Stay Contract-Ready with the EM 385-1-1 (2024) Safety Inspection Checklist

If your team works on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) projects, compliance with EM 385-1-1 isn’t optional—it’s mandatory. The 2024 version of this safety standard went into effect on March 15, 2024, and contractors must be prepared to meet its requirements. That’s why we’re excited to announce the EM 385-1-1 (2024) Safety Inspection Checklist in Safety Reports.

This checklist ensures your team stays compliant, efficient, and fully contract-ready for government projects.

Who Must Comply with EM 385-1-1?

EM 385-1-1 applies broadly across government contracting:

• Contractors & Subcontractors on USACE projects—compliance is a contract requirement.
  
  
• Military, civilian, and direct contractors working on Corps-administered sites.
• Supervisors, foremen, and Site Safety & Health Officers (SSHOs)—often required to complete 24–40 hours of EM 385 training.
  
  
• All employees on-site, since day-to-day activities like inspections, equipment use, and fall protection fall under its scope.
  
  

Bottom line: if your company bids on or performs work under USACE contracts, this checklist is essential.

Why This Matters for Your Team

Contractors know that falling out of compliance isn’t an option. The EM 385-1-1 (2024) checklist ensures inspections align with the latest standards so your projects remain contract-eligible. 

While the manual itself can feel overwhelming and the checklist lengthy, Safety Reports makes it manageable—admins can tailor categories and line items so inspectors only see what’s relevant to their work. Transitioning is also simple: both the 2014 and 2024 versions are available, giving you control over when to roll out the update. To support audits and reporting, each inspection is tied to the version used, creating a clear record of compliance. In short, the new checklist turns a complex, often time-consuming requirement into an efficient, streamlined process your crews can adopt with confidence.

Key Benefits of the EM 385-1-1 (2024) Checklist

• Essential for Government Work: Ensure your team is contract-ready for USACE projects.
  
  
• Compliance Made Simple: Meet requirements without burdening your crews.
  
  
• Efficiency Through Customization: Streamline inspections to what matters most.
  
  
• Controlled Transition: Roll out the 2024 checklist at your own pace.
  
  
• Confidence in Records: Maintain historical data while moving forward.
  
  

A Smooth Transition from 2014 to 2024

Many of our customers have been using the 2014 checklist for years. We’ve designed this update with flexibility in mind: you can continue to use the 2014 version during the transition, while preparing your team for 2024 compliance. No lost records. No disruption. Just a clear, simple path forward.

To use the New 2024 EM 385 inspection checklist, your account admin will need to enable it by clicking on the Checklist tab under User Profiles, viewing the authorized users for the USACE EM 385 (2024) checklist and then adding the company users you want to have access. You can hide the old 2014 version by following the same steps except taking users off the 2014 selected list. Reach out to our Support team with any questions.  

Next Steps

If you’re managing projects that require EM 385-1-1 compliance, now is the time to make the switch. Enable the USACE EM 385 (2024) Safety Inspection Checklist in Safety Reports today and give your crews the tools they need to stay safe, efficient, and contract-ready.

Stay compliant. Stay efficient. Stay ahead.