Scaffold & Elevated Work
Scaffold Competent
Person Requirements
Person Requirements
OSHA 1926.451(f)(3) · NYC BC §3314 · Must Inspect Before Each Work Shift
The Competent Person (CP) for scaffolding is not a title, a hat, or a sticker — it is a legal designation with specific qualifications and responsibilities. On every NYC construction site, the CP must be identified, present, and actively exercising their authority before any worker ascends a scaffold. If you don't know who the scaffold CP is on this site, ask now.
What Makes Someone a Competent Person?
- Ability to identify existing and predictable scaffold hazards — by training, experience, or both
- Authority to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate those hazards — this includes stopping work
- In NYC: the CP for scaffold must hold a valid NYC 4-hour scaffold safety training card at minimum; most sites require additional formal CP training
- The CP is designated in writing by the erecting contractor — verbal designation is not sufficient
Pre-Shift Inspection — CP Responsibility
- Before each work shift and after any event that could affect scaffold integrity: rain, wind > 25 mph, nearby impact, unauthorized modification
- Inspection covers: base plates and mud sills, cross-bracing, coupling pins, planks, guardrails, access, capacity posting, and scaffold tag
- Defective scaffolds must be tagged OUT OF SERVICE and workers must be prevented from accessing — not just asked to avoid
- All inspection findings must be documented in the SSM daily log (PL-001)
NYC BC §3314 — CP Authority
- The CP has the unilateral authority to stop all scaffold work if they determine a hazard exists — no GC override
- Workers have the right to refuse to work on a scaffold they believe is unsafe — this right is protected under OSHA Section 11(c)
- If the CP and worker disagree, work stops and the SSM is notified — the scaffold is re-inspected before resuming
Discussion Questions
- Who is the designated Scaffold Competent Person on this site, and how would you contact them?
- You arrive on site after heavy overnight rain and want to access the scaffold. What must happen first?
- The CP tells you the scaffold is out of service but your foreman says "it's fine." What do you do?
- What does the CP inspect before each work shift? Name four specific items.
Sign-Off
Project Address
Date
Time
Foreman / Supervisor
SSM / SSC Name & License No.
Worker Attendance
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