SSSTS Refresher: Course Content Breakdown

When You Book Multiple Courses.

The Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme Refresher is a specialist course that updates the legal knowledge and supervisory skills of construction supervisors in the United Kingdom. The full Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme is usually taken when a supervisor first steps into a leadership role and needs to understand legal responsibilities, communication, risk, behavioural safety and hazard management. Over three years regulations change, enforcement practices evolve and industry culture shifts. The SSSTS Refresher ensures supervisors remain competent, relevant and confident in applying safety leadership on active construction sites.

The purpose of this detailed breakdown is to explain the topics covered during the SSSTS Refresher, how each area benefits supervisors, how the content connects to real site conditions and why employers place such high value on renewed Site Safety Plus certifications. The SSSTS Refresher course offered by Target Zero Training is fully accredited and delivered by experienced tutors who understand the demands of supervising teams in high risk construction environments.

For full course information or to book online you can visit
SSSTS Refresher Online Course

Who the SSSTS Refresher is Designed For

The SSSTS Refresher is not a general awareness course. It is targeted specifically at people with supervisory responsibilities who have already completed the original SSSTS certification. Typical attendees include working supervisors, assistant supervisors, forepersons, site leads and future managers. These individuals are responsible for directing workers, managing tasks, enforcing controls and ensuring that industry standards are upheld.

Most delegates attend because their certificate is approaching expiry and employers require supervisors to maintain current status. Others attend earlier because they want to strengthen workplace competence or prepare for progression into management. Supervisors often find the refresher valuable because it reinforces practical leadership skills and corrects behaviours that may have drifted over time.

Why the SSSTS Refresher Matters

Construction remains one of the most regulated and high risk sectors in the United Kingdom. New guidance, new technology, new construction products and new enforcement approaches regularly influence how risks are managed. Supervisors are the operational bridge between company policy and the workforce. Their decisions shape site culture, incident frequency, operational efficiency and legal compliance.

Key reasons SSSTS Refresher training matters include:

Safety legislation changes which affects duties and expectations
Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive influences enforcement priorities
New safety messaging develops within the industry around cultural leadership
Supervisors require confidence when challenging unsafe work
Employers rely on certified supervisors for compliance and quality control
Sub contractors expect structured communication on safety rules and requirements
Clients increasingly expect verified competence as part of procurement

Supervisors who fail to refresh knowledge risk non compliance and operational disruption. Supervisors who stay current contribute to safer sites, improved communication, higher productivity and stronger professional credibility.

SSSTS Refresher Content Areas and Learning Outcomes

The SSSTS Refresher contains well structured modules aligned to real life supervisory practice. Below is a complete breakdown of the main content areas and what learners take away from each.

Updated Health and Safety Law for Supervisors

The course revisits current United Kingdom health and safety law that affects construction workplaces. Supervisors are taught how legal duties link directly to supervisory decision making and how failure to comply can result in enforcement action or prosecution.

This section covers:

Core principles of the Health and Safety at Work Act
The role of the Health and Safety Executive in enforcement
Key regulations relevant to construction including CDM and Management Regulations
Employer and employee duties under law
Enforcement notices and how they are issued
Fee for Intervention and the implications for businesses
Corporate manslaughter and the consequences of failures
Case studies on recent enforcement actions interpreted from a supervisory perspective

By the end of this section supervisors understand how legal frameworks shape everyday safety practice and how authority structures work within health and safety enforcement.

Risk Assessment and Method Statement Application

Risk assessment is central to construction safety. Supervisors must not only understand risk assessments but must also explain controls to workers, verify implementation and escalate problems when controls fail. This module revisits the fundamentals of hazard and risk and explains how to apply them in dynamic environments.

Content includes:

The five steps to risk assessment
How to identify hazards in different construction contexts
How to evaluate risk likelihood and severity
How to implement control measures in a practical manner
How to monitor controls across changing site conditions
How to work with method statements and permits to work
How to communicate risk assessments to sub contractors and direct workers

Supervisors learn how to treat risk assessments as working documents that influence behaviour instead of static paperwork.

Hazard Awareness and High Risk Activity Oversight

Construction sites contain many high risk activities. A significant function of a supervisor is recognising hazardous tasks and ensuring controls are implemented without exception. The refresher explores sector specific hazards and reinforces behavioural intervention strategies.

High risk topics include:

Work at height using scaffolds, towers, ladders and temporary platforms
Movement of plant and vehicles on busy worksites
Use of mobile elevating work platforms and lifting equipment
Manual handling and musculoskeletal injuries
Confined space entry hazards and rescue arrangements
Hazardous substances, concrete burns, dust and fumes
Electrical safety and power tools
Excavation and trench collapse

Supervisors are encouraged to share site examples to enhance collective learning and strengthen risk recognition skills.

Communications and Toolbox Talk Delivery

Communication is one of the strongest predictors of safety performance. Supervisors are central to conveying important safety information to workers, subcontractors and visitors. This module reinforces structured communication and the importance of briefings.

