Distinguishing Between Competent and Qualified Individuals Per OSHA Regulations
OSHA is a government organization that was created in 1970 to safeguard the well-being of American employees. It is crucial to prioritize meeting OSHA standards and selecting a competent or qualified person to ensure the safety of your workers.
To ensure a safe workplace anywhere in the world, employers must identify any potential hazards in the environment. OSHA has created standards that outline specific requirements for hazards and work activities. These standards help employers understand safety concerns related to these hazards or activities in advance.
Yet, it’s still a bit confusing when it comes to defining competent and qualified persons in any industry who can determine any hazards in the workplace.
People often question who exactly qualifies as competent. Which individuals meet the criteria of being qualified in a workplace?
If you want to keep your workers safe and in compliance with OSHA laws, you need to know the difference between a competent person and a qualified person.
That is why, below, we are going to look at the differences and similarities between competent and qualified people to eliminate some of the perplexity regarding their respective jobs and responsibilities in the professional arena.
Who is a Competent Person?
Being competent means, you have the right experience and knowledge to follow safety practices.
OSHA standards and documents frequently use the phrase “Competent Person.” As outlined by OSHA, a “competent person” is someone who can recognize potential hazards in the workplace that may be harmful to employees and has the authority to take corrective action to address them.
A competent person has the necessary knowledge and experience to understand relevant standards, can recognize potential hazards in the workplace related to their job, and has the power to fix them. Certain guidelines require the competent individual to fulfill extra particular criteria.
This concept above originates with the OSHA standard for the construction sector; however, it is utilized across all OSHA rules and regulations.
It is incumbent upon the employer, rather than OSHA or the state, to designate a proficient individual for the organization and ascertain that they fulfill all the necessary criteria. During OSHA inspections, the regulatory body may inquire as to the identity of the individual designated as the competent person. They may probe further to find out if any of the other workers have any idea who the competent individual is among the staff.
How Do We Define Qualified Person?
We have looked at what it means to be an OSHA-defined ‘competent person’. Now let’s look at what it means to be a ‘qualified person’.
According to OSHA, a qualified person is someone who has either earned a recognized degree or certificate, or has gained extensive knowledge, training, and experience and has proven their ability to effectively solve problems related to the subject matter, work, or project.
Hence, if someone spots a hazard, they might need to bring in a qualified person to take care of it. To make workplaces safer, they can develop and implement tailored systems. However, this qualified individual might not have the power to halt operations.
Defining Competent and Qualified Persons as per ANSI
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has definitions for both a competent person and a qualified person when it comes to fall protection.
ANSI regards a competent person as someone who is chosen by the employer to oversee and manage their fall protection program. This person should be trained and knowledgeable enough to identify and evaluate any potential fall hazards and have the authority to take action to correct them.
A qualified person, according to ANSI, is someone who has a degree or professional certificate and a lot of experience and training in fall protection and rescue. They should be able to design, analyze, evaluate, and specify fall protection and rescue systems as required by the standard.
What Separates a Qualified Person from a Competent Person?
While the above definitions seem straightforward enough, their vagueness can become problematic in real-life applications.
That is why it can be tough to tell the difference between someone qualified and someone competent just by looking at definitions. Both individuals must be problem-solvers who can spot issues at work and implement solutions.
There are a few key differences. Let’s analyze them below:
Competent Person vs Qualified Person
One who is competent looks out for potential dangers. They’re good at spotting dangers in the workplace, both ones that are already there and ones that could happen in the future. Additionally, they’re aware of which conditions could be risky or unsafe for the workers.
While a qualified individual may have greater technical knowledge and the ability to identify risks, only a competent individual has the power to take action to address such risks.
In simple terms, a qualified person is someone who has proven they know what they’re doing in a certain area of work. It might not necessarily have to do with keeping the workplace safe though. Therefore, essentially, when someone who knows what they’re doing designs or installs a system, it makes things safer by getting rid of any potential dangers or issues.
| Competent Person | Qualified Person |
| Is capable of seeing potential dangers | Is a specialist in the field |
| Has the power to eliminate risks | Holds formal training |
| Can take prompt corrective measures | Has technical know-how |
Examples from The Industries
Did you know that on a construction job site, a competent person and a qualified person have different roles?
In the construction industry, a skilled worker who oversees the site can recognize and address potential dangers, like unprotected edges or unstable scaffolds. A person who is qualified for this job could be an engineer who has the education and experience required to design and assess the structural integrity of a building.
The website of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) features industry-specific guidelines. Employers must provide their employees with a workplace free of hazards that might lead to “serious physical harm or death,” as stated in OSHA’s General Duty Clause.
Takeaway
It’s important to know the difference between competent and qualified workers to guarantee a secure and productive work environment.
Businesses can ensure a safer working environment by following the guidelines and standards set by OSHA. This can help reduce the risks of serious harm or fatalities caused by falls.