AI in Safety: Practical Applications, Emerging Trends and What’s Next
Date: Thursday, September 10, 2026 at 2:00pm ET - 1:00pm CT - 11:00am PT
Technology is rapidly transforming the way safety professionals identify risks, analyze data and make informed decisions. As AI tools become more accessible, understanding how to use them effectively — and responsibly — is becoming an essential skill for today’s safety leaders.
Join experts Dr. Marla Corson, Arianna Howard and Stephanie Johnson for an engaging discussion on the evolving role of technology. They will share their expertise and real-world experience on the practical application of AI across workplace safety, as well as important considerations such as data privacy, ethical use, human oversight and strategies for integrating AI into existing safety programs.
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DATE: Thursday, September 10, 2026
TIME: 2:00PM ET - 1:00PM CT - 11:00AM PT
About the Speaker:
Thomas Kramer, PE, CSP
Senior Vice President Thomas is a subject matter expert on working at height for LJB Inc. He served on the ASSP Board of Directors as a director-at-large from 2019-22 and as vice president, finance, from 2023-26.
In addition to being the Society’s senior vice president, Kramer is as a trustee of the ASSP Foundation — the Society’s charitable arm — in his dual leadership role.
Kramer was ASSP’s Safety Professional of the Year in 2016 and is a two-time recipient of the Charles V. Culbertson Outstanding Volunteer Service Award. He received the Thomas F. Bresnahan Standards Medal in 2017 for his extensive work in developing and advocating voluntary consensus standards. He has also earned the ASSP President’s Award, chaired the Society’s Professional Development Conference Planning Committee and served as vice president of the Council on Professional Development.
Kramer works to improve safety and reduce risks for workers at height. He has more than 30 years of experience in assessing, designing and installing fall protection systems and specializes in fall protection program development.
Kramer is the past chair of the ANSI/ASSP Z359 Fall Protection Committee. He is a member of the ANSI/ASSP Z590.3 Prevention Through Design Committee, the ANSI/ALI A14 Ladder Standards Committee and an alternate on the ANSI/ASSP A10 Construction and Demolition Committee.
Outside of ASSP, Kramer is president of the International Society for Fall Protection and has planned symposiums on three continents and presented in more than a dozen countries. He holds an MBA from Miami University in Ohio, and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Cincinnati.
Kramer has been an ASSP member since 2000 and resides in Springboro, Ohio, with his wife, Tracey.
Marla D. Corson, PhD, CSP
Marla is an executive safety leader, educator, and advisor with more than 20 years of experience specializing in occupational safety, artificial intelligence applications, and organizational leadership across complex, high-risk industries. Her work focuses on helping organizations translate emerging technologies into practical, responsible, and human-centered safety strategies.
As Founder and President of Corson Consulting & Speaking, LLC, Dr. Corson serves in advisory roles supporting innovation in AI-enabled safety. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Advanced Safety Engineering and Management program, where she created and taught UAB’s first graduate-level course focused specifically on AI and workplace safety in fall 2025.
Her career includes senior leadership roles with Amazon, Nestlé Waters, Alcoa, and the United States Air Force, where she led large-scale initiatives in occupational safety, health, culture, and operational risk reduction across complex organizations and diverse workforces. She has also led the implementation of AI, data analytics, and machine learning applications in safety, contributing to direct safety improvements, stronger decision-making, and more proactive risk management.
In 2025, Dr. Corson was appointed to the ASSP AI Task Force, reflecting her leadership in shaping the future of artificial intelligence within the safety profession. She has presented nationally on AI and the future of safety, including leading multiple sessions for a National Safety Council annual conference in 2025, including AI-Powered Safety: Revolutionizing Workplace Health and Risk Management, and co-presenting in 2024 at the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) Global Learning Summit on How AI Is Going to Change Safety and the Safety Profession.
Dr. Corson holds a Ph.D. in Technology from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Organizational Behavior from Brigham Young University.
Arianna Howard
Arianna is the co-founder and managing partner of Syncra Group, an EHS technology consulting and advisory firm. With a background in operational and consulting environmental health and safety (EHS) roles, she shifted into technology after seeing the same pattern: the real challenge was never compliance, but the tools and systems teams relied on to manage it.
At Syncra Group, Howard leads technology selection, implementation and advisory work for EHS teams across IT systems, software, data and AI, focusing on process optimization and change management before digitization. She advises EHS technology vendors on product strategy and responsible AI development, bringing direct buyer and user perspectives to shape product direction and market fit. Her work with enterprises spans high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies across multiple high-risk industrial sectors such as mining, manufacturing, utilities and infrastructure, where she guides organizations through AI enablement — building governance frameworks, running pilots to scale, coaching teams through adoption and developing internal AI champions who can sustain the work.
A founding member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Task Force on AI in Safety, Howard shares her insights through speaking and writing on EHS technology, AI and digital transformation. She also is the ASSP Standards-Based User Group (SBUG) lead for AI in Safety.
Howard holds a master's degree in environmental management with a focus on EHS data and analytics from the University of Denver and a bachelor's degree in environmental science from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her 16 years of military leadership in the U.S. Army National Guard & Reserves heavily informs how she navigates organizational change, leadership strategy and builds capability across teams and leadership levels.
Stephanie L. Johnson, CSP, CHMM
Stephanie is principal at HarbourSide EHS Solutions LLC. A nationally recognized safety executive, her expertise is at the intersection of environmental health and safety (EHS) and emerging technology. Through her work in education, research and innovation, Johnson helps shape the future of the EHS profession.
Johnson serves as chair of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Task Force on AI in Safety, leading the Society’s exploration of artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for the safety profession. She has spearheaded AI adoption and technology integration in safety programs, helping organizations leverage data, automation and digital tools to strengthen risk management, improve operational performance and enhance decision-making.
With more than two decades of experience, Johnson has led EHS organizations across transportation, construction, semiconductors, utilities, telecommunications and manufacturing sectors. Her executive leadership has included enterprise oversight of EHS standards, governance and training; identifying systemic gaps; addressing emerging risks; and navigating complex regulatory environments. She has also contributed to the development of state and federal EHS regulations, extending her influence at the policy level.
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Johnson holds the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) credentials. As an ASSP member since 2007, she has served in numerous national leadership roles, including director-at-large and trustee of the ASSP Foundation.
