Posted By srd This person has worked for a printing company for 34 years, and has been a manager of various production departments for the last 24 years. He is currently finishing the NEBOSH General Certificate course, taking exams in a few weeks time. He is also taking a BSc in Occupational Safety and Health by distance learning, and has 12 weeks to go before completing this. He is currently a company first aider (for the last 2 years), a floor marshall (oversees the evacuation of a floor in an emergency) (for the last 5 years), and a representative of employee safety sitting on the company safety committee (for the last 3 years). Obviously he has had H&S responsibilities as part of his management roles over the last 24 years. He has assisted in preparing COSHH reports for his own department. As a representative of employee safety and a member of the safety committee he has been involved in looking at various issues including the volume of fire alarms, paper dust, workplace temperature, machine interlocks, and viewing panels in doors. Do you thing that this person would be classed as a 'qualified person', or not? Stephen.

Posted By srd OOPS ! For 'qualified' please read 'competent'. Additional information, he is also a member of IOSH and IIRSM and the lowest membership levels. Stephen.

Posted By Dave Wilson Qualified in what? you don't say what the role / remit is! Qualified H&S person probably not (depends on working environment)in a shop / office or orther low risk then probably, in a med / high risk industry 'No' unless under the mentoring of a 'higher' qualified person. Competent at What? an employer can make anyone the 'competent person' and will live or die by the sword if something goes wrong and the courts will decide!

Posted By Kieran J Duignan Stephen In my opinion, the question is slightly misconceived. On the basis of the inforamtion you present, he appears 'competent', subject to his willingness to request a second opinion in the event of doubt. There is no absolute standard by which the question can be answered other than to apply the principle of 'as far as reasonably practicable.' While chartered by IOSH and 2 other professional societies(one with over a century of tradition of applied science), I share the view that 'chartership' may be a quite misleading criterion if it is regarded as the sole, absolute and necessary benchmark of competence.

Posted By Phillipe You could say that about many "qualified persons". I consider myself qualified and will become chartered later this year when my cpd is completed, however I know my limitations and will always seek advice where I feel I need it.