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CITB SSSTS Refresher Classroom Course

The CITB SSSTS Refresher (SSSTS-R) is the one-day course that renews an existing Site Supervisors’ Safety Training Scheme certificate for a further five years. It is the standard route to SSSTS renewal for supervisors whose certificate is approaching its five-year expiry, and forms part of the CITB Site Safety Plus programme.

Delivered face to face at venues across the UK, the refresher brings supervisors up to date on changes to health and safety legislation, CDM Regulations and current industry practice since their original certificate was awarded. Because SSSTS is required by BuildUK for supervisors on their members’ sites, letting a certificate lapse can take a supervisor off site until it is reinstated.

Course Details

  • Duration: 1 day (minimum 7 hours training plus exam)
  • Format: Classroom or online instructor-led
  • Awarding Body: CITB
  • Qualification Validity: 5 years from date of award
  • Prerequisite: A current, in-date SSSTS certificate
  • Suitable for: Site supervisors renewing an existing SSSTS qualification

Prices vary by provider, location and delivery format. Use the course search below to compare dates and fees.

Find SSSTS Refresher Classroom Courses

 

What is the SSSTS Refresher course?

The SSSTS Refresher (SSSTS-R) is a one-day CITB course that renews an existing SSSTS certificate for a further five years. Rather than repeating the full two-day syllabus, it concentrates on what has changed — new and amended legislation, revised approved codes of practice and current industry guidance — and refreshes the core duties of a site supervisor.

It forms part of the CITB Site Safety Plus programme and leads to the same Site Safety Plus certificate as the full course.

When should I book my SSSTS Refresher?

Book while your current certificate is still valid. The refresher must be completed before the expiry date printed on your SSSTS certificate, and there is no grace period once that date has passed.

In practice it is worth booking a few months ahead. Leaving it until the final weeks limits you to whatever dates and venues happen to remain, and a one-day course is easier to fit around site commitments when you have a choice of dates.

What happens if my SSSTS certificate has already expired?

If your certificate has lapsed you are no longer eligible for the one-day refresher and must retake the full two-day SSSTS course to regain certification.

That is the difference between one day and two, at a correspondingly higher cost and with more time away from site. Check the expiry date on your certificate before assuming the refresher is open to you.

Who can attend the SSSTS Refresher?

The refresher is open only to delegates who hold a current, in-date SSSTS certificate awarded on completion of the full two-day course. Typically that means:

  • Site supervisors and team leaders
  • First-line managers and forepersons
  • Those with day-to-day responsibility for overseeing health and safety on site
  • Supervisors working towards the SMSTS qualification who need to keep SSSTS current in the meantime
What evidence do I need to provide when booking?

You will normally need to supply proof of your original SSSTS certification, along with the training venue and course date if you have them. Providers use this to confirm eligibility before accepting the booking.

Bring your current valid CITB certificate with you on the first day as well. Failure to produce it may result in not being allowed to complete the course, and some providers ask for a copy at the point of booking.

What does the SSSTS Refresher course cover?

The day concentrates on updating existing knowledge rather than teaching the syllabus from scratch:

  • Recent health and safety legislation and updates
  • Supervisor responsibilities and current best practice
  • CDM Regulations and duty holder responsibilities
  • Risk assessments and method statements
  • Toolbox talks and site inductions
  • Behavioural safety and leadership on site
  • Monitoring and reviewing health and safety performance

Delegates leave able to apply current legislation and guidance on their own sites, and to demonstrate continued competence to employers and principal contractors.

What is the difference between SSSTS and the SSSTS Refresher?

SSSTS is the full two-day course that awards the qualification for the first time. It is open to anyone in a supervisory role and has no formal entry requirement.

The SSSTS Refresher is one day, open only to those already holding an in-date certificate, and focuses on what has changed since it was awarded. Both lead to the same CITB Site Safety Plus certificate, valid for five years. If you have never held SSSTS, or your certificate has expired, the full course is the one you need.

How is the SSSTS Refresher assessed?

Assessment is continuous throughout the day via individual and group exercises, followed by a CITB multiple-choice examination at the end of the course. There is no pre-course assignment or written submission.

Re-sit arrangements are set by the individual training provider rather than centrally, so check the policy and any additional fee at the time of booking. If your certificate is close to expiry this is worth asking about before you book, since a delay could push you past the renewal date.

SSSTS Refresher certification

Successful delegates are awarded a new CITB Site Safety Plus certificate:

  • Validity: 5 years from date of award
  • Awarded by: CITB

The new five years runs from the date of the refresher, not from the expiry of your previous certificate.

Can my employer claim CITB funding towards the SSSTS Refresher?

Construction employers registered with the CITB Levy may be able to offset part of the course cost. From January 2026, short course funding moved from the old direct grant model to CITB Employer Networks.

To allow claims to be processed, delegates should take their employer’s Levy Number with them and enter it on the relevant section of the course paperwork. Retrospective claims may not be accepted, so it is worth confirming eligibility with your training or HR manager before booking rather than afterwards.

SSSTS Refresher prerequisites
  • A current, in-date SSSTS certificate, with evidence provided
  • Full attendance throughout the day
  • Valid photographic ID for all delegates
  • A good understanding of written and spoken English — translators are not permitted to attend
  • Written parental consent for any delegate under 18

Failure to provide the required identification or certificate on the day is likely to result in not being allowed to attend or complete the training.

Find an SSSTS Refresher course near me

SSSTS Refresher courses run at venues across the UK. If you are looking for an SSSTS Refresher course near you, use the search on this page to filter by county, town or postcode, and set a radius that suits how far you are willing to travel. If your certificate is close to expiry it is worth widening the radius or considering the live online option, since either may get you a date sooner than waiting for a classroom course locally. Nothing suitable showing? Contact us and we will let you know when something becomes available in your area.

