What 29 CFR 1926.32 requires (plain English)
29 CFR 1926.32 is the definitions section for OSHA's construction industry standards (Part 1926). It provides the meanings of terms used throughout the construction standards, so that the requirements built around those terms are applied consistently.
Its most consequential definitions are "competent person" and "qualified person." A COMPETENT PERSON is one 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. Note the two elements: hazard identification AND authority to correct. A QUALIFIED PERSON is one who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter, the work, or the project. The section also defines "employer," "construction work," "authorized person," "safety factor," and other terms.
These definitions are not academic: the construction standards repeatedly require that a "competent person" inspect excavations and scaffolds, or that a "qualified person" design a system or make an engineering judgment. Whether a duty is met depends on whether the person truly fits the 1926.32 definition. A designated "competent person" who cannot correct hazards, or a "qualified person" without the required knowledge, does not satisfy the standard, which is why these definitions underpin so many construction citations.