Construction has more fatal injuries to workers than any other industry in Great Britain, and falls from height are the most common cause. Training underpins the competence that the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and the Building Safety Act 2022 require, and it is the foundation of a safe, compliant and productive site. This training hub covers the full range of construction health and safety courses: CITB Site Safety Plus qualifications (SMSTS, SSSTS), NEBOSH Construction Certificate, CDM, building safety, temporary works, asbestos, working at height, confined spaces, scaffolding, IPAF, PASMA, CPCS plant operations, NRSWA street works and Construction NVQs. Classroom, online instructor-led and e-learning options are available for operatives, supervisors and managers at every level.
Training areas
CITB courses
Construction Industry Training Board / Site Safety Plus
CITB Site Safety Plus qualifications are the industry standard for construction health and safety. SMSTS and SSSTS certificates are recognised by principal contractors across the UK and are widely required for supervisors and managers on major projects. Courses range from the one-day Health and Safety Awareness course for operatives through to the five-day SMSTS for site managers.
NEBOSH Construction Certificate
NEBOSH / Work at Height Regs 2005 / CDM 2015
The NEBOSH Construction Certificate is the most widely recognised construction health and safety qualification in the UK. It is designed for site managers, supervisors, safety officers and anyone with responsibility for managing health and safety on construction sites. It covers construction hazards and risks, working at height, excavations, CDM duties and health risk management.
CDM training
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
CDM 2015 places legal duties on all duty holders in a construction project: clients, principal designers, designers, principal contractors and contractors. Every construction project, regardless of size or duration, must comply. Failure to meet CDM duties can result in HSE prosecution, project delays and unlimited fines. Training covers duty holder responsibilities, pre-construction planning, construction phase plans and health and safety files. CDM also requires welfare facilities on every site from the start of the construction phase; our sister site, Raybee, helps you find welfare unit hire near you.
Building safety training
Building Safety Act 2022 / Building Safety Regulator
The Building Safety Act 2022 reshaped the regulatory landscape following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, introducing the Building Safety Regulator, a gateway regime for higher-risk buildings and a dutyholder competence regime that applies to all building work in England, not just tall buildings. It sits alongside CDM 2015 rather than replacing it, and uses the same role names for separate appointments. Training covers gateways, the golden thread, Accountable Person duties, competence standards and construction product regulation.
Asbestos training
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
Asbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK, killing around 5,000 people per year. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 require anyone who may disturb asbestos-containing materials during their work to have received adequate information, instruction and training. For construction workers this is not optional, because asbestos is present in a significant proportion of buildings built before 2000.
Working at height training
Work at Height Regulations 2005
Falls from height are the leading cause of fatal injuries in the construction industry. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require all work at height to be properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people. Training covers risk assessment, equipment selection, use of MEWPs, scaffolding, ladders, harnesses and emergency procedures.
Confined spaces training
Confined Spaces Regulations 1997
Construction work frequently involves confined spaces: manholes, excavations, tunnels, tanks, ducts and service voids. The Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 require a safe system of work for any entry, carried out by trained and competent personnel. HSE warns that people have died in confined spaces while attempting to rescue others without proper training or equipment.
CPCS plant operations
Construction Plant Competence Scheme / PUWER 1998
The Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) is the recognised standard for plant operators across the UK construction industry. CPCS is one of the plant card schemes that principal contractors commonly require before operatives can operate plant on site. Categories cover appointed persons, slinger signallers, telescopic handlers, dumpers and rollers.
NRSWA street works training
New Roads and Street Works Act 1991
Street works in the public highway must be carried out under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, which requires at least one qualified supervisor and one qualified operative on site at all times. Qualifications are recorded on the Street Works Qualifications Register (SWQR). Training covers excavation, reinstatement, signing, lighting and guarding, and traffic management.
EUSR utility training
Energy & Utility Skills Register
The Energy & Utility Skills Register (EUSR) is the recognised register of training and skills for the energy and utilities industries. National Water Hygiene (the “blue card”) is required for anyone working on water industry sites in contact with the public supply, while the SHEA (Safety, Health and Environmental Awareness) passports cover site access across the water, power, gas and drainage sectors. Each scheme is recorded against the holder’s unique EUSR ID and photo card, with its own expiry date.
CCNSG safety passport
Engineering Construction Industry / CCNSG
The CCNSG Safety Passport is widely required for site access on engineering construction sites, including oil, gas, petrochemical, power generation and process plant projects. It provides a baseline health and safety competency for site access and must be renewed every three years. The Leading a Team Safely course is available for supervisors requiring additional competency evidence.
Construction NVQs
Ofqual regulated qualifications
Construction NVQs are competence-based qualifications assessed in the workplace. They are required to obtain a CSCS card at supervisory, management and senior management levels and demonstrate practical competence rather than just knowledge. Qualifications range from Level 2 trade occupations through to Level 7 Construction Senior Management.
