The 22-section Site Safety and Health Plan template federal-construction primes use to satisfy USACE EM 385-1-1, Section 01.A.13. Pre-mobilization SSHP submission, AHA framework, PPE matrix, and 21 supporting safety plans in one editable starting point.
Why this template exists
If you’re a federal prime mobilizing on a USACE, NAVFAC, AFCEC, or VA construction project, the Site Safety and Health Plan is the document that decides whether you turn dirt next Monday or sit in a trailer for two more weeks. EM 385-1-1, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Safety and Health Requirements Manual, current revision dated 2024. Requires every contractor to submit a written, project-specific SSHP before mobilization, and to keep that plan current as work progresses. Section 01.A.13 names it explicitly, lists what it must contain, and gives the Contracting Officer authority to refuse mobilization until the document is acceptable.
The practical problem: most contractors who win federal work treat the SSHP as a copy-paste exercise. They pull a generic OSHA 1926 template off the internet, swap the project name, and submit it. Then the USACE safety specialist reviews it, sends back a markup with 40 to 60 comments referencing specific EM 385-1-1 sections the contractor missed (Section 21.A.06 fall protection plan content, Section 25.A.01 confined space written program, Section 06.E.01 hot work permit procedures), and the mobilization slips two to four weeks while the safety officer rewrites the plan paragraph by paragraph. By the second resubmittal the project manager is calling everyone in the company asking why we’re behind on a job we haven’t even started. EM 385-1-1 is structurally different from a commercial OSHA-only safety plan. It explicitly requires Activity Hazard Analyses (AHAs) for each phase of work, a written Accident Prevention Plan covering 19 mandatory elements, a documented chain of safety responsibility from corporate down to the foreman, and approval authority routing to the designated USACE safety specialist before crews can mobilize. A generic OSHA-construction safety plan satisfies none of those requirements directly. They map to OSHA 29 CFR 1926, but EM 385-1-1 is the layer above that translates federal expectations into project-specific deliverables.
This template is the artifact a contracts admin or safety officer at a federal GC keeps on their machine and copies into every new federal project. It walks through 22 sections that an SSHP must address to be acceptable on a typical USACE or NAVFAC project, with operator-grade guidance under each section telling you what content goes there, why USACE asks for it, and what gets your plan returned for rewrite if you skip it. The 22 sections are not exhaustive, every project has site-specific hazards that require additional content (radiation work, marine work, demolition, chemical agents, etc.), but they cover the floor that almost every federal-construction SSHP must clear.
What this template is NOT: it’s not a substitute for site-specific hazard analysis, it’s not legal advice on whether your safety program meets your insurer’s standards, and it’s not a guarantee that your plan will be accepted on first submission. The Contracting Officer’s authorized representative, usually a USACE safety specialist or NAVFAC Resident Officer in Charge of Construction (ROICC), has discretion to require additional content based on the project’s risk profile. What this template gives you is the structural floor: the 22 sections any federal SSHP needs, in the order USACE expects them, with the right citations, so you spend your prep time refining content instead of figuring out what content is missing.
Use this before mobilization on any federal-construction contract that names EM 385-1-1 in the specifications. Refresh it when activities change phases, when subcontractors come on or off the project, when corrective actions from accident investigations require updates, and at the cadence USACE specifies (typically 90 days minimum, more frequently on higher-risk work).
Who uses this
- Federal general contractors mobilizing on USACE, NAVFAC, AFCEC, VA, or GSA construction contracts that reference EM 385-1-1
- Prime contractors required to submit an SSHP and Accident Prevention Plan before notice-to-proceed
- Site Safety and Health Officers (SSHOs) drafting the plan for the project file
- Project managers coordinating safety-plan submission with USACE/NAVFAC contracting officers
- Safety directors maintaining template language across multiple federal projects
- Subcontractors drafting their integrated safety plans that flow into the prime’s SSHP
If you’re new to federal-construction safety compliance, walk through the OSHA 10/30 training tracker first to get your training-records baseline before the SSHP review.
What’s included. 22 SSHP sections per EM 385-1-1
The template covers 22 sections every EM 385-1-1 Site Safety and Health Plan must address before mobilization on a federal-construction project:
- Project description, scope of work, and contract reference. State the contract number, project location, USACE district or NAVFAC FEAD, scope phases, expected duration, peak workforce, and the EM 385-1-1 revision date being followed (currently 2024). The Contracting Officer cross-references this against the awarded contract to confirm the SSHP matches the work scope.
