Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association

Register Now for 'Competent Person,' Excavation Safety Workshop

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Register Now for 'Competent Person,' Excavation Safety Workshop

March 8, 2018

MMUA is offering some different training this spring—the Competent Person and Excavation Safety Workshop. This course is intended for public works personnel, water/wastewater personnel, lineworkers, engineering personnel, contract workers, and anyone responsible for digging, or who spends time in and around excavations.

Lead instructor for this workshop is Andy Smoka, former MN OSHA Principal Safety Consultant.

Participants will be taught the basics of OSHA’s excavation standards (29 CFR 1926--Subpart P), learn about soil testing, use soil information to determine the correct protective system needed, and learn to identify the hazards associated with trenching and excavation.

Digging around natural gas and high voltage power lines is a very critical process and needs to be done with extreme care. Students will also learn the proper techniques when digging around these obstacles.

This workshop includes classroom and hands-on instruction/demonstration to ensure participants can, obtain the designation of a ‘Competent Person’ at the end of this workshop.

The OSHA Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.32(f)) defines a competent person as someone who is:

  • capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings, or
  • working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and
  • who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.

Course Topics & Objectives to Obtain Competent Person Designation:

  • Display knowledge of 29 CFR 1926-Subpart P-Excavations
  • Demonstrate correct soil-testing procedures
  • Identify hazards associated with trenching and excavations
  • Understand and utilize the different types of protective systems
  • Understand proper “pot holing practices”
  • Gas and powerline excavation

For more information or to register, go to the Competent Person & Excavation Safety Workshop page on this website.

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