Determining the soil type is the responsibility of which designated individual?

The responsibility for determining the soil type falls to a competent person because this individual is defined in workplace safety regulations as someone who is knowledgeable, trained, and authorized to identify existing hazards in the surrounding environment and make decisions regarding safety measures. This includes assessing soil conditions to ensure safe excavation practices.

The competent person must be familiar with the characteristics of different soil types and be able to recognize potential issues such as soil instability or changes that could affect the safety of excavation operations. Their expertise is crucial in evaluating factors like soil density, moisture content, and potential for collapse, which are essential for planning and executing excavation work safely.

Other designated individuals, while important to site operations, typically have different roles. For example, a site manager oversees the overall project and coordinates site activities, but they may not have the specialized knowledge required for soil assessment. Similarly, a safety officer is concerned with compliance and maintaining safety procedures, and an excavator operates machinery rather than assessing soil conditions.