What Does
Site Management Safety Training Scheme Mean?
The Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) is a training course offered in the United Kingdom that equips construction professionals with the skills and knowledge required for maintaining a safe and healthy work environment. It also prepares its trainees to comply with safety regulations, such as the Health and Safety Act 1974.
The SMSTS certificate is issued by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). The course is recognized by the United Kingdom Contractors Group (UKCG) as meeting the required standard for all managers who work on UKCG sites.
Safeopedia Explains Site Management Safety Training Scheme
The Construction Industry Training Board's Site Management Safety Training Scheme is a five-day course designed for construction professionals such as project managers, site managers, and supervisors. It is specifically aimed at those who are responsible for planning, organizing, monitoring, and administering the workforce.
The Objective of the SMSTS Course
The objective of the SMSTS course is to impart site managers with the ability to:
- Manage health and safety in accordance with current legal requirements
- Understand their responsibility and accountability for the welfare of everyone on the site
- Recognize the economy, efficiency, and productivity of a site where safety is a priority
- Be aware of the health, safety, and environmental regulations that apply to their site
- Adhere to industry best practices
Contents of the SMSTS Course
The five-day course covers:
- Health and safety law, along with Construction, Design and Management (CDM) regulations
- Safety policies, risk assessments, and method statements
- Onboarding and training
- Leadership, communication, and worker engagement
- Hazard control, accident reporting, and incident investigation
- Statutory forms, notices, and registers
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations
- Electrical and fire safety
- Driver safety
- Confined space safety
- Working at heights, scaffolding, and fall arrest systems
SMSTS Assessment and Exam
According to Appendix G of CITB's SMSTS rules, delegates are certified only after:
- Completing all four core exercises
- Passing the trainer review
- Passing the end-of-course exam
The examination consists of 25 questions selected by CITB. Eighteen of the questions are multiple choice, worth one point each; the remaining seven require brief written answers and are worth two points each. To pass, a candidate must earn 26 points out of a possible 32 (an 81% score or higher).
Candidates who fail the exam can take it again provided they scored at least 72% and have met the other two requirements of the SMSTS.
Upon completion of the program, the trainer assigns a pass/fail result to each participant based on their performance in the overall course.
The CITB SMSTS certificate remains valid for five years, after which a refresher course is required.