Employers often require those in site supervisory roles to hold a valid SSSTS certification, which are CITB-accredited qualifications recognised across the UK construction sector.
Upon completing your CITB Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) course, delegates will receive an e-certificate valid for 5 years from the course date, after which it will expire if the holder hasn’t taken a refresher course beforehand.
Allowing your SSSTS qualification to lapse will mean, unfortunately, that you’ll need to retake the original course in full before you’ll be able to reinstate your certification – which is why scheduling a one-day CITB SSSTS Refresher Course in good time is strongly advisable. Ensuring you have up-to-date knowledge of any changes to regulations, legislation or best practices.
To address some of the many queries we receive at Kentec Training about SSSTS certification, we’ve compiled this concise guide to explain how long SSSTS certificates last, how long the course itself takes, and what to expect from the recertification process.
What Is an SSSTS Certificate?
The SSSTS qualification is accredited by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). It is a course designed for construction site supervisors, team leaders, and anyone else taking on supervisory responsibilities – such as foremen and line managers.
Over a two-day schedule, the course ensures delegates have practical knowledge of:
- Health and safety legislation and its relevance in construction
- Risk assessments and method statements (RAMS)
- Their supervisory responsibilities on-site
- Communications and managing behavioural safety
- Monitoring safety and compliance performance
Part of the reason SSSTS certification is so important is that it focuses on real-world site conditions and risk management – which is why it’s typically required in all construction supervisory roles.
How Long Does an SSSTS Certificate Last?
After passing the course, the SSSTS certificate will remain valid for five years. Over that time, the qualification confirms that the holder has sufficient knowledge to safely supervise construction work in accordance with the legislation.
However, the certificate isn’t valid indefinitely, primarily because health and safety standards evolve, and new regulations can and are introduced from time to time.
This is why the SSSTS refresher course exists, which:
- Updates delegates' knowledge of current legislation
- Reviews current health and safety laws
- Recaps site practices and approaches
- Revisits risk management techniques
The original course lasts two days, while the refresher is a one-day course; the latter must be completed before the five-year expiry date to prevent the certification from lapsing.
What Happens if My SSSTS Certificate Expires?
Unfortunately, if you allow your certificate to expire or aren’t able to complete a refresher course in time, the refresher course will no longer be available to you. Instead, you’ll need to:
- Retake the full two-day SSSTS course
- Redo the course assessment
- Obtain a new certificate with a five-year validity period
Even if your original certificate has only expired by a day or two, training providers must ask you to complete the full course again. That’s because the qualification cannot be deemed valid, which may impact your eligibility for certain roles, your access permissions on site, and how you’re complying with contractor or employer requirements.
If you’re applying for a new position, you’ll normally need to provide evidence that you hold a valid SSSTS certificate before you’ll be considered.
Here’s a quick recap of how the two courses compare:
|
SSSTS Full Course |
SSSTS Refresher Course |
|
|
Duration |
Two Days |
One Day |
|
Validity |
Five years |
Five years |
|
Cost Per Delegate (Ex. VAT) |
£275.00 |
£200.00 |
Can I Take the Refresher SSSTS Course to Reinstate My Certification?
No, once an SSSTS qualification has lapsed, it can’t be reinstated. That means you’ll need to complete the longer course and pass the assessment to receive a new SSSTS certificate.
When Is an SSSTS Certificate Required?
Most construction sites will expect managers and supervisors to hold SSSTS certification, which is especially relevant for regulated sites and developments with higher risks or hazards.
Why Does Keeping My SSSTS Certificate In-Date Matter?
An SSSTS certificate is evidence that professionals in managerial positions working on a construction site can fulfil their roles effectively and contribute to on-site safety by supervising staff and monitoring compliance. For individuals, that means they:
- Remain eligible for new roles
- Can continue acting in their current positions
- Have a certificate that demonstrates their competence
- Can progress onwards in their careers
Many employers also consider valid SSSTS certifications essential for complying with health and safety regulations. They’re a way to demonstrate that site owners are actively working to reduce workplace risks and have invested in proper supervisory training.
Letting SSSTS certificates expire can cause no end of disruption. This can be more significant if supervisors need to stand down until they’re requalified or sites need to pause work until a new supervisor can be appointed.
Steve Booker, Kentec Training’s MD, advises that “SSSTS qualifications aren’t just about passing a course, but showing that supervisors are up to speed with how best to manage safety on modern construction sites. Refresher training is reasonably priced and requires just one day, ensuring sites maintain good standards and keep their workforces safe.”