Designate Competent/Qualified Persons
OSHA rules require that competent or qualified persons to perform certain activities.
A competent or qualified person is required for some safety tasks.
They must have the training and expertise to evaluate hazardous conditions, inspect equipment, evaluate mechanical systems, or train others how to work safely. The following definitions for competent and qualified persons are related to fall protection:
- Competent Person: A competent person is one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable fall hazards that are dangerous to employees, and authorized to stop work and take prompt corrective action to eliminate them.
- Qualified Person: A qualified person is one who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing or who, by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and ability to solve or resolve problems relating to fall protection at work.
Who Can Be a Competent or Qualified Person?
A competent or qualified person must know the OSHA rules that apply to your workplace.
Use the following guidelines to determine who might be eligible as a competent/qualified person:
- Know the OSHA rules that apply to your workplace. The rules will tell you if you need to designate a competent or a qualified person.
- If an OSHA rule that applies to your workplace requires a competent or a qualified person, note duties and responsibilities the rule requires the person to perform.
- If an OSHA rule that applies to your workplace requires a competent person, that person must have the authority to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate hazards.
- Determine the knowledge, training, and experience the competent or qualified person needs to meet the rule's requirements.
- Designate a person who has the knowledge, training, and experience that meets the rule's requirements.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-5. Which of the following is a person who, by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated his or her ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter, the work, or the project?
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