OSHA Publishes "Significant Changes" to Field Operations Manual

OSHA recently made “significant changes” to its Field Operations Manual, a reference document for the agency’s field personnel that covers enforcement policies and procedures for conducting OSHA investigations. The updates, which went into effect on Sept. 13, are intended to help inspectors more effectively protect workers from occupational hazards. Updates were made to sections related to enforcement follow-up, inspection scope, general penalty policy, civil penalties, fatality and catastrophe investigations, and citable program elements. OSHA has also updated the section on “walkaround representatives,” who are designated to accompany OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officers, or CSHOs, during walkaround inspections. During these inspections, CSHOs seek to identify potential safety and health hazards in a workplace.

Further details are available in a PDF download from OSHA’s website.