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803 Scaffold Safety Program Management
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803 Scaffold Safety Program Management

Competent Person Duties

A competent person's duties can be shared as long as each person is qualified to perform the duty and has authority to correct hazards promptly.

Competent person directing employee to assemble scaffolding.
A competent person must be able to identify and promptly correct hazards.

Competent persons must be able to do the following:

General:
  • Select and direct employees who erect, dismantle, move, or alter scaffolds.
  • Determine if it is safe for employees to work on or from a scaffold during storms or high winds and to ensure that a personal fall arrest system or wind screens protect these employees. (Note: Windscreens should not be used unless the scaffold is secured against the anticipated wind forces imposed.)

For Training:
  • Train employees involved in erecting, disassembling, moving, operating, repairing, maintaining, or inspecting scaffolds to recognize associated work hazards.

For Inspections:
  • Inspect scaffolds and scaffold components for visible defects before each work shift and after any occurrence which could affect the structural integrity and to authorize prompt corrective actions.
  • Inspect ropes on suspended scaffolds prior to each workshift and after every occurrence. This could affect the structural integrity and to authorize prompt corrective actions.
  • Inspect manila or plastic (or other synthetic) rope being used for toprails or midrails.

For Inspections:
  • Evaluate direct connections to support the load.
  • Evaluate the need to secure two-point and multi-point scaffolds to prevent swaying.

For Erectors and Dismantlers:
  • Determine the feasibility and safety of providing fall protection and access.
  • Train erectors and dismantlers to recognize associated work hazards.

For Scaffold Components:
  • Determine if a scaffold will be structurally sound when intermixing components from different manufacturers.
  • Determine if galvanic action has affected the capacity when using components of dissimilar metals.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

2-4. When working with scaffolds, which is a responsibility of a competent person?

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