• Introduction
• Preparing
  for Use
• Install/
  Disassembly
• Use of
  Staging
• Key Components
• Topic Glossary

Qualified Person.

Photo courtesy of VSRA.

Preparing for Use

SWP 1. Designate a Qualified Person for the Project

Marine hanging staging should be erected and dismantled only by trained workers under the supervision of a Qualified Person. A Qualified Person is a person who by possession of a recognized degree or certification of professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training, and experience has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve or resolve problems related to the subject matter, the work, or the project. The Qualified Person is designated by an employer as responsible for erection, alteration, modification, disassembly, and any ongoing inspection of the staging. Also, workers and others who use the staging should be trained to recognize unsafe acts and conditions related to the equipment.

The Qualified Person designated by the employer is critical to both planning for and ensuring the safety of the staging. The Qualified Person's responsibilities include:

• Preliminary inspection of the areas where the marine hanging staging will be erected, including the condition of the overhead anchorages.
• Inspection of the materials to be used for the staging, including the suspension cable assemblies and fall protection equipment.
• Continuous supervision of the assembly, disassembly, alteration, or modification of the staging and fall protection system.
• Periodic inspection of all marine hanging staging components (the frequency of inspections depends on the type of components used and the duration of use).