by jbs041309 f3 — April 17, 2009—The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOE) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has revised its Field Operations Manual (.pdf file) to provide OSHA compliance officers with a single comprehensive resource of updated guidance in implementing the agency’s mission to more effectively protect employees from occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.
“The manual will be a resource for workers and employers, giving them a consolidated reference on how OSHA expects workplaces to be safe and healthful,” said OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor Donald G. Shalhoub. “This document is part of OSHA’s continuing commitment to make its standards and enforcement activities transparent and understandable to all parties.”
The Field Operations Manual, formerly called the Field Inspection Reference Manual, constitutes OSHA’s general enforcement policy and procedures for use by the agency’s field offices in conducting inspections, issuing citations, and proposing penalties. It is the guiding document for OSHA’s compliance officers, whose mission is to assure the safety and health of America’s working men and women.
The manual assists compliance officers in scheduling and conducting inspections, enforcing regulations, and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health. It also offers guidance on how to inform employers about OSHA’s free On-Site Consultation Service and compliance assistance.