- Site characterization and pre-mobilization hazard inventory. Document existing site conditions: soil type, water-table depth, overhead and underground utilities, adjacent occupancies, environmental hazards (lead, asbestos, contaminated soils), and traffic patterns. Section 01.A.13 expects a site-specific inventory, not a generic hazard list. Generic content is the most-cited deficiency on first-submission rejections.
- Responsible safety personnel, qualifications, and chain of authority. Name the corporate safety officer, the project SSHO, the alternate SSHO, competent persons by hazard category (excavation, fall protection, scaffolding, confined space), and any required certifications (CSP, CHST, BCSP, OSHA 500, USACE 40-hour SSHO course). EM 385-1-1 Section 01.A.04 specifies SSHO qualifications by project complexity. A $2M paint job has different SSHO requirements than a $50M waterfront facility.
- Activity Hazard Analyses (AHAs) framework and submission cadence. AHAs are the heart of EM 385-1-1. Every distinct activity must have a written AHA covering hazards, controls, training, inspection, and PPE. List the AHAs you’ll prepare (e.g., excavation, concrete placement, structural steel, MEP rough-in, finishes, demobilization), name the preparer, and state the submission cadence (typically 24 hours before activity start). USACE rejects SSHPs that lack a credible AHA framework on first review.
- Accident Prevention Plan (APP) elements and submission. EM 385-1-1 requires a written APP covering 19 elements: signature page, statement of safety policy, organizational structure, project description, training requirements, safety/health inspections, recordkeeping/reporting, MUTCD/traffic, contingency procedures, medical support, hazard analysis, employee orientation, sub safety integration, plans/programs (PPE, fall, confined space, etc.), risk management, stop-work, sub-contractor safety responsibility, signatures, and revisions log. The APP is typically a separate submission that references this SSHP. Call out the relationship explicitly.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) matrix by activity and hazard. Build a matrix mapping each activity to required PPE: hard hat (Section 05.E.01), safety glasses, hearing protection at 85 dBA TWA, fall protection above 6 feet (Section 21.D.01), gloves by hazard, respirator by exposure, high-visibility class per work zone. Don’t list PPE generically. Tie each item to the activity that triggers the requirement so workers know what to wear when.
- Fall protection plan (Section 21). Written program covering fall hazards above 6 feet, fall protection methods (guardrails, PFAS, nets, controlled access zones), anchor-point engineering documentation, rescue plan for suspended workers, equipment inspection cadence, training records, and competent person designation. EM 385-1-1 fall-protection requirements are stricter than OSHA’s. Work above 6 feet (vs. OSHA’s 6 feet but with different trigger conditions on certain work types) and rescue-plan documentation is mandatory.
- Trenching and excavation plan (Section 25.D / Section 23). Written program covering soil classification, protective systems (sloping, benching, shoring, shielding), egress, atmospheric testing, daily competent-person inspections, utility location procedures (call-before-you-dig protocol), spoil-pile setback, and trench-rescue procedures. Required for any excavation on the project regardless of depth. Surface dig-ups for site work still need this section.
- Scaffolding plan (Section 22). Written program covering scaffold types in use, erection/dismantling procedures, competent-person inspections, fall protection during erection, capacity and access, weather restrictions, and tag-system for scaffold readiness (red/yellow/green tags). Required when any scaffolding is used on the project, including pump jacks and rolling towers.
- Electrical safety, GFCI, and lockout/tagout (Section 11 / Section 12). Written program covering temporary power compliance, GFCI protection on all 120V/15A and 20A circuits, assured-equipment grounding-conductor program (required by EM 385-1-1 even when GFCI is in use), qualified electrical worker designation, energized-work permit procedures, and lockout/tagout for de-energization. USACE specialists check temporary-power compliance during every site walk.
- Hot work and fire prevention (Section 09). Written hot-work permit system, fire watch requirements (30 minutes minimum after work stops; 1 hour for high-hazard areas), spark/slag containment, fire extinguisher placement, fuel storage, smoking restrictions, and welding-screen requirements. Hot work without a written permit system is one of the fastest ways to draw a stop-work order on a federal site.
- Confined space entry plan (Section 34). Written program covering permit-required vs. non-permit confined spaces on the project, entry permit procedures, atmospheric testing (oxygen, LEL, toxic), continuous monitoring, rescue plan with 4-minute response capability, attendant duties, and entrant training. Required for any vault, manhole, tank, or similar enclosure on the project. Federal sites have far more confined spaces than commercial work.
