What defines a competent person?

A competent person is defined as someone who has the ability to recognize existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees. Additionally, this individual must possess the authority to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate these hazards. The combination of hazard identification skills and the authority to act on those findings is what distinguishes a competent person.

While experience in workplace safety, safety certification training, and overseeing safety inspectors are valuable assets and can contribute to someone being viewed as competent, they do not fully encapsulate what makes an individual a competent person. Simply having experience or certification does not guarantee the ability to effectively identify and mitigate hazards in real-time situations. Therefore, the emphasis on both the ability to determine hazards and the authority to mitigate them is crucial in defining a competent person in the context of workplace safety.