Seven Training Requirements for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Contractors Under EM 385-1-1

If you are a contractor working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), there are several training requirements for personnel of which you should be aware. We’ve made a short list of seven requirements below, but if you need all of the safety requirements under EM 385 you can read it here.  

1) The Contractor Site Safety & Health Officer (SSHO) on an USACE project site is required to have completed an OSHA 30 Hour General Industry or OSHA 30-Hour Construction class.

2) In addition to one of the 30-Hour OSHA Safety courses noted above, the SSHO must complete 8 hours of continuing education on safety and health related topics each year.

3) The USACE will designate Collateral Duty Safety Officers (CDSO) whose training must also include an OSHA 30 Hour General industry of 30 Hour Construction Course.  The CSDO must take a minimum of 24 hours of safety and health continuing education annually.

4) First aid attendants must have a current certification in first aid and CPR from the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.  

5) In addition to first aid and CPR, first aid attendants must also be provided with  the Blood Borne Pathogen safety training specified in 29 CFR 1910.1030.

6) First aid attendants who will be required to use an AED must be trained to the model and manufacturer of the AED unit available to them for use.

7) The SSHO on a Hazardous Toxic Radioactive Waste (HTRW) site must have completed 40 hours of HTRW training that meets 29 CFR 1910.120/29 CFR 1926.65 requirements for 40-hour initial, 8-hour supervisor training, and annual 8-hour refreshers. This training is commonly referred to as 40 Hour HAZWOPER training.

EM 385-1-1 is a 930 page document that cannot be easily summarized. It references both 29 CFR 1910 and 29 CFR 1926, yet it has more rigorous requirements in some cases.  It covers topics such as program management, medical and first aid, personal protective and safety equipment, hazardous or toxic agents and environments, material handling, rigging, fall protection, confined space entry and 26 other topics.

United Alliance Services is able to customize training packages to include the training that your crew needs in order to comply with USACE EM 385-1-1.  To learn more about our training packages and services, give us a call at (877) 399-1698.