Personal competence

Maintenance embraces regular inspection, periodic examination by competent persons , and repairs. Accidents may arise as a result of the lack of maintenance, during maintenance, and as a consequence of faulty maintenance. Preventive maintenance can be a legal requirement for, e.g., pressure vessels/boilers, lifting gear, power presses. A system is required for monitoring compliance witli scheduled preventive maintenance programmes, backed up by in-service inspection. Breakdown... 

Have a suitable written scheme drawn up or certified by a competent person for the examination at appropriate intervals of most pressure vessels and all safety devices, and any pipework which is potentially dangerous. Advice may be sought from any competent person when deciding what vessels and parts of the pipework need to be included. 

If >3 tonnes of LPG is carried, when the vehicle is not being driven, ensure parking is in a safe place or that it is supervised (by the driver or a competent person aged >18). 

Wlien utility work is located in an exclusion zone, are workers who enter the area exposed to hazardous materials Hazard characterization and exposure assessment performed by a competent person may show that the area surrounding the equipment and an access corridor leading to the equipment can be cleaned so that the utility workers can work in the... 

This decision is one that must be made after carefully considering all of the circumstances and, of course, based on the requirements. The reportable quantity rules may come into play. The principle behind these requirements is that the more dangerous a material might be to personnel, surroundings or the environment, the smaller the reportable quantity. A competent person should review each occurrence to help determine the appropriate action. Sometimes, even a very minute spill must be reported. If doubts occur as to the applicability of the requirements, take the safe rather than sorry stance. 

Chapter 2 stressed the need to consider the results of plant modifications before they are made and to prevent unauthorized ones. This applies to computers as well as traditional plant. No change should be made to hardware or software unless authorized by a professionally competent person who has carried out a systematic survey of possible consequences. It is easier to change a software control system than a traditional one and therefore harder to control the changes, but it is just as important to do so. Section 20.5 describes an unauthorized change to hardware that could have had serious results. 

The way that a group handles staff disagreement is also very critical. Performance may be hampered by what has often been called "reactance." The notion is that an individual with a high sense of competence will require freedom to express that ability. If this is denied and the competent person is "relabeled" in a subordinate position, performance will be severely impaired by a tendency to prove "how much better things would have been, if they had been done his or her way."... 

Engineer surveyors employed by engineering insurance companies have always been regarded as being competent persons as required by these various Acts. The knowledge and experience, which has been accumulated by the companies over the years, enables them to offer to industry and commerce a service of exceptional quality. 

Legislation introduced the requirements for statutory examinations by a competent person , the responsibility for ensuring the competence of the examiner resting on the plant owner. There is no requirement for the competent person to be independent of the owner s organization, but independence does have clear advantages. 

The person who carries out the examination is the competent person , although this term may also be used in a corporate sense. One very concise description of the competent person, which originated in a law case, is he must know what to look for and how to recognize it when he sees it . This has been expanded both officially and unofficially, and a current guidance note on this subject is paraphrased as follows ... 

The Competent Person should have sufficient practical and theoretical knowledge and actual experience of the types of plant he is charged with examining and testing as will enable him to detect faults and weaknesses. He should have the maturity to seek such specialist advice and assistance as will be required to enable him to make the necessary judgements. He should also be able to assess the importance of any faults or weaknesses in relation to the strength and function of the plant before he is required to certify it as suitable to carry out its specified duty. The Competent Person should have access to the equipment, specialist s... 

After soundness testing and purging, a competent person must commission the item of plant. It is a requirement of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations, Regulation 33, that an appliance is fully commissioned at the time that gas is made available to it or that it is isolated in such a manner that it cannot be used. 

Are there safe systems of work implemented during the operation and maintenance of the plant and equipment (This may necessitate a permit to work to be issued by an authorized competent person.)... 

Prior to being brought into use in a factory, boilers must have been thoroughly examined (when cold) by a competent person in accordance with the Examination of Steam Boilers Regulations 1964. Following subsequent examination at the recommended frequency, the results on the prescribed forms must be attached to the General Register (F31) within 28 days. 

In the 1987 Regulations, asbestos is defined as any of the following minerals crocidolite, amosite, chrysotile, fibrous anthophyllite, fibrous actinolite, fibrous tremolite and any mixture containing any of these. Before carrying out work on any substance suspected of being asbestos, a competent person must be called to advise on its possible... 

Where a competent person is to carry out the work, he must complete section 3 as the certificate holder. The authorized person then issues him the top copy, which he must retain on him throughout the period the work is being carried out. The bottom copy is retained in the register. 

The company nominates authorized and competent persons after they have been given the appropriate training in both the tasks to be carried out and their responsibility as nominated persons. 

It is the contractor s responsibility to ensure that all work is carried out safely and by competent persons. 

Wall Grilles will have directional vanes in one or both planes, which can be set on commissioning. These need to be set by a competent person who is aware of the required room flow pattern. It is advisable that such a setting adjustment should be operated by special tools to prevent subsequent tampering. 

Maintenance embraces regular inspection, periodic examination by competent persons , and repairs. All maintenance on equipment used with chemicals should be properly planned and recorded. Maintenance operations, particularly those which are non-routine, require a sound system of work with strict administrative procedures, e.g. permit-to-work, to avoid risks arising from modifications to established safe practices. A permit-to-work should be used wherever the method by which a job is done is likely to be critical to the safety of the workers involved, nearby workers, or the public it is required whenever the safeguards provided in normal operations are no longer available. Examples include ... 

Have examinations carried out by a competent person at the intervals set down in the scheme. 

Check that there is a certificate for the carrying tank in which a competent person has certified it as suitable for the purpose for which it is to be used. These purposes should be specified in the certificate. 

Ensure that a current report, signed by a competent person, gives details of examinations and tests on the tank, and the interval before which further examinations and tests must be performed. This report should confirm that the tank is suitable for the purposes stated in the certificate or otherwise define its suitability. 

Ensure that if conveying a dangerous substance with an emergency action code ending with E (subject to certain exceptions) the vehicle when not being driven is either parked in a safe place or is supervised by himself or some other competent person >18 years. 

A check from marks on the cylinder indicating that it has undergone proper examination at appropriate intervals by a competent person. 

---