EM 385-1-1 Safety & Health Topics (EM385)

Overview & Objectives

When completing projects for the United States government, contractors and their employees are subject to a number of health and safety rules to help keep the jobsite safe and efficient. In addition to standards set forth by OSHA, ANSI, NEC, and other organizations, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) maintains a Safety and Health Requirements Manual to govern the activities of these workers. To help Site Safety and Health Officers (SSHOs), contractors, military personnel, and others adhere to the regulations established by the Safety and Health Requirements Manual EM 385-1-1 (2014 edition), we offer the EM 385-1-1 Safety & Health Topics (EM385) course.

NOTE: This course is intended for SSHOs who are employed on contracts governed by EM 385-1-1. The course provides SSHOs the required annual training specified in EM 385-1-1 Section 01.A.17.d.

The EM 385-1-1 manual was designed by USACE, in collaboration with NAVFAC, and provides an overview of the safety requirements on federal projects. The 2014 Edition supersedes the last edition of EM 385-1-1 published in 2008. While many of the requirements in the EM 385-1-1 align with OSHA Standards, some specific requirements exceed OSHA Standards.

During this 8-Hour EM 385-1-1 training course, students will learn important aspects of safety standards for government project jobsites, including:

Updates to EM 385-1-1 for the 2014 edition
Selection and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for USACE contracts per EM 385-1-1
Fall protection, including safety equipment and appropriate methods
Best practices for floor and wall openings, including safe access requirements, ladder usage, and protection
Hand and power tool safety
Best practices for trenching and excavations

After completing the course, students will be aware of important topics and changes in EM 385-1-1 (2014 edition) to help ensure a safe workplace and promote adherence to all relevant USACE regulations for government contractors.

Who is this Course for?

Every contractor working on government projects subject to EM 385-1-1 must designate one or more primary SSHOs, depending on the project’s size, complexity, and other factors. The EM 385-1-1 Safety & Health Topics (EM385) Course is intended to partially satisfy SSHO training requirements in accordance with EM 385-1-1 Section 01.A.17.d. Every primary SSHO must complete 8 hours of documented, formal training, plus:

One OSHA 30-Hour General Industry or OSHA 30-Hour Construction course or formal training that addresses the subjects covered by these courses.
At least 8 hours of documented formal, online, or self-study safety- and health-related coursework annually.

SSHOs may take this course once per year to satisfy annual training requirements. Additionally, the course may provide general awareness or refresher training for general contractors, military personnel, and other employees assigned to federally funded projects.

If you have any concerns as to whether this course is appropriate for you or your industry, please contact us at (919) 728-SAFE (7233)

Features & Benefits

To satisfy the USACE requirements for agencies, government contractors, and contractors’ employees, the EM 385-1-1 Safety & Health Topics (EM385) Course provides:

8 continuing education units from an accredited IACET provider
Fulfillment of annual 8-hour competency training requirements as defined by EM 385-1-1, Section 1, paragraph 01.A.17.d.
An IACET certificate of completion

To receive an IACET certificate of completion, each student must pass all knowledge checkpoints with a minimum score of 70% and fill out the course evaluation form.