yep, and you hit on one of those spots where I can tell if someone doing an "OSHA compliance inspection" is really a salesperson or really doing OSHA mandated inspection work.
As I read it, the regulation seems to say that the operators manual MUST be -available- to the operator, but does not specify where it must be, (on aerial lifts, the regulation is pretty clear that the truck must not be operated unless the manual is in the operators compartment on the _platform_). When I hear it must be in the seat back and the customer must buy a new seat with a place for the manual, I know they are being -sold- something, other than OSHA compliance.