- Respiratory protection program (Section 05.F). Written program covering exposure assessment, respirator selection by hazard (filtering facepiece, half-face APR, full-face APR, PAPR, SCBA), medical clearance, fit testing (qualitative or quantitative), training, cartridge change-out schedules, and recordkeeping. Required when any work creates respiratory hazards above an OSHA action level. Concrete cutting, demolition dust, lead/silica work all trigger.
- Hazard communication and hazardous materials handling (Section 06). Written HazCom program covering chemical inventory, Safety Data Sheet access (paper or digital, accessible to all workers on shift), container labeling, secondary-container labeling, employee training on chemicals in use, hazardous-waste generator status (typically conditionally exempt at construction sites), and spill response. SDS accessibility is one of USACE’s most-frequent walk-around findings. Verify field crews can produce the SDS for any chemical they’re using within minutes.
- Heat stress and cold stress prevention (Section 06.K). Written program with acclimatization protocols for new workers and returning workers, work/rest schedules by heat index, water/shade/rest provisioning, cold-stress prevention for winter work (windchill thresholds, layering, warm shelter), and supervisor recognition training for early-stage symptoms. EM 385-1-1 expects this section even in moderate climates. Ambient temperature alone doesn’t determine heat-stress risk.
- Noise exposure and hearing conservation (Section 05.D). Written program covering noise dosimetry or task-based exposure assessment, posted high-noise areas, hearing protection selection, audiometric testing requirements (baseline + annual when 85 dBA TWA exceeded), and training. Most federal-construction work hits the 85 dBA action level. Concrete saws, jackhammers, generators, compressors all push above it.
- Emergency action plan, first aid, and AED locations (Section 06.A). Written EAP covering evacuation routes by site phase, assembly points, head-count procedures, emergency contact list (911 + USACE/NAVFAC duty officer + corporate safety + nearest occupational clinic), first-aid kit locations and contents, AED locations and accessibility, and CPR/first-aid certified personnel by shift. Update when site layout changes. Buried information loses its emergency value.
- Severe weather and natural hazard response plan (Section 06.B). Written program covering thunderstorm/lightning detection (30/30 rule or commercial detection service), high-wind work suspension thresholds, tornado response, flooding/flash-flood response, hurricane preparedness for coastal sites, and earthquake response in seismic zones. Federal sites in flood-prone or hurricane-prone regions get extra USACE scrutiny on this section.
- Spill response and environmental protection (Section 06.J). Written program covering spill containment kits and locations, fuel-storage secondary containment, hazardous-material spill notification chain (project to USACE to state agency), oil-spill SPCC plan reference (if applicable), and stormwater discharge controls. Coordinates with the project’s SWPPP (Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan). Reference the SWPPP rather than duplicating its content.
- Subcontractor safety integration and pre-task planning. Written process for sub safety-plan review, sub SSHO designation per subcontract value/risk, sub AHA submission and approval, sub orientation requirements, daily pre-task safety meetings (PTSMs) with sub crews, and sub-safety-stand-down procedures. Subs without integrated safety plans become USACE findings against the prime. The prime’s plan must show how sub plans flow up.
- Safety training matrix and daily safety briefings. Matrix mapping required training to roles (OSHA 10 for all workers, OSHA 30 for foremen/supervisors, EM 385-1-1 SSHO course for SSHO and alternate, competent-person training by hazard, equipment-specific training, first aid/CPR for designated responders), training records retention, and daily safety briefing/toolbox-meeting schedule with attendance tracking. Documentation gaps here are the most frequent reason inspections cite the contractor.
- Reporting, recordkeeping, accident investigation, and USACE liaison. Written process for OSHA 300/301 logs, USACE-specific reporting forms (ENG Form 3394 accident reports), 8-hour reporting threshold for serious injuries, near-miss capture process, accident-investigation procedures (including root-cause analysis methodology), corrective-action tracking to closure, and named USACE/NAVFAC liaison for the project. The named liaison is the contractor’s primary safety contact with the contracting officer’s representative.
How to use the template
Use this template before mobilizing on any federal-construction contract that references EM 385-1-1. For each new project:
- Open the DOCX version and save a project-specific copy to your contracts file. Name it
-SSHP-v01.docx. Walk through the 22 sections in order. Replace placeholder language with project-specific content. Generic content is the #1 reason for first-submission rejection. - Build the AHA framework first (Section 4). That’s the document USACE specialists scrutinize first. Name the activities, the preparers, and the submission cadence.
