Competent Person Scheme

Any work to be undertaken by a firm or individual who is not registered under an approved competent person scheme must be notified to the Local Authority Building Control Body before work commences. That is, work that involves ... 

Those individuals or firms wishing to join the Competent Persons Scheme will need to demonstrate their competence, if necessary, by first undergoing training. The work of members will then be inspected at least once each year. There will be an initial registration and assessment fee and then an annual membership and inspection fee. 

The MCS scheme is very similar to the Part P Competent Persons Scheme to which many electrical contractors now belong. The aim of both schemes is to provide greater protection for customers by registering installers who have... 

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. 

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

An inspection plan (or written scheme of examination [WSE]) endorsed by the inspection and corrosion management services team/independent competent person that contains... 

Where appropriate, before lifting equipment and accessories is used for the first time, it is thoroughly examined. Lifting equipment may need to be thoroughly examined in use at periods specified in the Regulations (i.e. at least 6 monthly for accessories and, at a minimum, annually for all other equipments) or at intervals laid down in an examination scheme drawn up by a competent person ... 

From 1 July 1990, the Regulations place obligations on anyone who manufactures or constructs a new pressure system, and anyone who repairs or modifies a new or existing pressure system or part of it, to ensure that no danger will arise when it is operated within the safe operating limits specified for that plant. The Regulations require that after July 1994 no pressure system is put into operation until a written scheme for its periodic examination has been prepared by a competent person. This scheme should specify the nature and frequency of examination and any measures necessary to ensure that the examination can be carried out safely. 

Under the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations, a wide range of pressure vessels and systems require thorough examination by a competent person to an agreed, specifically written, scheme. In construction work the most common piece of equipment is the mobile air receiver for concrete breaking and the like. 

A thorough examination is a detailed examination, which may involve a visual check, a disassembly and testing of components and/or an equipment test under operating conditions. Such an examination must normally be carried out by a competent person who is independent of the employer. The examination is usually carried out according to a written scheme and a written report is submitted to the employer. 

Specific statutory (or thorough) examinations of, for example, lifting equipment or pressure vessels, have to be carried out at intervals laid down in written schemes by competent persons - usually specially trained and experienced inspection/insurance company personnel. 

The user is responsible for ensuring the pressure system is operated within specified safe limits and that the design conditions are not exceeded. A written scheme of examinations (reg. 8) must be prepared by a competent person before tiie system is put into operation and should include details of ... 

These Regulations are supported by an Approved Code of Practiced The Approved Code of Practice outlines, in relative terms, the qualifications to be held by a competent person to enable them to compile a written scheme for a major, intermediate or minor system. Guidance on the frequency of examination of pressure plant can be found in these ACOPs. 

The safe operating limit is a legal term which applies to pressure vessels. In the case of a new vessel, it means the pressure specified by the manufacturer, and in the case of a vessel that has been examined in accordance with the written scheme of examination, that specified by the competent person. 

As witii boilers the scheme of examination for these vessels should be drawn up by a competent person before they are put into service in a system. A report of the examination should be sent to the user or owner within 28 days. 

These regulations, which are goal-setting rather than prescriptive, allow the employer to select between following a system of tirorough examinations prescribed by the regulations or a scheme of examinations drawn up by a competent person based on the findings of a risk assessment. 

A national accreditation scheme - based on BS ISO 17020 - has been established for inspection bodies under the aegis of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). Inspection bodies operating within this scheme are required to establish and maintain a quality system within their scope of activities which is subject to ongoing assessment by UKAS. The scheme is supported by HSE and provides a good benchmark for the owners or users of plant to use if and when subcontracting inspections by a competent person to another company. 

Under these Regulations owners and users of pressure systems must have a written scheme of examination drawn up by a competent person for the examination of the system at specified intervals to confirm that the system... 

Examination scheme - a suitable scheme drawn up by a competent person for such thorough examination of lifting equipment at such intervals as may be appropriate for the purpose of Regulation 9... 

These intervals can be followed as laid down in Regulation 9, or there is an option for competent persons to develop an examination scheme for different pieces of plant. These schemes will normally specify a more frequent interval rather than a less frequent one. The requirement is therefore to possess either a written examination scheme or to follow the specified periods for examination and testing within the Regulations. The need for and the nature of a test will be a matter for the competent person to decide on, taking into account the manufacturer s information. 

This is work carried out by a person or firm registered under an authorized Competent Persons Self-Certification Scheme or electrical installation work that does not include the provision of a new circuit. This includes work such as ... 

The Competent Persons Self-Certification Scheme is aimed at those who carry out electrical installation work as the primary activity of their business. The government has approved schemes to be operated by BRE Certification Ltd, British Standards Institution, ELECSA Ltd, NICEIC Certification Services Ltd and Napit Certification Services Ltd. All the different bodies will operate the scheme to the same criteria and will be monitored by the Department for Communities and Local Government, formally called the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Installers of environmental technology systems must also be registered under the scheme. 

Preparing a scheme for preventing or minimizing the risk and applying precautions to control the risk. All persons involved in this aspect must be trained and competent. It may be necessary to engage consultants or other suitable persons. 

The traditional appraisal scheme involves the manager appraising the performance of staff members on a one to one basis. These can be well-conducted conversations on an individual s performance but do have the capacity to become authoritarian and dictatorial. Competency based appraisals are those where performance is appraised against clearly identified competencies and are not concerned with personality or character traits. 360° appraisal, as its name implies, involves getting feedback on a person s performance from contacts all on fronts. Upward appraisal is a method used by managers basically to improve their personal performance. Getting the views from their own staff on their managerial skills does this. 

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