Where I worked at, pilots received around 40 hours initial sim time for new hires, training for a different plane, or up grade training. After the check ride, First officers got a 4 hour check every year and Captains got a 4 hour check every 6 months.
There was no training manual for the sim itself. There was a training syllabus of what was to be trained in the sim. Instructors were to brief students at the beginning of their training on simulator safety.
The sims are used for all types of scenarios that could happen in the plane that either are not practical or safe to practice in the real thing. It's a very powerful learning tool because you can practice real emergency procedures, and if you goof it up, reposition and try again.