Construction Site Occupational Health and Safety Training Course

Duration 10 days 20 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Construction Site Managers, HSE Officers and Advisors and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-OHS-008

Before you join: Participants should have basic familiarity with construction activities, common site hazards and their organisation’s safety procedures.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Construction sites combine changing work areas, multiple employers, temporary services, heavy plant, work at height and tight programme pressures. A failure in planning or supervision can expose workers, visitors and nearby communities to falls, struck-by incidents, collapses, electrical contact, hazardous substances, noise, dust and occupational illness. Site safety staff and operational leaders need more than rules knowledge: they need a working system for identifying hazards, controlling high-risk work, checking standards and acting on evidence before harm occurs.

This intermediate course develops the practical occupational health and safety capability required to plan, supervise and improve construction site controls. Participants work through ISO 45001 principles, legal-duty mapping, risk assessment, job hazard analysis, permit-to-work systems, contractor management, work-at-height controls, lifting operations, excavation safety, temporary works, plant movement, electrical safety, fire prevention, occupational hygiene and emergency arrangements. The course also addresses inspections, incident investigation, reporting, consultation and performance measurement.

Instructor-led delivery combines focused briefings with construction cases, team-based risk assessments, permit reviews, incident simulations and site-document workshops. Participants progressively develop a site occupational health and safety management pack from the first week, using realistic scenarios such as commercial building projects, roadworks, industrial maintenance shutdowns and utility installations. They leave with a completed set of reusable templates and a reviewed site safety plan that can be adapted to their own project.

The course is suited to personnel who already work around construction activities and need to take greater responsibility for site safety planning, coordination, monitoring or assurance. It is relevant to contractors, client representatives, consultants and HSE personnel working on projects with several work packages and contractor interfaces.

What you will be able to do

  • Develop a construction site safety plan aligned to ISO 45001 controls and project risks
  • Conduct task risk assessments using job hazard analysis and the hierarchy of controls
  • Prepare permit-to-work controls for high-risk construction activities
  • Assess work-at-height, lifting, excavation and temporary works control arrangements
  • Design contractor induction, consultation and supervision arrangements for multi-employer sites
  • Investigate construction incidents using causal analysis and corrective-action tracking
  • Interpret inspection findings, leading indicators and audit evidence for site safety decisions
  • Present a complete occupational health and safety management pack for a construction project

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Greater confidence challenging unsafe work and specifying practical corrective actions
  • Reusable methods for reviewing risk assessments, method statements and permits
  • Stronger credibility when advising project managers, supervisors and contractors
  • Clearer evidence for progression into site safety or construction management roles
  • Improved ability to investigate incidents without stopping at immediate causes

For your organisation

  • More consistent controls for high-risk construction activities and contractor interfaces
  • Earlier identification of unsafe conditions through planned inspections and reporting
  • Better quality site safety plans, permits, method statements and corrective-action records
  • Reduced exposure to lost-time incidents, enforcement action and programme disruption
  • Stronger evidence of management control for client, insurer and regulator review

Course modules

20 modules over 10 days

Participants can structure site safety responsibilities, documents and control arrangements for a construction project.

  • Client, principal contractor and subcontractor duties under applicable construction regulations
  • ISO 45001 clause structure and site-level management system controls
  • ILO-OSH 2001 policy, planning, implementation, evaluation and improvement cycle
  • Safety leadership accountabilities, consultation routes and worker representation arrangements
  • Site safety plan contents, approval gates and document control
  • Legal registers linking applicable duties to site activities and records

Participants can identify construction hazards and produce proportionate risk assessments for planned work.

  • Hazard identification methods for changing work fronts and temporary conditions
  • Risk matrices, likelihood definitions and consequence criteria calibrated for construction
  • Hierarchy of controls applied before reliance on personal protective equipment
  • Job hazard analysis sequence from task steps to control verification
  • Residual-risk decisions, escalation criteria and formal risk acceptance
  • Dynamic risk assessment limits during unplanned site changes

Participants can review and improve method statements so they reflect actual site work.

  • Method statement structure linking scope, sequence, hazards and controls
  • Construction drawings, specifications and programme data used during planning
  • Work package planning before mobilisation of labour, plant and materials
  • Task briefings that verify crew understanding and control readiness
  • Stop-work authority, change control and revised-method approval triggers
  • RAMS review criteria for contractor submissions and site acceptance

Participants can establish induction and communication arrangements that support safe site behaviour.

  • Site induction content covering rules, emergency actions and reporting routes
  • Competency verification for workers, supervisors, operators and specialist trades
  • Toolbox talks structured around current tasks, lessons and critical controls
  • Pre-task briefings using question-and-answer checks for workforce understanding
  • Safety committees, worker representatives and consultation action tracking
  • Language, literacy and cultural factors affecting safety communication

Participants can control contractor safety performance from selection through close-out.

