Protecting worker safety, health and well-being is an operational necessity in every business. In our role as trusted advisors, we strive to help our members support their organizations’ efforts to keep workers safe at all times. This takes on greater urgency during times of change and uncertainty. 

With federal agencies like NIOSH being restructured and others like OSHA and EPA facing changes as well, there is the potential for a void in national leadership around workplace safety. Our role as an honest broker is critical in helping organizations adapt proven practices while navigating the changing landscape effectively.

As safety professionals, we know that compliance-based approaches have taken us as far as they can. While some leading organizations have implemented modern safety management systems or taken best-practices approaches to protecting workers, many companies still focus primarily on complying with rules and regulations. We must shift the conversation. 

We know that safety is not just about regulations. It is about changing mindsets, influencing leadership and ensuring that safety is viewed as a business imperative rather than just a compliance checkbox. Our members provide us with the knowledge ecosystem to do that.

We have taken a step in this direction with a report we created with the Intersociety Forum, a group of like-minded safety and health organizations. In “Driving Business Growth and Profitability Through Modern Occupational EHS Practices,” we have identified three core principles that reflect a shared commitment to protecting workers, advancing operational excellence and promoting sustainable businesses. You can learn more at www.assp.org/coreprinciples. 

The three principles provide an actionable framework organizations can use to integrate safety into their culture and strategy. Following these principles can help organizations protect workers while boosting performance and building resilience. Let’s take a closer look at each principle and how each can help ASSP and our profession lead through change.

Standards & Worker Well-Being

To go beyond simply complying with requirements, companies must adapt industry best practices and voluntary consensus standards as a way to protect their reputation while establishing uniform performance criteria. When companies value whole worker health, they achieve better employee engagement, lower absence rates and better long-term outcomes. Companies that invest in workplace safety and employee wellness retain more employess, increase operational output and maintain positive business relationships.

Going Beyond Compliance

Modern environmental, health and safety (EHS) strategies promote a preventive mindset where safety is integral to all organizational decision-making. By adopting risk management and assessment frameworks, organizations can identify potential issues before they become critical so they can save lives while reducing expenses and protecting their image. Organizations that identify their risks at an early stage can reduce their liability, avoid costly operational stoppages and increase productivity.

Revolutionizing Recordkeeping

Traditional recordkeeping methods document incidents after they occur. We all recognize the importance of using data to assess trends and evaluate patterns so we can help better detect and prevent emerging issues. This future-oriented method enhances safety performance and supports both operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

We know the damage caused by work-­related incidents. It is alarming to know that one person died from workplace injuries in the U.S. every 99 minutes in 2023. But that statistic is more than just a number. Those are lives forever changed, stories not continued. They prove that compliance alone is not enough.

Businesses must make EHS practices their immediate imperative. These core principles provide them with a road map for protecting workers while also achieving competitive advantage, innovating solutions and implementing sustainable practices that drive growth and profitability. 

As trusted advisors, we are dedicated to helping businesses adapt and improve. ASSP provides the community, education, standards and advocacy we need to ensure that business leaders understand the business role and value we provide as we help them work to achieve operational excellence. Through these collective efforts, we are leading through change and creating a safer, stronger future for all.