Training Courses in Bristol

Bristol is the main centre for classroom training in the South West. Open courses run here most weeks across workplace first aid, the CITB Site Safety Plus range, IOSH and NEBOSH, IPAF powered access and PASMA towers, alongside asbestos, mental health, fire marshal and environmental management courses. This page lists the scheduled courses in Bristol from approved training providers, so you can compare dates, venues and prices in one place and book the one that suits.

See all course dates in Bristol

WhereBristolVenues in the city, the northern and eastern fringes and out towards the coast

FormatClassroom, open coursesBook one place or several; on-site delivery available for groups

Main schemesFirst aid, CITB, IOSH, NEBOSHPlus IPAF, PASMA, UKATA asbestos and mental health first aid

NearbyBath and Weston-super-MareMore dates within a short drive if Bristol is full

First aid and mental health SMSTS and CITB IOSH and NEBOSH IPAF and PASMA Asbestos and specialist Venues

First aid courses in Bristol

First aid is the largest group of courses running in Bristol, with dates from several providers at venues on different sides of the city, so there is a real choice of location as well as date. The one-day Emergency First Aid at Work course suits lower-risk workplaces such as offices and shops. The three-day First Aid at Work course is for higher-risk settings and larger sites, including construction, manufacturing and warehousing. A blended version, with part of the learning completed online first, shortens the time in the classroom.

Both certificates last three years. First Aid at Work holders renew with the two-day Requalification course; Emergency First Aid at Work holders simply repeat the one-day course. Nurseries, childminders and schools need Paediatric First Aid, which meets the Early Years Foundation Stage requirement and runs in Bristol in a blended format.

Two-day Mental Health First Aid and the shorter Mental Health Advocate course both run in the city, as does half-day fire marshal training, which has some of the most frequent dates in Bristol.

Not sure which course or how many first aiders you need? Use our free first aid needs calculator, or browse all first aid training.

SMSTS, SSSTS and CITB courses in Bristol

The CITB Site Safety Plus range runs in Bristol from several providers. The five-day SMSTS is for site managers and is offered both as a single block week and split across two or more weeks, which suits managers who cannot leave a live site for five days in a row. The two-day SSSTS is for first-line supervisors, gangers and foremen.

Both certificates last five years and must be renewed before they expire: the SMSTS Refresher takes two days and the SSSTS Refresher one. If the certificate lapses, CITB requires the full course again. The one-day Health and Safety Awareness course is the usual route towards the CSCS Labourer card, alongside the CITB health, safety and environment test.

Also running in Bristol: Temporary Works Coordinator (two days) and its one-day refresher, Temporary Works Supervisor (one day) and SEATS site environmental awareness. For the national picture see SMSTS courses, SSSTS courses and all CITB courses.

IOSH and NEBOSH courses in Bristol

Bristol has one of the stronger NEBOSH classroom programmes outside London. The NEBOSH General Certificate is the step up for anyone moving into a health and safety role; tuition is split into two blocks, leading to the NG1 open-book examination and the NG2 workplace risk assessment. The NEBOSH construction certificate and the NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety also run here as classroom courses.

IOSH Managing Safely runs over three days from several providers. It is aimed at managers and supervisors in any sector who are responsible for other people's safety, and is assessed by a short test and a workplace risk assessment project. A one-day Managing Safely Refresher, the one-day IOSH Working Safely course for staff at any level and IOSH Safety for Executives and Directors are available too.

Compare every format, including live online and e-learning, under IOSH courses and NEBOSH courses.

IPAF and PASMA training in Bristol

For powered access, the IPAF 3a and 3b operator course covers scissor lifts and mobile booms in one day and has dates in Bristol most weeks. The 1b, 3a and 3b version adds static booms such as van and trailer mounts.

PASMA Towers for Users is the one-day course for anyone who assembles, moves or dismantles mobile aluminium towers. The Combined Low-Level Access and Towers for Users course adds podiums and folding towers in the same day. PASMA cards and IPAF PAL cards both last five years.

Also running in Bristol: scaffold management and inspection training for those who sign off scaffolds rather than build them. See all IPAF courses and PASMA courses nationally.

