Should Small Businesses Have a Trained First Aider?
August 20, 2026
Booking your first CITB training course can feel like a big step, particularly if you are new to construction or moving into a supervisory or management role for the first time.
The good news is that you don’t need to arrive knowing everything already. CITB courses are designed to help construction workers and professionals develop the health and safety knowledge appropriate to their role, whether you’re starting out as a labourer, becoming a site supervisor, or taking responsibility for managing a construction site.
At Safety For Business, we deliver CITB training courses in Letchworth Garden City, including the CITB Health & Safety Awareness course, SSSTS and SMSTS, as well as refresher training for existing SSSTS and SMSTS certificate holders.
If you’re preparing for your first CITB course, here’s what you need to know before you arrive.
Which CITB Course Should I Take First?
There isn’t one CITB course that everyone has to complete first. The right course depends on your current role, experience and responsibilities within construction.
For first time delegates, the three main CITB courses we offer are:
CITB Health & Safety Awareness
The CITB Health & Safety Awareness course is a one day course aimed at people who are entering or already working within the construction industry.
It covers essential construction health and safety topics, including working at height, manual handling, PPE, hazardous substances, electrical safety, site transport and accident prevention.
It is particularly relevant for labourers and people working towards a CSCS Green Labourer Card.
If you’re new to construction and wondering which CITB course to take first, Health & Safety Awareness is likely to be the most relevant starting point.
View our CITB Health & Safety Awareness course in Letchworth
CITB Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS)
The CITB Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is a two day course designed for people who currently have, or are about to take on, supervisory responsibilities on a construction site.
Rather than focusing only on your own safety, SSSTS explores your responsibilities for helping to manage the health and safety of others.
The course is suitable for site supervisors, foremen, team leaders and construction workers progressing into supervisory positions.
View our CITB SSSTS course in Letchworth
CITB Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS)
The CITB Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) is a five day course for construction professionals with management responsibilities.
It is aimed at site managers, project managers, contracts managers, senior supervisors and people preparing to move into construction management roles.
SMSTS goes into considerably more depth around construction health and safety management, legislation, risk management and the responsibilities involved in planning, organising and monitoring work on site.
View our CITB SMSTS course in Letchworth
Do I Need to Take the CITB Courses in Order?
You do not need to complete the CITB Health & Safety Awareness, SSSTS and SMSTS courses in a set order. The most appropriate course will depend on your current role and level of responsibility.
For those who are new to the construction industry, the CITB Health & Safety Awareness course can be a useful starting point, providing an introduction to health and safety on a construction site. However, there is no requirement to progress onto SSSTS or SMSTS if these courses are not relevant to your role.
A simple way to identify the course most suited to your role is:
| Your role | CITB course to consider |
| Labourer / new construction worker | Health & Safety Awareness |
| Supervisor / team leader | Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme |
| Site manager / construction manager | Site Management Safety Training Scheme |
The SSSTS Refresher and SMSTS Refresher courses are different. These are specifically for delegates renewing the relevant existing qualification, so they are not courses for first time SSSTS or SMSTS attendees.
What Should I Expect on My First CITB Course?
Your CITB course isn’t simply a case of sitting through presentations all day.
Depending on the course you’re attending, training can include:
- Tutor-led learning and discussion
- Real construction site scenarios
- Individual and group activities
- Health and safety legislation
- Risk assessment and hazard awareness
- Responsibilities associated with your role
- Course materials and supporting information
- Formal assessment
The level and depth of training increases considerably between Health & Safety Awareness, SSSTS and SMSTS because each course is designed around a different level of responsibility on a construction site.
You are expected to participate, ask questions and engage with the course rather than simply attend.
Are CITB Courses Difficult?
CITB courses are designed to make sure delegates understand important health and safety principles, so you should expect to pay attention and demonstrate what you have learned.
However, the purpose of the training isn’t to catch you out.
Your trainer will take you through the relevant course material and help you develop an understanding of the subjects before assessment.
The best preparation is straightforward: attend the full course, engage with the training, ask when you’re unsure and take the assessment seriously.
Will There Be a Test at the End of My CITB Course?
CITB Site Safety Plus courses include assessment, although the exact format and requirements vary depending on the course.
For example, our CITB Health & Safety Awareness course includes continuous assessment alongside a multiple choice test.
SSSTS and SMSTS also assess whether delegates have developed the knowledge and understanding required for their respective supervisory and management responsibilities.
What Happens After I Pass My CITB Course?
What happens next depends on the course you’ve completed.
For someone taking Health & Safety Awareness, the course may be part of their route towards obtaining a CSCS Green Labourer Card, alongside meeting the other applicable CSCS requirements.
For someone completing SSSTS, the qualification demonstrates training relevant to construction site supervisory responsibilities.
For SMSTS delegates, successful completion demonstrates training in managing health, safety, welfare and environmental responsibilities at construction management level.
CITB Site Safety Plus certificates for these courses are valid for five years, after which SSSTS and SMSTS certificate holders can take the appropriate refresher course within the applicable renewal requirements.
CITB Training Courses in Letchworth
Safety For Business delivers CITB training in Letchworth Garden City for construction workers and businesses across Hertfordshire and the surrounding areas.
Our CITB courses include:
We also provide SSSTS Refresher and SMSTS Refresher training for delegates who already hold the relevant qualification and need to renew it.
If you’re not sure which CITB course is right for you, get in touch with the Safety For Business team before booking and we’ll help you identify the most appropriate training for your role.
View our upcoming CITB training courses and book your place.
Frequently Asked Questions About Your First CITB Course
For people entering the construction industry or working as labourers, the CITB Health & Safety Awareness course is often the most relevant starting point.
No. SSSTS is designed for site supervisors, while SMSTS is designed for people with construction site management responsibilities. You should choose the course appropriate to your role rather than treating them as qualifications that must always be completed in sequence.
This depends on the course. Health & Safety Awareness is suitable for people entering construction, while SSSTS and SMSTS are aimed at people taking on supervisory and management responsibilities respectively.
The CITB Health & Safety Awareness course takes one day, SSSTS takes two days, and SMSTS takes five days. Refresher courses are available separately for existing SSSTS and SMSTS certificate holders.
Certificates for the CITB Health & Safety Awareness, SSSTS and SMSTS courses are valid for five years.
Certificates for the CITB Health & Safety Awareness, SSSTS and SMSTS courses are valid for five years.
