Under OSHA, which term is used for someone who can identify hazards and has authority to take corrective action?

• A. Qualified inspector
• B. Safety officer
• C. Supervisor
• D. Competent person

Answer: (D)

The key idea here is identifying someone on the job site who can both spot hazards and take immediate action to fix or mitigate them. OSHA defines a competent person as exactly that: someone who can recognize hazards and has the authority to implement corrective measures to eliminate or control those hazards, including stopping work when conditions are unsafe. This combination of hazard recognition and on-site authority to correct aligns with the role needed to maintain safe work conditions in real time.

A qualified inspector, while knowledgeable and capable of evaluating conditions or equipment, isn’t inherently granted the authority to enforce changes across the job site. They assess and report, but the day-to-day power to enforce safety controls usually rests with someone who is empowered to act immediately. A safety officer generally oversees safety programs and policy, not necessarily the on-site authority to directly correct hazards as they’re found during work. A supervisor can enforce safety rules with the crew, but the term used by OSHA for someone who both identifies hazards and can take corrective action is specifically a competent person, not merely a supervisor.

So the description fits a competent person: the on-site authority to identify and correct hazards to keep the work environment safe.