If you're preparing for the SSSTS course, you already know the stakes. The Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme is a two-day programme recognised across the UK construction industry — and the end-of-course test isn't something you want to wing. Getting familiar with the question style and topic areas beforehand makes a real difference to your confidence and your result.
This page gives you a breakdown of what the SSSTS course covers, what to expect in the assessment, and how to use our free mock test questions to practise before the big day.
The SSSTS — Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme — is a CITB-accredited two-day course aimed at site supervisors and those moving into supervisory roles in construction. It's designed to give you the knowledge you need to manage health, safety, welfare, and environmental responsibilities on a live construction site.
You don't need to hold a CSCS card to attend, but completing the SSSTS is a recognised stepping stone toward the CSCS Supervisory card. Many principal contractors and site managers expect supervisors to have SSSTS certification before taking on a team.
The course is delivered by approved training providers across the UK. After two days of instruction, there's a written test. Pass it, and you receive a CITB SSSTS certificate that's valid for five years — after which you'll need to renew through the SSSTS Renewal course.
The course covers a wide range of health and safety legislation and practical site management topics. You'll work through material on:
That's a lot of ground to cover in two days. Most delegates find the CDM 2015 section the most demanding — especially the specific duties placed on principal designers, principal contractors, and contractors. Don't leave that topic until the night before.
At the end of day two, you'll sit a written test. The assessment is closed-book — no notes or course materials allowed. Questions are multiple-choice, and you need to pass to receive your certificate.
The test doesn't have a published pass mark in the traditional sense, but you need to demonstrate sufficient knowledge across the core topic areas. Trainers will tell you how many questions are on the test and what's required to pass during the course itself.
Most delegates pass on the first attempt, particularly those who've paid attention during both days and done some reading beforehand. That's where a good SSSTS course mock test comes in — it lets you identify the topics you're shakiest on before you walk into the room.
Our practice questions mirror the style and difficulty level of the real SSSTS assessment. Work through them in exam conditions — no notes, no looking things up mid-question. That's the only way to get an honest read on where you stand.
When you finish, review every question you got wrong. Don't just note the correct answer — understand why it's correct. The SSSTS test is knowledge-based, not trick-based. If you understand the underlying legislation or principle, the question becomes straightforward.
A few areas where candidates most often slip up:
Run through the mock test at least twice before your course date. The second attempt gives you a clearer picture of what's actually stuck and what needs more work.
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 underpin much of the SSSTS content. As a site supervisor, you're operating within a legal framework — and the CDM 2015 defines that framework precisely.
Key things to understand before your course:
The F10 notification threshold — projects lasting more than 30 working days with more than 20 workers simultaneously, or involving more than 500 person-days — is a detail that appears regularly in SSSTS assessments. Get that number fixed in your head.
These two topics feel straightforward, but the test questions often dig into the specifics. For toolbox talks, you should know:
For site inductions, the legal requirement is that every person entering a construction site for the first time must receive an induction before they start work. The induction must cover: site rules, emergency procedures, welfare facilities, and hazards specific to that site. Visitors — including delivery drivers — must also receive a suitable induction or be escorted.
One thing candidates miss: the person responsible for ensuring workers receive an induction on a CDM-notifiable project is the principal contractor, not the individual site supervisor. You deliver it; they're accountable for it happening.
Occupational health is increasingly prominent in SSSTS content. The course covers:
Don't overlook these. Occupational health awareness is a growing part of the SSSTS, reflecting the industry's recognition that long-term health harms kill more workers than acute accidents.
As a supervisor, you're responsible for making sure your team doesn't cause environmental damage. The SSSTS covers:
Environmental enforcement has teeth — the Environment Agency can issue stop notices and substantial fines. Treating site environmental compliance as an afterthought is a mistake that can shut down a project.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 introduce a clear hierarchy of controls that you must know:
Scaffolding, edge protection, and safety nets fall under different categories of that hierarchy. Ladder use is tightly regulated — they should only be used for access or for light, short-duration tasks where other equipment isn't practical.
A detail that trips people up: scaffold inspections must be carried out by a competent person every seven days, or following bad weather. The inspection record must be kept on site.
Try these questions from our free SSSTS practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
What visual aids are most effective in a toolbox talk?
Answer: A. Photographs of the actual work area or similar accidents, physical examples of defective PPE or equipment, and simple diagrams
Visual aids such as photographs of actual site conditions, examples of the consequences of poor practice (accident photos from similar incidents), physical PPE examples and simple diagrams are far more engaging and memorable than text-heavy presentations.
Why is adequate rest facility provision important on a construction site?
Answer: A. Workers need to be able to take proper rest breaks, eat food in a clean environment and dry wet clothing — this supports wellbeing, alertness and ultimately productivity and safety
Rest facilities allow workers to take breaks away from the work environment, eat food in hygienic conditions and dry wet clothing. Adequate rest reduces fatigue, improves concentration and alertness, and contributes to safer working throughout the shift.
A foreign worker with limited English arrives for their site induction. How should the supervisor handle this?
Answer: B. Provide the induction in a language the worker understands, using translated materials, an interpreter, or visual aids, and verify their understanding before allowing them to work
The supervisor must ensure the worker genuinely understands the safety information. This may require translated induction materials, the use of an interpreter, visual aids and diagrams, demonstration of procedures, and verification of understanding through questions — not just a signature on the register.
What does the term 'hazard' mean in health and safety?
Answer: A. Something with the potential to cause harm
A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm — for example, a hole in the ground, a chemical, electricity, a vehicle or a heavy load. Identifying hazards is the first step in risk assessment.
Plenty of supervisors sail through the SSSTS assessment — and just as many are surprised by how specific the questions can get. Here's what actually helps:
Do the reading beforehand. Your training provider may send pre-course materials. Read them. If you walk in on day one already familiar with CDM 2015 duty holders and basic RIDDOR categories, the instruction sinks in much faster.
Ask questions during the course. The trainer is there to help, and the two days go quickly. If a concept isn't clicking — especially around CDM notification thresholds or welfare requirements — ask. It's far better to clarify in the room than to guess in the test.
Use our SSSTS mock test questions. Going through practice questions in exam conditions tells you exactly where your weak spots are. Focus your revision on those areas rather than re-reading content you already know well.
Pay attention to numbers. The SSSTS test includes specific figures — notification thresholds, scaffold inspection intervals, welfare ratios. These are the details people most often get wrong. Write them down. Repeat them until they stick.
Sleep before the test. This sounds obvious, but plenty of people underestimate day two fatigue. The course is intensive and the test follows immediately. Being alert and rested genuinely affects performance on straightforward recall questions.
The SSSTS is achievable. With two solid days of attention and some preparation using a good SSSTS course mock test, the vast majority of candidates pass. Good luck with yours.