View all classroom dates and online instructor-led dates.

CITB SSSTS Refresher Online Instructor-Led Course

The CITB SSSTS Refresher online instructor-led course is a live virtual version of the one-day Site Supervisors’ Safety Training Scheme Refresher, delivered remotely by a CITB-approved tutor via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. It follows the same CITB Site Safety Plus syllabus as classroom training and leads to the same five-year SSSTS certificate.

This is not self-paced e-learning. It is live, interactive training with a qualified tutor, where delegates ask questions and engage with the group in real time, exactly as they would in a classroom. For supervisors renewing a certificate around site commitments, it removes travel entirely.

Course Details

  • Format: Live online instructor-led training
  • Duration: 1 day, or 2 sessions of approximately 3.5 hours
  • Awarding Body: CITB
  • Qualification Validity: 5 years from date of award
  • Platform: Zoom or Microsoft Teams
  • Prerequisite: A current, in-date SSSTS certificate
  • Equipment needed: PC or laptop with webcam, microphone and stable internet

Prices vary by provider and delivery format. Use the course search below to compare dates and fees.

View SSSTS Refresher Online Course Dates

 

What is the SSSTS Refresher online instructor-led course?

The online refresher allows site supervisors to renew their SSSTS certificate remotely with a live qualified instructor. Sessions are delivered by video conferencing and follow the same CITB Site Safety Plus syllabus as classroom training, leading to the same certificate.

This is not self-paced e-learning. It is live training where delegates participate in real time, ask questions and engage with the tutor throughout, exactly as they would in a classroom setting.

Is the online refresher the same as the classroom course?

Yes, in every respect that matters. The syllabus, assessment and certification are set by CITB, not by where the course is held. A delegate completing the refresher online receives exactly the same Site Safety Plus certificate, valid for the same five years, as one who attends in person.

The differences are practical rather than substantive: no travel, no venue, and the assessment is invigilated over video rather than in a room.

How is the online course scheduled?

Providers run the refresher either as a single full day or split into two sessions of around three and a half hours, usually on consecutive days or across a week.

The split format suits supervisors who cannot be away from site for a whole day, since each session takes up half a day rather than all of it. Which options are available depends on the provider, so check the dates listing before booking.

Why choose the online refresher?
  • Renew from home, the site office or anywhere with a stable connection
  • Learn from a live CITB-approved instructor in real time
  • No travel, accommodation or venue costs
  • Small groups, with a maximum of five delegates per trainer at assessment
  • The same CITB certificate as classroom training, valid for five years
  • Split-session options for supervisors who cannot lose a full day
  • Suits dispersed teams renewing several certificates at once
What equipment do I need for the online course?
  • Device: A PC or laptop with webcam and microphone. Mobile phones and tablets are not suitable
  • Connection: Stable internet. Connection quality is the delegate’s responsibility
  • Environment: A quiet space where you can concentrate and be heard
  • Camera: You must be able to remain visible on webcam for the full duration

Joining instructions, including setup guidance, are issued in advance of the course start date.

How does the online exam work?
  • ID check: Photographic identification is verified before the assessment begins
  • Invigilation: The exam is invigilated over video, with a maximum of five delegates per trainer
  • Private space: You must be alone in the room during the assessment
  • Camera on: You must remain visible on webcam throughout
  • Exam format: Open book for the final 10 minutes only — notes are not permitted before then

Re-sit arrangements are set by the individual training provider, so check the policy and any additional fee at the time of booking.

Course materials and publications

Construction Site Supervision (GE706) is the mandatory course manual for the SSSTS Refresher, and delegates must retain their own copy after training. Download versions are available where physical copies cannot be supplied.

Some training providers do not include workbooks in the advertised course fee. Check at the time of booking, or call us on 0808 1966 830 and we will confirm what is included before you commit.

Who can attend the online refresher?

The same eligibility rules apply as for the classroom course. You must hold a current, in-date SSSTS certificate and be able to provide proof of it.

If your certificate has already expired you are not eligible for the refresher in either format, and must retake the full two-day SSSTS course instead. Check the expiry date before booking.

Online or classroom — which should I choose?

Both lead to the same CITB certificate, so the decision is practical rather than about the qualification.

Online suits supervisors who would otherwise travel a distance, teams spread across several sites, and anyone who would rather split the day into two shorter sessions. It also tends to cost less once travel is accounted for.

Classroom suits those who prefer face-to-face learning, would rather be away from site interruptions, or do not have a suitable quiet space and equipment at home.

Compare classroom dates and venues if you would rather attend in person.

Can my employer claim CITB funding towards the online refresher?

The online instructor-led refresher is CITB-approved and qualifies for the same employer funding as classroom training. Construction employers registered with the CITB Levy may be able to offset part of the cost through CITB Employer Networks, the funding model that replaced direct grants from January 2026.

Delegates should take their employer’s Levy Number and enter it on the relevant section of the course paperwork, as retrospective claims may not be accepted.

When are online SSSTS Refresher courses available?

Online instructor-led refreshers run regularly throughout the year, and because they are not tied to a venue there is usually more choice of dates than for classroom sessions. That matters if your certificate is close to expiry.

View upcoming online course dates and fees.

Training more than one person on this course?

If you have a group to put through this course, it can be delivered at your own premises or a venue near you, on a date that suits your shift patterns. No travel, no overnight stays, and priced for the group rather than per person — which usually works out cheaper per head than booking individual places.

Tell us the numbers and roughly where you are, and we will come back with a written quote. Purchase orders and invoicing welcome.

Get a group quote