What is Supervisor and Competent Person Training?
The OSHA Competent Person Training is designed to educate ‘qualified personnel’ to identify and recognize different hazards on the job site. These employees are also likely to have an authority to take the necessary measures needed to avoid or mitigate any incidents in the workplace.
OSHA standards refer to a "competent person" repeatedly throughout the standards, but specifically a competent person is mandatory for construction job sites.
Ensure you have sufficient documentation and in some cases “certificates” to prove your trainers, safety manager, site supervisors, anyone who developed programs, procedures, assessments, and employees are “competent” and/or “qualified” as required by many of the construction standards. (I.E.: To include but not limited to: Working platforms, confined spaces, Fall Protection, Powered Industrial Truck Operations, Other Heavy Equipment and/or aerial lift equipment, Scaffolding, Stairways and Ladders, Asbestos (if applicable), Excavations and Trenching, Cranes (if applicable recent changes are very stringent), Welding/Cutting.
OSHA says….
The term "Competent Person" is used in many OSHA standards and documents. An OSHA "competent person" is defined as "one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them" By way of training and/or experience, a competent person is knowledgeable of applicable standards, is capable of identifying workplace hazards relating to the specific operation, and has the authority to correct them. Some standards add additional specific requirements which must be met by the competent person.
1926.32(i)
"Designated person" means "authorized person" as defined in paragraph (d) of this section.
1926.32(d)
"Authorized person" means a person approved or assigned by the employer to perform a specific type of duty or duties or to be at a specific location or locations at the jobsite.
1926.32(f)
"Competent person" means one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.
1926.32(m)
"Qualified" means one who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated his ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter, the work, or the project.
ANSI says…
Before proceeding with further discussion on what the fall protection plan should consist of, it would be wise to discuss who should be responsible for putting the plan together and implementing it. ANSI Z359.2 defines the roles and responsibilities of a program administrator, qualified person, competent person and authorized person.
The program administrator is responsible for all phases of the fall protection plan, including its development, implementation and ongoing monitoring. Additionally, the administrator must have a working knowledge of fall protection regulations, standards, equipment and systems. He or she must provide guidance to all those affected by the fall protection plan including employees and departments such as purchasing, assign all duties and responsibilities, provide training programs, participate in accident investigations and evaluate the effectiveness of the plan. The person who serves as the program administrator may also be the qualified or competent person.
The formal definitions of each term, as outlined by ANSI, are as follows:
Authorized Person - 2.10-A person assigned by the employer to perform duties at a location where the person will be exposed to a fall hazard.
Competent Person - 2.27-An individual designated by the employer to be responsible for the immediate supervision, implementation, and monitoring of the employers managed fall protection program who, through training and knowledge, is capable of identifying, evaluating, and addressing existing and potential fall hazards, and who has the employer’s authority to take prompt, corrective action with regards to such hazards.
Program Administrator - 2.107-A person authorized by their employer to be responsible for managing the employer’s fall protection program.
Qualified Person - 2.109-A person with a recognized degree or professional certificate and with extensive knowledge, training, and experience in the fall protection and rescue field who is capable of designing, analyzing, evaluating, and specifying fall protection and rescue systems to the extent required by this standard.
Author: Deborah Grow, Safety Compliance Specialist
Private Safety Consultant
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