EM 385-1-1 Training
Work on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project and the rulebook changes. EM 385-1-1, the USACE Safety and Health Requirements Manual, sits on top of OSHA and is frequently stricter. Contractors who show up trained to 29 CFR alone find that out at the worst possible moment, standing in front of a government inspector with a plan that does not meet the manual.
M Squared Safety delivers EM 385-1-1 training on-site nationwide, taught by instructors who work federal and commercial jobs and know where the two rulebooks diverge.
24-Hour EM 385-1-1
This is the course that satisfies the Site Safety and Health Officer competency requirement. Under EM 385-1-1, the prime contractor submits an SSHO Designation Letter (ENG Form 6282) to the Government Designated Authority as part of the Accident Prevention Plan, along with an instructor-signed OSHA 30-hour card and proof of 24 hours of safety and occupational health training. That competency is maintained by taking 24 hours every three-year period for the duration of the contract.
The course walks the manual's structure and the sections that govern day-to-day field work, including program management and accident prevention plans, activity hazard analysis, fall protection, excavation, electrical, cranes and rigging, and the documentation the government expects to see on site.
Built for site safety and health officers, superintendents, foremen, and quality control staff carrying safety responsibility on federal contracts.
8-Hour Fall Protection Refresher
The 8-hour refresher updates the person responsible for your fall protection program on federal work. It follows EM 385-1-1 Section 21, the ANSI/ASSP Z359.2 managed fall protection program requirements, and OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M.
The course covers program elements, hazard survey and anchorage evaluation, system selection and inspection, rescue planning, and the documentation that has to exist before work starts at height. It is built for someone who has already had the full fall protection training and needs to stay current.
What a USACE SSHO actually needs
Two things trip contractors up. The first is assuming an OSHA 30 alone qualifies someone as an SSHO. It does not. ENG Form 6282 requires the OSHA 30-hour card and the 24 hours of safety and occupational health training, plus documented years of cumulative safety experience that scale with the SSHO level. The second is letting the competency lapse, because the 24 hours has to be renewed every three-year period while the contract runs.
We teach the 24-hour course that fills the competency requirement, and we will tell you honestly if what you already hold satisfies it. If you need the role filled rather than trained, see site safety staffing, which is also national.
How EM 385-1-1 differs from OSHA
EM 385-1-1 adopts OSHA as a floor and then goes further in places, with more prescriptive requirements for accident prevention plans, activity hazard analyses, and qualifications for the people filling safety roles. The practical consequence is that a crew trained only to 29 CFR can still be non-compliant on a Corps job. We teach the delta, not just the manual in isolation.
Who needs it
General and specialty contractors on USACE projects, site safety and health officers, superintendents and foremen, and quality control staff whose scope includes safety. If your contract references EM 385-1-1, this is the training the specification is pointing at. Federal work is spread across every district, which is one of the reasons our training is not limited to our consulting footprint: if you hold contracts at installations in several states, we bring the same course to each of them.
A note on competent person designations
EM 385-1-1, like OSHA, requires competent and qualified persons for specific operations. OSHA defines a competent person at 29 CFR 1926.32(f) as one capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards who also has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them. Training builds the capability. The authority comes from the employer, so the designation stays with your company.
Delivered on-site
We bring EM 385-1-1 training to your site nationwide, scheduled around the project. Southern California is our home footprint and the fastest place to schedule; elsewhere we travel and quote the travel with the course. Call 949-954-6581.
EM 385-1-1 FAQ
What is EM 385-1-1?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Safety and Health Requirements Manual. It governs safety on USACE projects and applies on top of OSHA requirements.
Why is the course 24 hours?
Because that is the competency figure the Corps asks for. ENG Form 6282, the SSHO Designation Letter used under EM 385-1-1, requires proof of 24 hours of safety and occupational health training, maintained by taking 24 hours every three-year period for the duration of the contract.
Does an OSHA 30 card make someone an SSHO?
No. ENG Form 6282 requires the instructor-signed OSHA 30-hour card and the 24 hours of safety and occupational health training, plus documented cumulative safety experience. The OSHA 30 is one of three pieces.
Do I need EM 385 training if my crew already has OSHA 30?
Usually yes. The OSHA 30 covers 29 CFR. EM 385-1-1 adds requirements above that baseline, and federal contracts reference the manual specifically.
What is an Accident Prevention Plan and when is it due?
The project safety document EM 385-1-1 requires. The critical detail is that it has to be accepted by the Government Designated Authority before mobilization, not merely submitted. That acceptance step is the most common reason a first federal award runs late.
Where is EM 385-1-1 training delivered?
On-site nationwide. Federal work is spread across every district, so if you hold contracts at installations in several states we bring the same course to each of them. Call 949-954-6581 to schedule.