Certification Requirements For Construction Supervisors

The job of a construction supervisor involves managing crews of skilled and unskilled workers at construction sites. Supervisors are usually experienced construction workers themselves. Basically, they are responsible for the efficient use of labor, machines and materials by their crews and report to site superintendents.

Supervisors plan and schedule work and keep records of the materials used and the progress made on a job. They also report on such things as personnel, costs and safety. They also communicate company rules and policies to the workers and are involved in grievance redressal. Supervisors must be familiar with union contracts and procedures and must be able to read blueprints and plans. In the US, employment opportunities for construction supervisors are expected to grow by about 15.4 per cent over the next eight years.

As for certification requirements, construction supervisors require to have licenses. A Licensed Construction Supervisor (CSL) directly supervises persons engaged in construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, removal or demolition of certain limited types of buildings.



There are three categories of license:

• Unrestricted License: This allows you to supervise individuals involved in the activities identified above for any single or two-family dwelling (or accessory structure) regardless of its size, or any other building up to 35,000 cubic feet of enclosed space, buildings used for farm purposes and retaining walls less than 10 feet in height.
  
  
• Restricted License: This allows you to supervise individuals involved in the activities identified above only for any single or two-family dwelling (or accessory structure) irrespective of its size.
  
  
• Masonry Only License: As the name suggests a person who possesses this license may supervise individuals involved in the activities identified above for fireplaces, chimneys, stairs, walls which retain four feet or more of unbalanced fill and other masonry structures for which a building permit is required.

A person seeking to become licensed as a construction supervisor must have at least three years of experience in building construction or design in the field in which he or she desires to be licensed. Successful completion of a three or four year vocational high school or other vocational school programme in the field of building construction shall be deemed to satisfy one year of the required three years of experience. The most common level of education for construction supervisors is a high school diploma.

Next, a candidate must successfully complete a computer-based test. While the construction supervisor license is the only license issued by the state, some cities andor towns have additional license requirements. Construction supervisors possess a picture identification card indicating an expiration date.

The construction supervisor license is intended to demonstrate a degree of competency in respect to the provisions of the building code, which establishes criterion ensuring public safety. However, there is an additional safety certification.

The Safety Trained Supervisor (STS) certification provides a means for employers to verify safety and health knowledge of first-line supervisors and managers. The programme requires applicants to meet minimum education and experience requirements and demonstrate knowledge of basic safety and health standards and practices.

Safety tasks often include monitoring for job hazards, helping ensure regulatory compliance, training employees in safety practices, performing safety record keeping tasks, coordinating corrections for safety problems within or among work groups, and communicating with safety specialists or management. The STS program in the US is nationally accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).