  • Prequalification evidence covering competence, incident history and management arrangements
  • Contract safety clauses defining responsibilities, reporting and intervention rights
  • Mobilisation checks for insurance, training records, equipment and welfare
  • Interface matrices assigning controls between concurrent contractors and work packages
  • Daily coordination meetings addressing changing hazards and activity conflicts
  • Performance reviews using observations, inspections, incidents and action closure

Participants can select and verify controls for common work-at-height activities.

  • Work-at-height hierarchy prioritising avoidance, collective protection and fall arrest
  • Scaffold inspection tags, handover certificates and alteration control procedures
  • Mobile elevated work platform selection, ground checks and rescue planning
  • Ladder-use limits, inspection requirements and secure positioning methods
  • Roof work controls for fragile surfaces, edges and openings
  • Fall-arrest systems, anchor suitability, clearance calculations and rescue arrangements

Participants can review lifting arrangements and identify critical lifting control failures.

  • Lift planning categories, appointed persons and defined supervision roles
  • Crane selection using load charts, radius, capacity and ground conditions
  • Lifting plan contents covering loads, rigging, routes and exclusion zones
  • Sling angles, rated capacities and pre-use lifting accessory inspections
  • Banksman signals, communication protocols and suspended-load exclusion controls
  • Critical lifts requiring engineered review, contingency measures and authorisation

Participants can plan and inspect excavation work against collapse and service-strike risks.

  • Permit-to-dig controls before excavation near known or suspected services
  • Utility records, cable avoidance tools and trial-hole verification methods
  • Trench collapse controls using battering, shoring, shielding and access
  • Excavation inspection frequencies following weather, alteration or ground movement
  • Spoil placement, plant stand-off distances and edge protection requirements
  • Confined-space indicators within excavations and emergency rescue planning

Participants can recognise temporary works risks and verify essential control arrangements.

  • Temporary works categories including formwork, falsework, propping and access
  • Temporary works coordinator duties, design checks and appointment records
  • Design brief, design certificate and inspection hold-point documentation
  • Loading limits, sequencing controls and stability during construction stages
  • Change management for unauthorised alterations and unforeseen site conditions
  • Handover, inspection and permit systems before loading temporary structures

Participants can design site traffic controls that reduce vehicle and pedestrian conflict.

  • Traffic management plans separating pedestrians, vehicles, deliveries and plant
  • One-way systems, turning areas and reversing-minimisation arrangements
  • Plant pre-use inspections, maintenance records and defect reporting
  • Operator authorisation, competency checks and familiarisation for hired equipment
  • Exclusion zones around excavators, loaders and mobile plant operations
  • Delivery scheduling, banksman duties and public-interface control measures

Participants can assess electrical risks and specify controls for temporary construction power.

  • Temporary electrical distribution design, inspection and test-record requirements
  • Residual current device selection, testing intervals and fault response
  • Lockout-tagout procedures for isolation, verification and controlled reinstatement
  • Overhead line risk assessment, voltage information and safe approach distances
  • Damaged cables, wet conditions and portable-tool inspection arrangements
  • Electrical permit controls for energised work and authorised personnel

Participants can establish fire prevention and emergency arrangements for active construction sites.

  • Fire risk assessment addressing ignition sources, fuel load and escape
  • Hot-work permits specifying gas testing, fire watch and post-work checks
  • Flammable liquid storage, cylinder segregation and controlled dispensing arrangements
  • Emergency plans for fire, collapse, rescue, spills and severe weather
  • Evacuation routes, assembly points and headcount accountability systems
  • Emergency drills, debrief records and corrective-action follow-up

Participants can identify occupational health exposures and plan suitable exposure controls.

  • Occupational hygiene anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control principles
  • Silica dust controls using wet methods, extraction and respiratory protection
  • COSHH-style assessments for chemicals, adhesives, coatings and cleaning agents
  • Asbestos suspect-material procedures, stop-work triggers and specialist referral
  • Noise exposure assessment, hearing protection zones and health surveillance
  • Manual handling assessment considering load, task, individual and environment

Participants can address welfare and human factors that affect construction safety performance.

  • Welfare facilities covering sanitation, drinking water, rest and changing areas
  • Heat stress controls using work-rest schedules, hydration and acclimatisation
  • Fatigue risk factors from shifts, commuting, overtime and night work
  • Human factors affecting attention, decision-making, communication and rule compliance
  • Stress, harassment and worker wellbeing reporting arrangements
  • Fitness-for-work checks for medication, impairment and physical capability

Participants can prepare, issue and close permits for high-risk construction work.

  • Permit-to-work principles defining authorisation, isolation and control verification
  • Hot-work permits linked to fire precautions and atmospheric checks
  • Confined-space permits covering entry, monitoring, standby and rescue
  • Electrical isolation permits using lockout-tagout and test-before-touch requirements
  • Permit handover controls between shifts, supervisors and work teams
  • Permit close-out checks confirming reinstatement, housekeeping and residual hazards

Participants can conduct planned inspections and manage findings through verified closure.

