• Home
• Workers
• Regulations
• Enforcement
• Data & Statistics
• Training
• Publications
• Newsroom
• Small Business

OSHA Instruction TED 1.14 March 17, 1995 Office of Science and Technology Assessement

Subject: Guidelines for Developing OSHA Technical Manual (OTM)

A. Purpose. This Instruction sets forth guidelines for the development of technical information and the subsequent publication of such information as chapters in the OTM. This Instruction also replaces Instruction CPL 2-2.20B

B. Scope. This Instruction applies nationwide.

C. Action. National Office Directors and Regional Administrators (RA) shall ensure that the responsibilities and procedures established in this Instruction for the OTM are followed.

D. Federal Program Change. This Instruction describes a Federal program change. No State response is required. However, each RA shall:

1. Ensure that this change is promptly forwarded to each State designee.

2. Explain the content of this Instruction to the State designee as requested.

E. Background. The OTM, CPL 2-2.20B is a guidance document that serves as the central reference source for OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officers in current occupational safety and health technical procedures and information. Experience has shown that other Federal agencies and the private sector have also viewed the Manual as a valuable source of information for establishing sound safety and health programs. The compliance connotation attached to CPL 2-2.20B has created a misunderstanding that the Manual sets compliance policies. Rather, it is intended that the Manual provide technical information and guidance in promoting and establishing sound safety and health programs.

To promote voluntary hazard recognition, evaluation and control, the OTM has been reorganized and broadened in scope to embrace all safety and health disciplines. These include engineering, ergonomics, and health science issues. The new Manual will be developed with greater input from the users.

F. Objective of the OSHA Technical Manual. The objective of the OTM is to provide a central source for technical information and guidance in matters related to hazard recognition, evaluation and control by:

1. Addressing industrial hygiene, safety engineering, and occupational medicine issues for which guidance is needed.

2. Grouping in a single source the necessary technical information to assist in applying performance standards.

3. Providing technical information to supplement compliance directives.

G. Criteria for Developing OTM Chapters.

1. The OTM provides objective technical support and is not intended to establish policies.

2. The OTM chapters must meet the following criteria:

a. The content of the chapter must provide concise summaries of information from recognized technical sources.

b. Data and conclusions must be supported by sound scientific references.

c. Each chapter must contain the necessary information for hazard recognition, evaluation and feasible control methods.

d. The text must be developed by highly qualified individuals from within or outside the agency.

e. All chapters must follow established format to ensure consistency in appearance and layout for ease of use.

3. The OTM chapters must be thoroughly reviewed to ensure the technical quality of the content:

a. The OSHA Technical Manual Committee (OTMC) shall review draft chapters for conformance with the scope and the objectives.

b. After the review, the OTMC Chairperson shall forward the draft chapters to selected regional offices for review by qualified field experts to ensure the technical accuracy of the content and to determine its relevance to the field needs.

c. In some cases, there will be a need for additional review by specialized outside sources. The Director Office of Science and Technology Assessment, in consultation with the OTMC Chairperson, shall identify the appropriate outside organizations for reviewing the drafts.

d. Prior to publication, the draft chapters must be reviewed and approved by affected National Office directorates.

4. The OTM shall be organized by sections and chapters. Each section of the OTM shall refer to a category of safety and health topics.

Assistant Secretary

Distribution: National, Regional and Area Offices All Compliance Officers State Designees NIOSH Regional Program Directors 7(c)(1) Project Managers