ASSP Leads Coalition to Advance Workplace Safety
A safety coalition urges businesses to adopt risk-based strategies for a stronger workforce.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Mar 06, 2025
The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), the world’s oldest professional safety organization, is spearheading an occupational safety and health coalition aimed at strengthening worker protections across all industries.
The coalition, known as the Intersociety Forum (ISF), is comprised of two dozen organizations advocating for businesses to go beyond legal compliance and adopt risk-based safety and health strategies. In a new report, ISF highlights how integrating safety and health into business models can drive strategic advantages and positive outcomes for organizations.
“We urge today’s business leaders and policymakers to prioritize environmental, health, and safety practices as a foundation for economic growth,” said ASSP Chief Executive Officer Jennifer McNelly, CAE. “When workers are protected from injuries and illnesses, they perform at their best, fostering productivity, innovation, and global competitiveness. Safety strengthens resilience and enables businesses to thrive.”
Despite technological advancements, workplace injury and fatality rates have remained stagnant over the past decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a worker died on the job every 99 minutes in 2023.
ISF’s report outlines three core principles to enhance workplace safety and ensure workers return home safely each day:
- Establishing safety standards that prioritize worker well-being.
- Implementing risk-based safety management systems.
- Advancing recordkeeping to leverage predictive insights.
“This guidance that goes beyond compliance can transform workplaces nationwide, empowering workers to perform at their peak,” McNelly said. “There are significant benefits in reducing operational disruptions and maximizing efficiency through a sustainable workforce. Simply put, safety is good for business.”
The ISF report includes a QR code allowing organizations to endorse the coalition’s core principles. Additionally, ISF leaders plan to meet with OSHA once the new assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health is appointed later this year.
“It’s vital that the coalition has achieved meaningful cross-organization collaboration to speak as one voice from the safety industry,” McNelly added.
ASSP continues to support occupational safety and health professionals in their mission to protect workers, property, and the environment.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.