Training Courses in Manchester

Manchester is the main centre for classroom training in the North West. Open courses run here most weeks across IOSH Managing Safely and the NEBOSH certificates, workplace first aid, CITB supervisor and refresher courses, and the CCNSG and SPA safety passports used on industrial, food and quarry sites. This page lists the scheduled courses in Manchester 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 Manchester

WhereManchester, Greater ManchesterVenues in the city centre and at training centres further out

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

Main schemesIOSH, NEBOSH, first aid, CITBPlus CCNSG and SPA passports, CAT and Genny and face fit tester training

NearbySalford and StockportMore dates across Greater Manchester if the city is full

IOSH and NEBOSH First aid SSSTS and CITB CCNSG and SPA passports Venues

IOSH and NEBOSH courses in Manchester

Manchester has one of the strongest classroom programmes for health and safety qualifications outside London. IOSH Managing Safely runs from several providers, over three days, with dates most weeks. 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. The one-day Managing Safely Refresher keeps the certificate current.

The NEBOSH General Certificate is the step up for anyone moving into a health and safety role; tuition is taught over two weeks, 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 in Manchester as classroom courses, with dates published well into next year.

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

First aid courses in Manchester

First aid runs in Manchester from several providers, so dates are frequent and there is a choice of venue. 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.

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 Manchester in a blended format, with part of the course completed online first.

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

SSSTS and CITB courses in Manchester

CITB Site Safety Plus training in Manchester runs from more than one provider. The two-day SSSTS is for first-line supervisors, gangers and foremen. The two-day SMSTS Refresher renews the site manager certificate, and 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.

SMSTS and SSSTS certificates last five years and must be renewed before they expire; if the certificate lapses, CITB requires the full course again. For the full five-day site manager course, compare SMSTS dates across Greater Manchester, and see the SSSTS Refresher dates there too.

Also running in Manchester: CAT and Genny cable avoidance training and Face Fit Train the Tester. For the national picture see SMSTS courses, SSSTS courses and all CITB courses.

CCNSG and SPA safety passports in Manchester

Manchester is one of the best places in the country to book a contractor safety passport. The two-day CCNSG Safety Passport is the site entry requirement on engineering construction, power and process sites. It lasts three years and is renewed with the one-day CCNSG renewal course, which must be taken before the card expires. CCNSG Leading a Team Safely is the supervisor-level course in the same scheme.

The Safety Pass Alliance passports run here as well, each with its own renewal: Food and Drink for contractors on food manufacturing sites, Mineral Products (MPQC) for quarries and cement and asphalt plants, and Petrol Retail for forecourt work. SPA passports last three years.

Where the courses run in Manchester

Training venues are spread across the city and are not all in the centre. Some are central and suit delegates arriving by train or tram; others are at dedicated training centres further out, where parking is usually easier. The M60 ring, with the M62, M56 and M61 feeding into it, puts most venues within reach of delegates driving in from across Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Lancashire. This page lists courses in Manchester itself; the surrounding towns have their own pages. 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 Manchester?

Widen the search to all Greater Manchester courses, which adds IPAF, PASMA and other work at height training
Try Salford, Stockport or Oldham
Further out, see Bolton, Wigan and Warrington
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 Manchester 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 and SSSTS run on five-year cycles, and first aid, CCNSG and SPA passports on three. CITB refreshers and passport renewals can only be taken while the original is still in date. Manchester 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 Manchester

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.

CCNSG or SPA: which passport do I need?

It depends on the site, not on you. The client or principal contractor sets the entry requirement. CCNSG is asked for on engineering construction, power generation, petrochemical and process sites. SPA passports are sector specific: Food and Drink for food factories, Mineral Products for quarries and related plants, Petrol Retail for forecourts. Check the site rules or your contract before you book, because one scheme is not accepted in place of another.

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.

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 Manchester refresher dates are too late, check the rest of Greater Manchester before the date passes.

Are the courses in Manchester city centre?

Some are, but many run at training centres further out. The postcode and a map are on each course listing, and they differ from course to course even within the same scheme, so check before you book. Central venues are usually easiest by train or Metrolink, while the outer venues are easier by car and tend to have parking on site.

Can you run a course at our premises in Manchester?

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 Manchester below

Envico is an independent booking service. We list scheduled courses in Manchester 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.