Who is responsible for inspecting machinery and equipment to ensure safety standards?

The responsibility for inspecting machinery and equipment to ensure safety standards falls to a competent person. This individual is defined by OSHA as someone who is knowledgeable about the standards and is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the environment or working conditions. The responsibilities of a competent person include conducting inspections and maintaining oversight of equipment to ensure it meets safety protocols and regulations.

A crane operator, while skilled in operating the machinery, may not necessarily have the training or authority to conduct safety inspections. The site supervisor has an overarching role in managing safety on site but might lack the specific expertise required to evaluate the intricacies of machinery safety independently. The equipment manufacturer provides valuable information about safe use and maintenance, but they are not typically on-site to conduct inspections themselves. Thus, the role of the competent person is essential, as it merges expertise with authority to uphold safety standards effectively.