SMSTS Course
The SMSTS course is a five (5) day course designed to deliver the knowledge and skills required to manage health and safety effectively on construction sites. It is accredited by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and is aimed at project managers, site managers and supervisors, business owners and clients.
Delivery of the SMSTS Course
The SMSTS course can be delivered in a variety of formats in order to ensure it is accessible to as many individuals as possible. It is generally available in:
- Block format: This is usually from Monday – Friday.
- Weekend format: This is usually over 2 and ½ weekends but could theoretically be undertaken over five (5) weekends.
- Day Release format: Generally, this is provided for one (1) day a week over a five-week period.
The traditional method in which the course has been provided for is ‘face to face’ in a classroom or training centre with an experienced and accredited tutor. This method allows for considerable interaction between the tutor and the course delegates and of course directly amongst the delegates themselves.
SMSTS Online Courses
Online SMSTS Courses are delivered by an accredited tutor just as they would be in a classroom environment. They provide the same level and depth of training as their classroom counterparts and are also accredited by the CITB in the same manner.
As with the classroom course the SMSTS online covers a range of topics such as, health and safety legislation, risk assessments and method statements, and the role and responsibilities of site managers. Additionally, and not surprisingly on a course of this level topics such as the importance of effective communication, leadership, and teamwork in managing health and safety on a construction site, are also covered in detail.
Online SMSTS Course Qualification
On successful completion of the SMSTS Online course, delegates are normally provided with a temporary certificate by the training provider. This is in lieu of the primary Site Management Safety Training Scheme certificate which is provided by the CITB and which is valid for a period of five years. This CITB certificate is normally delivered within a ten (10) day period.
To renew the qualification delegates can either take the full Online SMSTS five (5) day course again or take the Online SMSTS refresher two (2) day course (or its classroom equivalent) providing their initial certification is still in date.
Obviously the two (2) day refresher course option is considerably cheaper and involves less time that undertaking the complete course again so it pays to ensure that delegates do not allow their certification to expire.
Benefits of the Online SMSTS Course
As previously stated, the online SMSTS course is considered to be an essential training requirement for those with health and safety responsibilities on a construction site. The online version of the course may (for some) provide benefits over its classroom counterpart which makes it an attractive option for many supervisors and managers working in construction:
Reduced Commute & Cost
One of the main differences between the classroom and online SMSTS courses is that the latter can be undertaken in the comfort of your own home or in fact pretty much anywhere, eliminating the need to commute. This is providing of course that you have the necessary hardware and internet connection. Although we would not recommend that you undertake the course in your work environment – there are likely to be to many demands on your time.
Online SMSTS courses are also frequently priced lower than their classroom counterparts as a result of training materials (e-books) being cheaper to obtain, etc
As a result, undertaking the course in the online format could result in considerable time and financial savings.
Enhanced Skill Levels
Online SMSTS courses offer interactive learning experiences that require delegates to participate in virtual discussion forums, work with other delegates in a virtual environment and communicate with their tutor and other delegates differently to the way they would in a normal classroom.
This can result in the enhancement of critical management and leadership skills such as, learning how to make decisions about the best communication practices, responding to different perspectives respectfully and thoughtfully, time management and getting stronger at pitching ideas at the right time.
Setting up your equipment to undertake the online SMSTS course may also be challenging, requiring you to develop enhanced technical skills and providing you the opportunity overcome technical hurdles and IT problems. With more and more workplaces now collaborating remotely these skills could become essential in the future.
Online SMSTS Course Delivery
Invariably if you choose to undertake an Online SMSTS course you will need to ensure that you have the necessary hardware in good working order to be able to do so. Therefore, it makes sense to check your hardware functions not only as necessary but also as expected well before the course start date.
You should also check with the online SMSTS course provider which platform i.e Teams, Zoom (although there are others) the course will be delivered on. This will enable you to download and install the necessary software and give you time to familiarise yourself with its functionality. You can find out more about this here.
Conclusion
The online SMSTS course is a valuable training programme for delegates working in the construction industry, providing participants with the knowledge and skills needed to manage health and safety on construction sites effectively. Just like its classroom counterpart It is an excellent way to refresh your personal knowledge and stay up-to-date with the latest health and safety legislation, regulations and best practice.
For many it is offers a convenient way to study and the financial savings from undertaking an online SMSTS course can be considerable particularly if you do not live near an approved training centre.