Is SSSTS Online Different from SMSTS Online?
As construction training continues shifting toward digital delivery, more learners are choosing to take their CITB courses online. Two of these courses are the SSSTS Online, and the SMSTS Online. But what’s the difference between these courses?
While both are part of the Site Safety Plus framework and share similar teaching methods, they serve very different purposes. One is for supervisors, and the other is for managers. Understanding the differences helps ensure you choose the course that aligns with your current role and career goals.
Understanding the Core Purpose of Each Course
The SSSTS course- delivered in classroom settings or online- is designed for site supervisors and team leaders who oversee small groups or daily tasks. It focuses on the fundamentals of health and safety, communication, and responsibility on active construction sites.
SMSTS, on the other hand, goes deeper. The Site Management Safety Training Scheme is aimed at site managers, project leaders, and those who oversee larger teams, budgets, or entire sites. The online version, SMSTS Online, mirrors the classroom version, taking participants through more advanced legislation, managerial responsibilities, and risk strategies.
To sum up: SSSTS teaches you how to supervise safely. SMSTS teaches you how to manage safely, at a higher level.
Course Content: How SSSTS Online and SMSTS Online Differ
Although both courses use the same virtual learning style, the content is dramatically different. The SSSTS course covers key supervisory topics such as:
Delivering toolbox talks
Monitoring worker behaviour
Understanding basic health and safety law
Recognising hazards and implementing site-specific precautions
This course equips new or aspiring supervisors with the foundational tools needed to guide small teams effectively.
Meanwhile, SMSTS is much broader and more detailed, covering subjects like:
Construction design and management regulations (CDM)
Managerial-level risk assessment and planning
Environmental considerations
Managing contractors and subcontractors
Developing a safety culture across the whole site
Many of these topics go beyond the duties of a typical supervisor and instead reflect responsibilities held by site managers. The courses do not overlap much in content, because each is designed for a different level of authority within the construction hierarchy.
Career Progression and Which One You Should Take
Both courses are valuable, but they point toward different career paths. If you complete the SSSTS course, you position yourself to work as:
A team supervisor
A gang leader
A foreperson
A shift leader
It’s the ideal qualification for stepping up from operative to supervisor.
SMSTS leads to more senior roles, including:
Site manager
Project manager
Construction manager
Senior site supervisor with extensive responsibilities
For many professionals, the pathway looks like this:
SSSTS (for supervisors)
SMSTS (for managers)
Management NVQs (for advanced progression)
Understanding where you want your career to go will help you choose between the two.
Conclusion: Is SSSTS Online Different from SMSTS Online?
Yes. SSSTS and SMSTS are completely different in purpose, depth, and difficulty. While both follow the CITB’s online learning structure, SSSTS focuses on supervising small teams safely, and SMSTS prepares individuals for higher-level site management responsibilities.
