SMSTS – A Must Have CITB Course!

An increasingly popular course, the SMSTS runs over five days, as either a consecutive block or a weekly day release course. The Block SMSTS is best suited for delegates who need to complete the course in a short space of time in order to meet a specific deadline. In addition the block course is well suited to those delegates whose sites have scheduled breaks occurring.

The day release SMSTS course works well for those whose schedules are too busy to allow them to take an entire week off. By completing the course over one day a week, it allows delegates to fit their learning around prior work commitments.

The SMSTS course is aimed construction business owners, managers and supervisors. Delegates may be working permanently on a specific site, working on one off bespoke projects or be developing their employability profiles. The SMSTS is of particular interest to site managers as it is cited in the CDM regulations as proof that the manager sufficiently meets the required standard.

The SMSTS course covers the following key aspects in managing an effective and safe site:
• Site set up.
• Health and Safety at work act.
• CDM Regulations 2007 (Construction Design Management Regulations).
• Risk Assessments
• Method Statements

The SMSTS course also addresses safety awareness in a range of working conditions including:
• Woking at Height including scaffolding
• Electricity
• Confined Spaces
• Excavations and demolitions

Although one of the main aims of the SMSTS course if to prevent accidents, the course also covers how to adhere to the current legislation on construction site incidents:
• RIDDOR (Current legislation on site accident at work and how to deal and log them correctly).
As the 5 day SMSTS course is so comprehensive in its coverage it also includes :
• Recent changes in accepted working practices – so delegates will be up to date.

Generally the SMSTS course emphasises that good communication and preventative measures
are the best approach to keeping a construction site safe.

The SMSTS course is assessed primarily by a multiple choice paper at the end of the 5 days. However in addition to this throughout the course the assessors provide both group work and individual tasks which offer opportunities to gauge the learning of the delegate and address any areas necessary.

The SMSTS course certificate lasts for 5 years, after which time the delegate would need to complete an SMSTS Refresher within 6 months of the original certificate running out. It is useful to note that if the refresher is not completed within this prescribed time the full 5 day course needs to be redone!

Conveniently for those that wish to complete the SMSTS course, there are many training providers all over the UK that offer either the 5 day block or 5 day release option.

In terms of career progression there are a numbers of courses that delegates can complete once they have attained the SMSTS course to further their learning. These include either the NEBOSH National General Certificate or the NEBOSH Construction Certificate.

As a CITB regulated course, the SMSTS is recognised across the UK as the national standard for Site Managers, which makes it a must have course for any managers Curriculum Vitae.