- Cross-reference your APP (separate submission) and your SWPPP (environmental) so reviewers see the program-level coherence.
- Have the SSHO sign and date. Have the corporate safety director sign. Have the project manager sign. Submit to the USACE safety specialist or NAVFAC ROICC at least 14 days before mobilization. Track comments in the revisions log.
- Refresh on phase changes, sub additions, and at the USACE-specified cadence (typically 90 days). Keep the working file under version control.
Stop chasing safety-plan signoffs across email.
The 22 sections above take a federal SSHO 40 to 80 hours to draft, review, and route through corporate signatures, sub safety officers, and the USACE specialist on a typical first submission. Multiply by every federal project on the books and the SSHP becomes a part-time job for your safety director. Except the routing happens in email, signatures live in scanned PDFs, and revision history disappears the moment someone replies-all with a new attachment. Contracts Connected’s Approval Workflows route SSHP drafts through the SSHO, corporate safety, project manager, and named USACE liaison automatically, version every revision, capture electronic signatures, and keep the audit-trail file ready for the contracting officer the moment they ask.
For educational purposes. These templates, checklists, and trackers are operator-built starting points designed to help you move faster on the kind of work that usually drowns construction admins in email chains. They are not legal, insurance, accounting, or tax advice. Each project, jurisdiction, and contract has its own quirks. Review the document, refine the language, and consult your attorney, broker, CPA, or compliance officer before relying on it for a live project decision.
Frequently asked questions about the EM 385-1-1 SSHP
Is this template USACE-approved or pre-cleared?
No, and no template can be. EM 385-1-1 acceptance is project-specific. The USACE safety specialist or NAVFAC ROICC reviews each SSHP against the awarded contract, the site, and the work scope. What this template gives you is the structural floor: the 22 sections any federal SSHP must address. Replace the placeholder content with project-specific language and your plan will satisfy the structure portion of the review. Content quality and site-specificity are still your responsibility.
How is EM 385-1-1 different from OSHA 1926?
EM 385-1-1 is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ construction safety manual; OSHA 29 CFR 1926 is the federal regulation for construction safety on private and commercial work. EM 385-1-1 incorporates OSHA 1926 by reference and adds USACE-specific requirements: more rigorous AHA framework, mandatory written APP with 19 elements, stricter fall-protection trigger conditions in some work types, named SSHO with specific qualifications, and contracting officer approval authority before mobilization. If your spec references EM 385-1-1, the EM standard governs.
When do I submit the SSHP, before or after award?
After award, before mobilization. EM 385-1-1 expects the SSHP submitted to the contracting officer’s representative (typically a USACE safety specialist or NAVFAC ROICC) at least 14 days before any work starts on site. Most contracts require it as a deliverable in the pre-construction submittal package. Sending the SSHP after mobilization creates a problem: work has started without an approved plan, which puts the contractor in immediate non-compliance and can trigger a stop-work order.
Do subcontractors need their own SSHP, or do they integrate into the prime’s?
Both. The prime’s SSHP covers the entire project. Each major subcontractor (typically those with subcontract value above a project-specified threshold, often $250K, or those performing high-hazard activities) prepares an integrated safety plan that references the prime’s SSHP, addresses the sub’s specific scope and hazards, and identifies the sub’s SSHO. The prime reviews and accepts the sub’s plan before the sub mobilizes. Smaller subs typically operate under the prime’s SSHP without preparing their own.
How often does the SSHP need to be updated?
At minimum every 90 days during active work, on phase changes (e.g., shifting from civil/site to structural to MEP rough-in), when major subcontractors come on or off the project, when accidents or near-misses reveal program gaps requiring corrective action, and whenever USACE issues a finding that requires plan content changes. Maintain a revisions log inside the document so reviewers can see the change history.
What happens if my SSHP is rejected on first submission?
Standard outcome. Most plans get returned with comments on first review. The USACE safety specialist or NAVFAC ROICC sends back a marked-up document referencing specific EM 385-1-1 sections you missed. Address each comment, document your changes in the revisions log, and resubmit. Two to three review cycles are common before acceptance. Build the review cycles into your mobilization schedule. Assume 30 days from first submission to final acceptance, longer on high-complexity projects.