OSHA has introduced a revised version of its Field Operations Manual, the agency announced in a recent press release. The new manual provides OSHA Compliance Officers with a single source of updated information and guidance to more effectively protect employees from occupational injuries, illnesses and fatalities, the agency says.

The Field Operations Manual is the guiding document for OSHA’s compliance officers. It helps them schedule and conduct inspections, enforce regulations and encourage continual improvement in workplace safety and health. The manual also guides compliance officers on how to inform employers about cooperative programs, such as On-Site Consultation, Strategic Partnerships, and the Voluntary Protection Program.

"The new Field Operations Manual is a comprehensive resource of existing OSHA policy and procedural documents," said Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Thomas M. Stohler. "It gives Compliance Officers important guidance in implementing OSHA's balanced approach to workplace safety and health: enforcement, education and training, and cooperative programs. The Field Operations Manual will also be a resource for employees and employers, giving them a consolidated reference on how OSHA expects workplaces to be made safe and healthy. This is part of OSHA's continuing commitment to make its standards and enforcement activities transparent and understandable to all parties."

For more information, visit www.osha.gov.