The Role of Competent Persons in Scaffold Safety

OSHA defines a competent person as someone capable of identifying work site hazards and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate such hazards. Every employee on a work site with scaffolding should know who the designated "competent person" is.

29 CFR 1926, Subpart L, "Scaffolds," requires a competent person to perform the following duties:

• 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
• Train employees involved in erecting, disassembling, moving, operating, repairing, maintaining, or inspecting scaffolds to recognize associated work hazards
• Inspect scaffolds and scaffold components for visible defects before each work shift and after any occurrence that could affect the structural integrity and to authorize prompt corrective actions
• Inspect ropes on suspended scaffolds prior to each work shift and after every occurrence which could affect the structural integrity and to authorize prompt corrective actions
• Evaluate suspension scaffold direct connections to support the load
• Evaluate the need to secure two-point and multi-point suspension scaffolds to prevent swaying
• Determine the feasibility and safety of providing fall protection and access for erectors and dismantlers
• 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

To learn more about Scaffolding Safety visit our Construction Scaffolding Safety Online Training web page.