American Society of Safety Professionals

American Society of Safety Professionals
Name	American Society of Safety Professionals
Abbreviation	ASSP
Formation	1911
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	Liberty Mutual Research Institute?
Region served	United States, International
Membership	Occupational safety and health professionals

American Society of Safety Professionals

The American Society of Safety Professionals is a professional association for occupational health and safety practitioners. Founded in the early 20th century, it connects professionals across North America and internationally, engaging with organizations such as National Safety Council, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, International Labour Organization, World Health Organization, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to advance workplace safety. It collaborates with entities including American Industrial Hygiene Association, Board of Certified Safety Professionals, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

History

The society traces roots to worker protection movements influenced by events like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, the rise of industrial regulation following the New Deal, and the establishment of agencies such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Early leaders drew on professional networks linked to institutions such as Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, University of Michigan, and Yale University to codify practices. Throughout the 20th century the organization intersected with initiatives from American Red Cross, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, General Motors, and U.S. Steel as well as landmark legislation including the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, and engaged with standard-setting bodies like American National Standards Institute and International Organization for Standardization. Notable eras involved cooperation with World War I and World War II industrial mobilization, postwar expansion alongside corporations such as Ford Motor Company and Boeing, and modern partnerships with Google, Amazon (company), and Tesla, Inc. on emerging risks.

Organization and Membership

The society's governance has involved executives, volunteers, and committees interacting with organizations like American Bar Association, U.S. Congress, Department of Labor (United States), National Governors Association, and Safety and Health Commission analogues; membership has historically included professionals from firms such as ExxonMobil, Dow Chemical Company, BP, Chevron, and Shell plc as well as municipal employers like City of New York, Los Angeles County, and Chicago. Members often hold credentials connected to entities like Board of Certified Safety Professionals, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, Project Management Institute, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and National Fire Protection Association. Chapters and sections operate similarly to regional societies including New York State Society of Professional Engineers and provincial bodies such as Ontario Society of Professional Engineers.

Certification and Professional Development

The society administers and endorses certification pathways and continuing education linked to credentials overseen by organizations including Board of Certified Safety Professionals, American Board of Industrial Hygiene, National Registry of Food Safety Professionals, International Institute of Risk and Safety Management, and OSHA Training Institute. Professional development offerings align with standards from International Organization for Standardization and incorporate content relevant to American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Health and Safety Executive (UK), European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, and academic programs at Columbia University, University of California, Berkeley, and Johns Hopkins University. The society's continuing education credits and exam prep connect members to certification frameworks similar to Project Management Professional, Certified Information Systems Security Professional, and Certified Safety Professional.

Standards, Advocacy, and Public Policy

The society engages in standards development and advocacy alongside American National Standards Institute, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, International Organization for Standardization, National Fire Protection Association, and Underwriters Laboratories. It files comments and participates in rulemaking processes before agencies such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration, and Federal Aviation Administration. Policy engagements reference legislation and frameworks like the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, Clean Air Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and international agreements coordinated through International Labour Organization and World Health Organization fora. The society also partners with trade associations including National Association of Manufacturers, American Petroleum Institute, and American Hospital Association to influence workplace safety regulation and corporate governance.

Chapters and Global Activities

The society maintains a network of chapters and sections comparable to professional federations such as IEEE, American Medical Association, American Bar Association, and American Institute of Architects, with international ties to British Safety Council, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, Safe Work Australia, and International Labour Organization offices. Regional activities mirror initiatives by organizations like European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and involve cooperation with consortia such as Global Reporting Initiative and World Economic Forum on topics spanning mining, construction, healthcare, and technology sectors represented by firms like Rio Tinto, Bechtel, Kaiser Permanente, and Siemens AG.

Publications and Conferences

The society publishes journals and periodicals comparable to Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, American Journal of Public Health, Safety Science, Industrial Health, and Human Factors and Ergonomics Society outputs, and it organizes conferences modeled on events like the National Safety Council Congress & Expo, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, International Ergonomics Association Congress, and World Congress on Safety and Health at Work. Major annual conferences attract speakers and attendees from institutions such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, MIT, Stanford University, and corporations including IBM, Microsoft, and Johnson & Johnson.

Category:Professional associations based in the United States