Training is one of those things everyone in construction knows they should take seriously, but in practice, it often ends up being reactive. A client asked for proof of competency, an auditor flags a gap, or a principal contractor insists on certain qualifications before someone can step on site.
Hurst Setter’s training courses sit right in that practical space between compliance and real-world site management. They’re not generic classroom courses for people who’ve never been near a construction project. They’re aimed at the people who run sites, supervise teams, and carry responsibility when something goes wrong.
CITB Site Manager and Supervisor Training
The main courses most people recognise are the CITB schemes.
SMSTS is still the standard for site managers. Most main contractors and large developers won’t allow a site manager on their project without it. The course covers legal duties, risk assessment, method statements, behavioural safety, and accident investigation. It’s intensive and usually spread over five days, which gives enough time to go beyond surface-level content.
From experience, the value comes when trainers relate it to real scenarios. things like how to handle subcontractors ignoring RAMS, or what to do when programme pressure starts pushing safety to the side. Those are the conversations managers need.
SSSTS is more targeted at supervisors and foremen. It’s shorter and a bit more focused on day-to-day supervision, toolbox talks, and monitoring site activities. For people stepping up from trade roles into supervision, this can be a big shift in mindset. It moves them from “do the job” to “manage the job”.
Both courses tend to be required for tendering on larger projects, so they’re not just nice-to-haves.
Refresher Courses and Ongoing Competency
Hurst Setter also offers refresher versions of SMSTS and SSSTS. These are important because the industry changes, legislation evolves, and best practices shift over time.
A lot of managers renew their cards without thinking too much about it. But refresher training can highlight changes in CDM regulations, updated guidance on working at height, or newer approaches to behavioural safety. Even experienced managers can pick up useful bits, especially if they’ve been doing things the same way for years.
Construction Health and Safety Awareness Training
Beyond CITB schemes, there’s a broader set of health and safety courses. These can be tailored for companies that need to upskill teams quickly or address specific risks.
For example, general construction health and safety training might cover hazard identification, PPE requirements, site inductions, emergency procedures, and incident reporting. For smaller contractors, this sort of training can be useful when they start working on bigger commercial sites and suddenly have stricter compliance requirements.
It’s also common for companies to use bespoke training for subcontractors or new starters, especially when a project has unusual risks like confined spaces, demolition work, or complex temporary works.
CDM and Management-Focused Training
Hurst Setter also ties into CDM support and construction phase planning. That usually appeals to companies that are taking on more responsibility as principal contractor or principal designer.
Understanding CDM roles, responsibilities, and documentation can be a bit of a minefield, particularly for firms that have grown quickly. Training in this area helps managers understand what paperwork is genuinely required, what clients, expect, and what regulators look for if something goes wrong.
On real projects, that knowledge can prevent a lot of stress when audits or HSE visits happen.
Who These Courses are Actually For
In practice, Hurst Setter’s training tends to be relevant for a few key groups:
- Site managers running commercial or residential development, especially where main contractors or developers demand SMSTS.
- Supervisors, foremen, and team leaders who are moving int more formal management roles and need SSSTS or supervisory training.
- SMEs and growing contractors that need structured health and safety training to satisfy insurers, clients, ad CDM duties.
- Companies are refreshing knowledge for long-serving staff who haven’t done formal training in a while.
- Even smaller businesses and specialist contractors can benefit, particularly when working on council, education, or healthcare projects where compliance requirements are stricter.
What Training Does Well (and What Doesn’t)
Good training awareness, confidence, and consistency. Managers understand their responsibilities better, supervisors know how to enforce standards, and operatives are more aware of risks.
But training on its own doesn’t fix poor culture. You can put everyone through SMSTS and still have unsafe behaviours if programme pressure overrides safety or if senior management doesn’t back up site terms.
Most companies get the best results when training is combined with regular site inspections, toolbox talks, clear RAMS, and visible leadership support. Hurst Setter’s consultancy and sit support services can slot into that wider framework if a business wants a more joined-up approach.
A Practical Note on Delivery and Flexibility
One of the practical considerations with training is time off-site. Five-day courses can be disruptive, especially for small tams. Some companies prefer block bookings, others stagger staff, and some look for blended or bespoke sessions.
Hurst Setter offers structured courses but also works with businesses to tailor training, which can help reduce disruption while still meeting compliance requirements. That flexibility can matter when margins are tight, and programme dates are fixed.
Final Thoughts From a Contractor’s Point of View
Most construction firms book training because they must. That’s just how the industry works. But the firms that treat training as part of their operational strategy usually run smoother projects, have fewer incidents and deal with audits more confidently.
Hurst Setter’s training courses are positioned for that practical reality. They cover recognised qualifications, construction-specific risks, and the management side of safety, which is often where problems arise.
If you’re unsure what your team needs, it’s usually worth speaking to them and explaining how your sites operate. They can normally steer you towards the right mix of courses rather than just pushing a generic package.
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