Asbestos, CDM and environmental courses in Bristol

Half-day UKATA Asbestos Awareness runs regularly in Bristol for trades working in buildings from before 2000. The one-day UKATA Non-Licensed Asbestos Work course goes further, for those who will knowingly disturb lower-risk asbestos materials. See asbestos courses for the full range.

For designers, clients and contractors, a two-day CDM 2015 course runs in the city, and the ISEP (formerly IEMA) Foundation Certificate in Environmental Management is available as a five-day classroom course.

Where the courses run in Bristol

Training venues are spread across the Bristol area and are not all in the centre. There are venues in and close to the city, on the northern and eastern fringes, and further out towards the Severn and the coast, so two courses listed for Bristol can be a fair distance apart. The venues on the north side are close to the M4, M5 and M32, which makes them practical for delegates driving in from South Gloucestershire, Bath, North Somerset and South Wales. The exact venue and postcode are shown on every course listing, with a map, so check it before you book.

Can't find a date in Bristol?

Widen the search to all Gloucestershire courses
Try Bath, Weston-super-Mare or Swindon
Across the bridge? See Cardiff
SMSTS also runs as a live online instructor-led course you can join from home

Booking for a team

Open courses take single places or several, booked online
With enough delegates, on-site training at your own premises in Bristol often costs less per head
Our free group travel cost calculator compares venues for a team spread across the region
Browse every county and town on the locations A–Z

Renewing a ticket? Check the date first

SMSTS, SSSTS, PASMA and IPAF all run on five-year cycles and first aid on three, and CITB refreshers can only be taken while the original certificate is still in date. Bristol refresher courses fill quickest in the weeks before popular expiry dates, so check your expiry date and book a month or two ahead.

Common questions about training in Bristol

Do I need one-day or three-day first aid?

That comes from your first aid needs assessment. Low-risk workplaces with small numbers usually need Emergency First Aid at Work, the one-day course. Higher-risk work, larger headcounts, shift patterns and remote sites point towards the three-day First Aid at Work course. Our first aid needs calculator gives a starting answer in a couple of minutes.

Should I book SMSTS or SSSTS?

It depends on your role, not your trade. SMSTS is for people who manage a site: planning, organising and controlling the work, including site managers, contracts managers and agents. SSSTS is for those who supervise a gang or a section of the work day to day. Most principal contractors ask for SMSTS from anyone running a site and SSSTS from every supervisor. Compare SMSTS and SSSTS dates locally.

My SMSTS or SSSTS is about to expire. Can I still take the refresher?

Yes, provided you complete the refresher before the expiry date on your certificate. CITB does not allow a grace period: once the certificate has lapsed you need to retake the full five-day SMSTS or two-day SSSTS. If Bristol refresher dates are too late, check the rest of Gloucestershire before the date passes.

IOSH Managing Safely or the NEBOSH General Certificate?

They do different jobs. IOSH Managing Safely is a three-day course for line managers who need to manage safety within their own team as part of a wider role. The NEBOSH General Certificate is a much larger qualification, taught over two weeks with an examination and a practical assessment, for people whose job is health and safety or who are moving that way. Many people take Managing Safely first and the General Certificate later.

Are the courses in Bristol city centre, and what about the Clean Air Zone?

Some venues are central, but many are on the edge of the city or further out. Bristol's Clean Air Zone covers a central area of the city, and a daily charge applies to vehicles that do not meet its emissions standards. If you are driving, check the venue postcode on the course listing against the zone before you travel, or choose a venue outside it. The postcode and a map are on each listing, and they differ from course to course even within the same scheme.

Can you run a course at our premises in Bristol?

Yes. Most of the courses on this page can be delivered on site for a group, on dates you choose. It usually becomes cheaper than open-course places at around six to eight delegates, and the trainer can refer to your own site, plant and procedures. Send the details through the on-site training page for a quote.

Compare course dates and prices in Bristol below

Envico is an independent booking service. We list scheduled courses in Bristol from approved training providers so you can compare dates, venues and prices side by side, then book online. New courses and dates are added as providers release them. Training a team from across the region? Our free group travel cost calculator works out which venue is cheapest for everyone to reach.