactive rather than self-paced, and they cover exactly the same syllabus as the classroom version.
Prices vary by provider, location and format. As a guide, the Health and Safety Awareness course starts from around £135, SSSTS from around £199, and SMSTS from around £439; the comparison table above shows a typical starting price for each course. Funding for these short courses changed in January 2026. The old CITB grant for Site Safety Plus short courses ended, and support now runs through CITB Employer Networks instead. CITB-registered employers who are up to date with their levy may be able to access funding towards courses such as SMSTS and SSSTS through their local Employer Network. Rates are set by CITB and change, so check the current position with CITB or ask us before you book.
Site Safety Plus is a suite of short health and safety courses run by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). Each course is mapped to a level of responsibility on site, from new operatives up to site managers and directors, and the certificates are recognised by every major UK contractor.
It depends on your role. New operatives take the Health and Safety Awareness course, supervisors take SSSTS, and site or project managers take SMSTS. Anyone working with temporary works takes the Temporary Works Supervisor or Coordinator course, and directors take the Director's Role for Health and Safety. The comparison table above maps each course to its role.
SSSTS is a 2-day course for first-line supervisors, while SMSTS is a 5-day course for site and project managers. SSSTS covers supervising a team and monitoring safe systems of work; SMSTS covers planning and managing site safety across a whole project. Supervisors moving into management usually take SMSTS within a year of stepping up.
The Health and Safety Awareness course is the entry-level course for operatives working as part of a team. Once you are responsible for supervising other people, you need SSSTS. If you only work alongside others rather than directing them, the awareness course is usually sufficient.
Yes. Every Site Safety Plus certificate is valid for five years. For SMSTS, SSSTS and the Temporary Works Coordinator course you complete a shorter refresher before the certificate expires to extend it for another five years. If it lapses first, you have to retake the full course.
Yes. Every Site Safety Plus course is available either in a classroom or as a live online course delivered over video. The content, the assessment and the CITB certificate are identical in both formats, so you can choose whichever suits your schedule.
Prices vary by provider, location and format. As a guide, the Health and Safety Awareness course starts from around £135, SSSTS from around £199, and SMSTS from around £439. The comparison table above shows a typical starting price for each course; open the course page for live dates and the current price.
Funding for these short courses changed in January 2026. The old CITB grant for Site Safety Plus short courses ended, and support now runs through CITB Employer Networks instead. CITB-registered employers who are up to date with their levy may be able to access funding towards courses such as SMSTS and SSSTS through their local Employer Network. Rates are set by CITB and change, so check the current position with CITB or ask us before you book.
Not on their own, with one exception. The Health and Safety Awareness course is an accepted route to the CSCS Green Labourer card alongside the CITB Health, Safety and Environment test. SSSTS and SMSTS prove the safety knowledge employers expect, but the Gold and Black cards are earned through an NVQ (a Level 3 for Gold, a Level 6 or Level 7 for Black) plus the relevant CITB test, not through the safety course.
Follow your career. Most people start with the Health and Safety Awareness course as an operative, move to SSSTS when they supervise a team, and then to SMSTS when they manage a site. The Temporary Works and Director courses are taken when your role requires them, rather than in a fixed order.