What Is EM 385 Certification and Who Needs It?
EM 385 certification refers to training based mostly on the EM 385-1-1 manual, a complete safety customary issued by the U.S. Military Corps of Engineers (USACE). This manual establishes strict safety and health requirements for all Department of Defense (DoD) building projects. Contractors, subcontractors, and workers performing work on federal building projects are often required to comply with EM 385 standards—and in many cases, acquire EM 385 certification.
What Is the EM 385-1-1 Manual?
The EM 385-1-1 manual is a 900+ web page document that outlines safety and occupational health requirements for military development, service contracts, and other government-regulated projects. It contains detailed guidelines on fall protection, personal protective equipment (PPE), hazard evaluation, site inspections, emergency response planning, and more.
This manual is up to date commonly to make sure it aligns with current business standards and OSHA regulations. Nevertheless, EM 385-1-1 goes beyond OSHA by introducing stricter safety procedures …

