On Day 3 at Safety 2025 in Orlando, an executive panel discussed why a collective voice for safety is critical in influencing policy, practice and perception during times of change.
The discussion served as a call to action for advancing safety advocacy and encouraging safety professionals to elevate their leadership roles in workplaces everywhere. Hundreds of safety professionals attended the insightful session at the Orange County Convention Center and left inspired to effect positive change.
The session was moderated by Pam Walaski, CSP, FASSP, our Society’s immediate past president. The panelists were CEO Jennifer McNelly of ASSP; CEO David Long of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA); and Executive Director Chris Williams of the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association (VPPPA).
“Our goal is to eliminate the fatalities we know will happen if we don’t take action to change work environments,” Long said. “Make safety personal.”
The panel highlighted how collaboration and a unified safety voice from many organizations nationwide are essential to advancing modern occupational safety and health. The session centered on the work of the Intersociety Forum (ISF) — a coalition of nonprofit occupational safety and health organizations that issued a set of core principles designed to align safety leaders across sectors.
The three principles promote innovation, worker empowerment and strategic leadership, with a focus on:
- Standards and worker well-being
- Embracing risk and safety management systems
- Revolutionizing recordkeeping for predictive insights
Panelists stressed that safety is foundational to business success and global competitiveness. It strengthens productivity, business continuity and workforce resilience.
“In times of change, it’s our responsibility as safety leaders to step in, educate stakeholders and fill the gaps,” McNelly said. “Safety is non-partisan and the core principles represent our strong alignment around science, systems and people. It’s our competitive edge.”
The panel encouraged organizations to join the ISF’s broad movement and amplify its voice by integrating the core principles into workplace culture, industry practices and policy conversations. Dozens of companies have already signed on.
“We are stronger together, so there’s a lot at stake if our safety voice remains fragmented,” Williams said. “Make the core principles your organization’s core values and stay the course. We all need to take ownership and bake safety into our teams and operations.”
While the session’s audience primarily comprised safety professionals, the panel stressed that achieving the highest levels of workplace safety requires involvement from all workers.
“Everyone is a safety leader on the job, so take responsibility for your safety and your coworkers’ safety,” Long said. “Be proactive and halt work in unsafe conditions.”
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that more than 5,000 fatal work injuries occur each year. A person loses their life from a work-related injury every 99 minutes.
“The only way to change the results of what we’re doing is to change how we’re doing it,” Long said. “We need a collective voice to make a difference in Washington D.C.”
McNelly noted that a successful safety culture starts at the top of an organization — in the executive board room — and must cascade throughout the company. The other panelists agreed.
“Leaders must put action behind their safety commitment, demonstrating it consistently so frontline workers see that their leadership team truly believes in safety,” Long said.
McNelly acknowledged that businesses move faster than government, so implementing the ISF’s core principles into corporate strategy is crucial. Relying solely on regulatory compliance is not enough to achieve true safety success. Elements such as consensus standards are critical in a risk-based safety and health strategy.
“The return on a safety and health investment is exponential for a business,” Long said.
The panel’s ideal vision of safety success not only includes vastly decreasing workplace incidents, but also the ability for most businesses to achieve a zero-injury rate — ensuring every worker returns home safe and healthy at the end of the day. Safety must be brought into conversations where it’s missing, whether that is at a workplace or on Capitol Hill.
“If we agree that worker safety is essential to America’s future and our economic competitiveness on a global stage, we have to live and breathe safety,” McNelly said. “Let’s show up as one voice and be clear, consistent and committed. Worker safety matters.”