ASSP Pushes "Powered Action" to Prevent Serious Workplace Injuries
The American Society of Safety Professionals is advancing a new approach focused on neutralizing high-risk hazards at the point of work, targeting serious injuries and fatalities through action-driven safety strategies and standards.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Jan 13, 2026
The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) is signaling a shift in how the safety industry addresses serious workplace risks, moving beyond observation and analysis toward what it calls “powered action” to prevent serious injuries and fatalities.
ASSP said the approach centers on targeting Serious Injuries and Fatalities (SIFs) and Potential SIFs (PSIFs) by isolating the most dangerous hazards and neutralizing their causes at the point of working on shop floors, construction sites, and across critical infrastructure.
“Safety and health excellence cannot be achieved in a vacuum,” said ASSP President Linda Tapp, CSP, ALCM, CPTD. “By uniting rigorous standards with the capabilities of our technology partners, we are moving safety and health from policy to practice—where it can protect people in real time.”
As part of the strategy, ASSP is prioritizing action on the industry’s “lethal leaders,” including hazards reflected in OSHA’s Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards. These include falls from heights, addressed through ANSI/ASSP Z359 fall protection standards, and hazardous energy control, supported by ANSI/ASSP Z244 and A10 lockout/tagout standards.
ASSP emphasized that data and standards already exist to significantly reduce serious incidents. The focus now, the Society said, is on removing barriers to action and accelerating implementation.
“Ending injuries, illnesses, and fatalities at work isn’t just a goal—it’s a shared mandate,” Tapp said.
ASSP said additional details on industry collaboration efforts will be shared later this month.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.