The course covers: the competent person’s role and regulatory responsibilities; OSHA 29 CFR 1926.453 and ANSI A92 standards; common aerial and scissor lift hazards and accident causes; hazard identification and site-specific risk assessment; fall protection requirements and PPE selection and inspection; equipment operation, inspection, and maintenance; emergency response and rescue planning, including emergency descent protocols; and developing and enforcing a site-specific aerial and scissor lift safety plan. The course is divided into 3 modules with quizzes throughout.

The course takes approximately 3–4 hours to complete. Because it is self-paced, you can complete it over multiple sessions at your convenience. Most students finish within 1 to 2 weeks. You have 6 months from your enrollment date to complete all coursework. Progress is saved automatically on the same device, so you can stop and resume at any time.

OSHA requires that a competent person be designated at every job site where aerial and scissor lifts are used. This course is designed for individuals who will serve in that role, including supervisors, safety officers, and experienced operators. Employers are responsible for ensuring a competent person is present during aerial and scissor lift operations. General operators may take the separate awareness-level course instead.

Under OSHA regulations, a competent person is someone who can identify existing and predictable hazards in the working environment and has the authority to take prompt corrective action to eliminate them. For aerial and scissor lift operations, the competent person is responsible for inspecting equipment before use, ensuring workers are properly trained, monitoring site conditions, enforcing fall protection requirements, and stopping work when unsafe conditions are identified.

The Aerial & Scissor Lift Safety awareness course is designed for general operators and workers who use aerial and scissor lifts on the job. It covers basic hazard recognition and safe operating practices. The Competent Person course is a more in-depth program designed for individuals who will be designated as the competent person on site, covering detailed inspection procedures, ANSI standards, emergency response planning, risk assessment, and the authority and responsibility to stop unsafe work.

There is no federally mandated expiration date for aerial and scissor lift competent person training certificates. However, OSHA requires retraining when workplace conditions change, when new equipment is introduced, or when the competent person demonstrates inadequate understanding of hazards. Refresher training is recommended to stay current with evolving OSHA and ANSI standards.

Yes. The course works on desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Your progress is saved automatically on the same device you are using, allowing you to pause and pick up where you left off. Note: you must continue on the same device to retain your saved progress.

Yes. eTraining’s Aerial & Scissor Lift Competent Person course covers OSHA 29 CFR 1926.453 and ANSI A92 standards and is accepted nationwide. You receive a printable certificate of completion that documents your competent person training. Employers across all 50 U.S. states accept this training for competent person designation on job sites.

You must score at least 70% on the final exam to pass and receive your certificate of completion. The course includes knowledge-check quizzes throughout to help prepare you for the final exam. If you do not pass on your first attempt, you can retake the exam.