Stay Safe and Become a Competent Person – St. Louis Shoring

Having a competent person on an excavation site helps ensure employee safety at all times.

OSHA Competent Person

When a company requires excavation work on a job site, OSHA mandates that a competent person be there to ensure that the requirements for the OSHA standard are being met. This is necessary to ensure employee safety.

What is a Competent Person?

According to OSHA, a competent person is “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.” (29 CFR 1926.32(f))

This designated person has the responsibility to inspect the trenches and adjacent areas daily, or as conditions change. They need to be able to identify existing issues and predictable hazards. Once identified, the competent person is then able to take corrective measures to control or eliminate these hazardous conditions.

Therefore, the competent person must have very specific training and be knowledgeable about the correct use of protective systems, soil analysis, and the requirements of all trench safety standards. The training course is intended for employees that have the responsibility for ensuring healthy, safe, and sanitary working conditions such as construction supervisors or managers. 

Competent Person Training Course

In order to qualify as a competent person, a trainee must complete the OSHA 30 Hour Construction Training Course. It is handled by an authorized Outreach Trainer and is conducted over the course of 4 consecutive days. Each participant is given their own copy of the OSHA CFR 1926 Construction Standards.

There are a wide variety of topics covered in this 30 hour training course. Some of these topics include, but are not limited to:

  • OSHA requirements for a competent person
  • Competent person responsibilities
  • General requirements for inspections and safety training
  • Health hazards associated with construction work
  • State OSHA programs
  • Fire protection and prevention
  • Material handling, storage and disposal
  • Electrical safety
  • Fall protection for construction
  • Scaffolding on construction sites
  • Trenching and excavation
  • Masonry and concrete construction
  • Demolition work
  • Welding and cutting requirements
  • Power and hand tool use
  • Structural steel construction

Once the course is successfully completed, the trainee will receive an OSHA 30 Hour Construction Training card to place in their wallet. In addition, they will receive a personalized certificate showing that they completed and passed the course.

Rely on Our Expertise to Stay Safe

On major excavation projects there is a lot to think about: OSHA regulations, having the right equipment, and keeping the crew safe. Luby Shoring Services was founded with the goal of providing a wide range of equipment options to get the job done in the most effective and safest way possible. We are confident in our shoring products and know that the workers are safe.

Whether your next job is manhole installations, deep excavation work, horizontal drilling, or any other shoring job, call Luby Shoring Services today at (636) 660-7467 or fill out our online contact form.

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