  • Inspection schedules based on risk, activity stage and statutory requirements
  • Workplace observation techniques distinguishing unsafe acts from weak system controls
  • Inspection checklists for access, plant, housekeeping and emergency equipment
  • Nonconformance records describing evidence, risk rating and required action
  • Corrective-action registers assigning owners, deadlines and verification evidence
  • Escalation protocols for imminent danger, repeated breaches and overdue actions

Participants can investigate incidents and develop actions that address contributing causes.

  • Incident classification covering near misses, injuries, damage and dangerous occurrences
  • Immediate response priorities for rescue, scene preservation and notifications
  • Witness interviewing techniques using open questions and contemporaneous notes
  • Causal analysis using five whys, barrier failure and contributing factors
  • Evidence collection from photographs, permits, records and equipment condition
  • Investigation reports separating immediate causes, root causes and actions

Participants can use safety data and audit evidence to target site improvement priorities.

  • Leading indicators including inspections, observations, training and action closure
  • Lagging indicators including injuries, lost time and damage events
  • Safety dashboards presenting trends, overdue actions and high-risk findings
  • Internal audit plans aligned to ISO 45001 and site procedures
  • Management review inputs, decisions and documented follow-up actions
  • Lessons-learned processes transferring findings between projects and contractors

Participants can coordinate safety assurance across client, consultant and contractor project teams.

  • Client safety requirements translated into tender, contract and mobilisation controls
  • Design risk registers addressing constructability, maintenance and residual hazards
  • Preconstruction information requirements for surveys, services and site constraints
  • Project safety meetings using action logs, decisions and accountable owners
  • Independent assurance reviews targeting critical controls and recurring failures
  • Close-out records covering health files, residual risks and asset information

Participants can build, review and present a complete construction site occupational health and safety management pack for a defined project.

  • Project scope, stakeholder duties and site-risk profile consolidated into plans
  • Risk register and job hazard analyses prioritised by critical controls
  • Permit, inspection, induction and contractor-control templates assembled for use
  • Occupational health controls addressing dust, noise, chemicals and welfare
  • Incident response, emergency arrangements and performance measures integrated coherently
  • Peer review against ISO 45001 requirements and project evidence
  • Management presentation explaining controls, resources, assurance and improvement actions

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Construction site occupational health and safety plan template
  2. Task risk assessment and job hazard analysis template
  3. High-risk permit-to-work register
  4. Contractor mobilisation and supervision checklist
  5. Site inspection and corrective-action tracker
  6. Incident investigation and causal-analysis report template

Who should attend

  • Construction Site Managers — responsible for daily work coordination and site control standards
  • HSE Officers and Advisors — required to build, monitor and improve project safety systems
  • Project Managers — accountable for integrating safety duties into programme and contractor decisions
  • Construction Supervisors and Foremen — need practical methods for controlling crews and work fronts
  • Client Representatives — need assurance over contractor safety planning and delivery
  • Facilities and Maintenance Managers — oversee construction, shutdown or modification work on operational sites

Skills and tools covered

Construction risk assessmentPermit-to-work controlContractor safety managementOccupational hygiene planningIncident investigationSite safety auditing

Tools and standards

ISO 45001, ILO-OSH 2001, Hierarchy of Controls, Job Hazard Analysis

How the course runs

Training methodology

The instructor uses short technical briefings followed by construction-based case work, document reviews, group analysis and facilitated simulations. Participants assess realistic risk assessments, permits, lifting plans, inspection records and incident evidence, then apply the methods to a selected construction scenario. Group work tests how supervisors, contractors and clients coordinate controls at active work fronts. Daily application planning links each topic to participants’ own projects. Trainer feedback focuses on the quality, practicality and traceability of proposed site controls.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have basic familiarity with construction activities, common site hazards and their organisation’s safety procedures. Experience as a supervisor, engineer, HSE practitioner, project team member, contractor coordinator or client representative is useful. Participants should be able to read method statements, drawings and routine site documentation. No formal safety qualification is required, and no prior experience of ISO 45001 auditing is assumed. The course does not require engineering design expertise, legal training or advanced occupational hygiene knowledge. Local legal duties should be checked against the participant’s own jurisdiction after the course.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should understand basic construction activities and common site hazards, ideally through project, supervisory, engineering or HSE work. A formal safety qualification is not required, and the course explains each method before participants apply it.

Bring a laptop if possible and, where permitted, examples of your site safety plan, risk assessments, method statements or inspection forms. Sensitive project information can be anonymised before discussion.

It suits site managers, supervisors, project managers, HSE advisors, client representatives and contractor coordinators. It is designed for people who influence site work planning, control or assurance rather than workers seeking only a basic induction.

The content focuses on construction work fronts, temporary conditions, contractor interfaces and high-risk activities such as lifting, excavation and work at height. Participants work with site documents and control systems used on active construction projects.

Participants build a safety management pack containing risk, permit, contractor, inspection and incident-management materials. These can be adapted to project procedures, local legal requirements and the specific work packages under their control.

Each day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. The first week establishes planning and high-risk work controls; the second week covers health, assurance, investigation and a final management-pack presentation.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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