Who Needs SMSTS? A Guide to Who the Course Is For

Who Needs an SMSTS Course

Who needs SMSTS is one of the first questions people ask before they book, usually because job titles in construction vary so much between companies that it is not always obvious whether a particular role qualifies. The short version is that if you hold or are moving into a site management role with responsibility for planning, organising, monitoring or controlling work on a construction site, SMSTS is likely to be relevant to you. This guide sets out exactly which roles need it, whether it is a legal requirement, and how to tell if SMSTS is the right course for your situation rather than a different one.

The Roles SMSTS Is Built For

SMSTS stands for the Site Management Safety Training Scheme, and the name is a fairly literal description of who it is for. It is aimed at anyone holding or moving into a site management position, which in practice covers a wider range of job titles than people expect:

• Site managers and assistant site managers, who carry day-to-day responsibility for what happens on site.
• Project managers and site agents overseeing a build from planning through to completion.
• Contracts managers and senior supervisors who control multiple work packages or teams rather than a single crew.
• Self-employed contractors who take on site management responsibilities rather than working solely as tradespeople.
• Facilities and refurbishment managers who have responsibility for overseeing construction or refurbishment work.

Is SMSTS Legally Mandatory

SMSTS is not a legal requirement in the UK. It is a CITB Site Safety Plus training scheme designed for people with site management responsibilities. However, it is widely recognised across the UK construction industry and is commonly requested by employers and principal contractors for site management roles. Whether SMSTS is required will depend on the employer, principal contractor and specific project requirements.

Industries Where SMSTS Comes Up Most Often

SMSTS can be relevant across a wide range of UK construction environments, including building, civil engineering, refurbishment, housebuilding and other projects where managers are responsible for planning, organising, monitoring and controlling work on site. The exact training requirements can vary depending on the role, employer and type of project, particularly where specialist or higher-risk activities are involved. If your work involves coordinating people, plant and materials in any of these environments, SMSTS may be relevant to your role even if your job title does not include the word manager.

SMSTS or SSSTS: How to Tell Which One You Need

The most common mix-up is between SMSTS and its shorter counterpart, SSSTS, the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme. The two are not interchangeable, and which one applies to you comes down to the level of responsibility you hold rather than the industry you work in. As a rough guide, if you hold overall management responsibility for a site, a project, or multiple teams, SMSTS is the appropriate course. If you supervise a single team or crew and report up to a site manager rather than managing the site yourself, SSSTS is usually the better fit and is a shorter, less intensive course to match that level of responsibility. Some supervisors do go on to take SMSTS later as they move into management, and there is no requirement to hold SSSTS first.

Does SMSTS Give You a CSCS Manager Card?

No. SMSTS is a site management health and safety training scheme and is not, by itself, a qualification for obtaining a CSCS Manager card. CSCS has separate requirements for its different types of cards.

However, completing SMSTS can still be valuable for construction professionals because it demonstrates health and safety management training. Where applicable, the achievement can also be recorded through the CSCS system.

If you are applying for a CSCS Manager card, check the current CSCS requirements for the specific card you need rather than assuming that an SMSTS certificate alone is sufficient.

What If You Are Not There Yet

You do not need to already hold a management title to take SMSTS. Plenty of people book the course while working toward a promotion rather than after receiving one, precisely because holding the certificate in advance makes them a stronger candidate when a management position opens up. If you are working in a supervisory role now but know site management is where you are heading, there is a reasonable argument for taking SMSTS earlier rather than waiting until a new title forces the issue. It can demonstrate to employers that you are preparing for the responsibilities of site management before formally moving into the role.

Why It Is Worth Taking Even When It Is Not Strictly Required

Even in roles where SMSTS is not an absolute condition of employment, there are good reasons to hold it anyway. It may widen the range of roles and projects you can be considered for, as some employers and principal contractors expect management-level staff to hold appropriate site safety training. It also gives you a working understanding of the legal responsibilities that come with managing a site, which matters just as much for protecting yourself as it does for protecting the people working under you. For self-employed contractors in particular, holding SMSTS can help demonstrate that they have appropriate training for taking on management responsibilities and may support their applications for larger construction projects.

If you are still not sure whether your role fits, our team can talk through your specific situation and confirm whether the full SMSTS course, SSSTS, or another qualification entirely is the better starting point.

What Happens If Someone Without SMSTS Takes On the Role Anyway

SMSTS is not a legal licence to operate as a site manager, so holding the certificate is not a statutory requirement for every site management role. However, individual employers and principal contractors may require SMSTS as part of their site or role requirements. For this reason, checking the training requirements before accepting a site management position or contract is important. The course is designed to help managers understand their health and safety responsibilities and the legal and practical considerations involved in managing work on site.

For employers, this cuts both ways. Promoting someone into a site management role without first checking the project’s training requirements can create an avoidable issue if an employer, principal contractor or client requires evidence of appropriate management-level training. Checking the training requirements as part of the promotion process allows new site managers to complete any required training before or as they take on their new responsibilities.

Frequently Asked Questions