VPPPA Safety+ Symposium Returns to Nashville with Focus on Safety Excellence
The annual conference, taking place Aug. 30–Sept. 2 in Nashville, Tenn., will bring together safety and health professionals for four days of education, networking and practical strategies designed to strengthen workplace safety programs.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Jul 01, 2026
Safety professionals from across the country will gather Aug. 30 through Sept. 2 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, for the 2026 VPPPA Safety+ Symposium, an annual event focused on advancing workplace safety, health, and environmental excellence through education, collaboration, and innovation.
Hosted by the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association (VPPPA), the conference brings together frontline workers, safety managers, executives and industry experts to share best practices and explore emerging trends shaping occupational safety. Organizers describe Safety+ as the only national EHS&S conference dedicated to helping organizations move their safety and health programs "beyond compliance to excellence."
This year's agenda features educational breakout sessions, deep-dive workshops, an opening general session, an executive CEO panel, OSHA 10-Hour Training, live demonstrations in the exhibit hall and VPP site tours. Attendees will also have opportunities to participate in networking events, regional meetings, labor-management discussions and the annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence in workplace safety.
The exhibit hall will showcase the latest products and technologies designed to improve worker protection, including personal protective equipment, training solutions, safety technology and risk management tools. Innovation stations and live product demonstrations are expected to highlight new approaches to addressing today's workplace safety challenges.
Throughout the four-day event, sessions will examine topics including safety leadership, employee engagement, regulatory developments, continuous improvement, hazard recognition and practical strategies organizations can implement to strengthen their safety culture. The conference is designed to provide attendees with actionable ideas applicable across a wide range of industries.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco brings a strong and varied journalism background to her role at Occupational Health & Safety, having previously served as a multimedia editor, broadcast journalist, professor and reviewer across major news organizations. As Content Editor, she writes news and feature articles, hosts sponsor and editorial webinars, co-hosts the SafetyPod worker health and safety podcast, and manages the brand’s digital and social media presence. She is committed to informing and engaging the safety community through compelling reporting and conversations that support safer, healthier workplaces.