The module covers:

How to prepare and deliver toolbox talks
How to communicate complex instructions clearly
How to confirm understanding rather than assume it
How to brief sub contractors on site specific rules
How to escalate information to management teams
How to manage language and literacy barriers in diverse workforces

The emphasis is on clarity, consistency and reporting. Supervisors learn how to avoid assumptions and how to validate understanding through dialogue and engagement.

Behavioural Safety and Site Culture

Many incidents are not caused by lack of knowledge but by poor behaviours, stress, rushing, complacency or peer pressure. The behavioural safety component is a powerful part of the SSSTS Refresher.

Topics include:

Human factors and why people take shortcuts
The influence of supervisors on behaviours and attitudes
How to challenge unsafe acts calmly and confidently
How to encourage workers to report hazards
How to prevent normalisation of deviance
How to support positive cultural change through leadership
The influence of fatigue, stress and environmental factors on safety performance

Supervisors discover how their own behaviour sets the standard for everyone around them.

Monitoring, Inspections and Control Enforcement

Supervisors are responsible for monitoring and enforcing control measures. This section outlines practical monitoring methods used on construction sites.

Monitoring topics include:

Informal inspections during routine site walks
Formal workplace inspections for compliance validation
Behavioural observation techniques
Verification of documentation, method statements and permits
Positive enforcement versus corrective enforcement
Evidence collection for safety reporting

Supervisors learn how inspection habits reduce incidents and how consistent enforcement improves site discipline.

Incident Response and Near Miss Reporting

Supervisors must be competent in responding to incidents, managing emergencies and reporting near misses. This module focuses on structured responses and proactive prevention.

Topics include:

How to secure a site after an incident
How to preserve evidence for investigation
How to report incidents accurately
How to record near misses and minor events
How to participate in root cause analysis
How to prevent recurrence through corrective actions

Supervisors learn that near miss reporting is essential for proactive safety improvement.

Environmental Awareness and Sustainability

The SSSTS Refresher includes environmental considerations which reflect modern construction expectations. Supervisors learn how environmental compliance links to duty of care and operational risk.

Topics include:

Management of site waste and segregation
Control of noise and vibration affecting neighbours
Management of dust and air quality
Protection of watercourses and ecological areas
Duty of Care under environmental law

This content strengthens supervisor competency beyond narrow safety topics and supports holistic compliance.

Assessment and Certification Format

The SSSTS Refresher contains a structured assessment that validates learning and confirms that knowledge remains current. Assessment components include:

Tutor led discussion
Scenario based exercises
Written assessments on legal and practical areas
Course evaluation for continuous improvement

Successful delegates receive an updated Site Safety Plus certificate valid for another three years. This certificate is recognised across the United Kingdom and is often required for supervisory roles on major projects.

Supervisors seeking to prepare for assessment or reinforce learning can also access mock testing resources at:
Mock Tests

Benefits for Supervisors and Employers

The SSSTS Refresher creates value at both individual and organisational level. Benefits include:

Stronger compliance with UK health and safety law
Enhanced confidence when managing high risk activities
Improved safety communication with teams and subcontractors
Reduced incident frequency and associated downtime
Increased workforce engagement and cultural maturity
Better alignment with client and principal contractor expectations
Improved professional credibility for supervisors
Positive contribution to pre qualification and tender processes

Safety is operational performance. Refreshed knowledge improves productivity and project delivery.

How the SSSTS Refresher Supports Career Progression

Supervisors who refresh their SSSTS certificate are better positioned for advancement. The Site Safety Plus framework supports development from operative to supervisor to manager. Progression pathways include:

SSSTS as baseline for supervisory competence
SMSTS for full managerial responsibility
NEBOSH or NVQ pathways for further professional recognition

Employers frequently favour candidates with current SSSTS certification because it removes compliance barriers when placing supervisors on sites controlled by major contractors or principal duty holders.

Online Delivery and Accessibility

Target Zero Training delivers the SSSTS Refresher in a convenient online format that maintains high engagement while reducing travel disruption. This supports supervisors in balancing training with project timelines and operational commitments. Delegates benefit from live tutor instruction, interactive exercises and peer learning.

Course booking is available through:
SSSTS Refresher Online Course

Related Site Safety Plus Courses

Target Zero Training also delivers a full suite of Site Safety Plus courses for professional development and compliance. Relevant courses include:

SSSTS Training Course for new supervisors
SMSTS Training Course for aspiring site managers
Temporary Works Coordinator Online Course for those managing temporary works
Temporary Works Supervisor Online Course for supervisory roles in temporary works
CITB Health and Safety Awareness Course for operatives seeking CSCS labourer cards
IOSH Managing Safely for broader managerial health and safety understanding
IOSH Working Safely for awareness at worker level

Conclusion

The SSSTS Refresher ensures that site supervisors remain qualified, compliant and effective in their leadership roles. It updates legal knowledge, strengthens risk management, reinforces behavioural safety and builds communication skills that shape culture and influence performance. Supervisors who refresh their knowledge are equipped to lead safe, productive and legally compliant construction teams.

To book your refresher or learn more about online delivery you can visit:
SSSTS Refresher Online Course