Construction manuals are health and safety guides created by construction companies to inform employees of policies and procedures designed to keep them safe and healthy. These manuals are frequently required by law for companies operating in certain jurisdictions, and they increasingly essential for proving employees with information about risks before they begin a job. Construction manuals are frequently required by insurance agencies in order to secure insurance, government agencies in order to pass inspections or receive permits, and by corporations awarding bids for work. Like all health and safety manuals, construction manuals are designed to inform employees about the health and safety policies, rules, and regulations of the organization and to protect the organization in the event of a lawsuit.

Construction manuals typically follow the same pattern as any other health and safety manual. They include the same materials outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Health and safety rules and regulations, risk assessment forms and instructions, health and safety policies and procedures, requisite forms, codes of practice, employee guides, and hazard tables, much of this traditional boilerplate that differs very little from company to company. Additionally, construction manuals tend to be customized with special sections devoted to the additional risks of construction work, including health and safety procedures related to on-site work, equipment usage, and hazardous materials.