Temporary works training
BS 5975 / Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015
Temporary works, such as excavation support, falsework, formwork, propping, façade retention and cofferdams, carry a disproportionate share of construction risk, and CDM 2015 applies to them exactly as it does to the permanent structure. BS 5975 supplies the procedural framework, including the temporary works register, design brief, design check categories and the appointment of a Temporary Works Coordinator. Most principal contractors require that appointment contractually. The two-day CITB course is the qualification for those appointed; the e-learning covers awareness for everyone else on the project.
CAT and Genny training
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 / HSG47
Striking buried services (gas, electric, water and telecoms) is one of the most common causes of serious injury and fatality in groundworks and construction. HSE guidance HSG47 says that anyone using a cable avoidance tool (CAT) and signal generator (Genny) to locate buried services should be trained in their use before breaking ground.
Who should attend
Why construction health and safety training matters
Legal duty
CDM 2015, the Building Safety Act 2022, the Work at Height Regulations, Control of Asbestos Regulations and the Health and Safety at Work Act all place explicit training obligations on construction employers and duty holders. Non-compliance carries unlimited fines, prohibition notices and prosecution.
Save lives
Construction has more fatal injuries to workers than any other industry in Great Britain. Falls from height, being struck by moving objects, and contact with buried services are the most common causes. Training directly prevents these incidents.
Win more contracts
SMSTS, SSSTS, CCNSG and CPCS qualifications are required for site access and tender pre-qualification across most major construction programmes. Training ensures your workforce can meet contractor and client requirements.
Demonstrate due diligence
Following a site incident, documented training records are a key element of any legal defence. Courts and HSE inspectors expect to see evidence that risks were assessed and that workers received appropriate training.
Reduce delays & costs
HSE prohibition notices and site shutdowns following incidents cost far more than training. A well-trained workforce also works more efficiently, with fewer accidents, less downtime and lower insurance premiums.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between SMSTS and SSSTS?
SSSTS (Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme) is a two-day CITB course aimed at first-line supervisors with direct responsibility for site operatives. SMSTS (Site Management Safety Training Scheme) is a five-day course for site managers, project managers, agents and surveyors. Both are valid for five years, and the shorter refresher must be completed before the certificate expires, otherwise the full course has to be retaken. SMSTS is widely expected of site managers, but it is not on its own a route to a CSCS card: the manager-level cards are based on NVQ or equivalent qualifications.
Do I need a CSCS card to work on a construction site?
Most principal contractors require operatives to hold a valid CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card as a condition of site access. The type of card required depends on your role and qualifications. At labourer level, the green card usually needs the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test plus the Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment or an accepted equivalent, such as the CITB Health and Safety Awareness course. Supervisory and management cards require NVQ qualifications at the appropriate level.
Is asbestos awareness training mandatory for construction workers?
Yes. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 require that anyone likely to disturb asbestos-containing materials during their work receives adequate training. For construction workers this is a practical certainty given the prevalence of asbestos in pre-2000 buildings. Failure to provide this training exposes both the worker and the employer to serious legal and health consequences.
Is the Building Safety Act the same as CDM?
No. They are separate pieces of legislation with separate duties, and the overlap causes a lot of confusion. CDM 2015 applies to the pre-construction and construction phases of every construction project. The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced a gateway regime for higher-risk buildings in England, ongoing duties for occupied buildings, and a dutyholder competence regime that applies to all building work. Confusingly, both use the titles “principal designer” and “principal contractor”, but these are separate appointments made under different regulations with different duties. The same organisation often holds both, and usually should, but each appointment has to be made deliberately. Most people working on higher-risk projects need training in both.
Which temporary works course do I need?
It depends on the role you hold, and the courses are not interchangeable. The two-day CITB Temporary Works Coordinator course is the Site Safety Plus qualification for those actually appointed as coordinator, with a certificate valid for five years and a one-day refresher to renew it. The one-day Temporary Works Supervisor course is for those checking works on site under a coordinator. The two-hour e-learning course is awareness of BS 5975 and the CDM duties, useful for designers, managers and client-side staff who need to understand the process without holding the appointment, and a reasonable way to prepare before the two-day course. Where a client or principal contractor specifies TWCTC, only the CITB course meets it.
How long does the NEBOSH Construction Certificate take?
The NEBOSH Construction Certificate typically takes around ten days of tuition spread over several weeks, followed by an open-book examination and a practical assessment. It is available in classroom and online instructor-led formats. The qualification does not expire but NEBOSH recommends periodic refresher learning to keep knowledge current with regulatory changes.
Can construction training be delivered on-site for our team?
Yes. Many construction safety courses including SMSTS, SSSTS, CDM awareness, working at height, confined spaces, CAT and Genny, and first aid can be delivered on-site at your premises or site compound. On-site delivery is often the most cost-effective option for organisations training multiple employees and allows training to be contextualised to your specific site and hazards.