A worker with formal credentials or expert knowledge required to design or inspect specific safety systems.
A qualified person, as defined by OSHA, is one who by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter, work, or project. The distinction from a competent person is that a qualified person's designation is based on formal credentials or demonstrated expertise rather than authority to make corrections.
When a project's scope includes engineered systems like scaffolding design, excavation support, or rigging plans, the estimator must price in a credentialed qualified person rather than assuming field crews can self-perform. Misjudging this drives general conditions, sub markups, and schedule, and a bid that ignores the requirement risks being deemed non-responsive or losing money once the work is awarded.
Reviewing a hospital addition's spec section on shoring, an estimator carries a line item for a licensed PE to serve as the qualified person designing the excavation protective system before the bid is submitted.
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