PARK RIDGE, Illinois — The signature event of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) continues to grow in popularity. Final numbers from ASSP’s Safety 2019 Professional Development Conference and Exposition show that 8,938 people took part in the June event, surpassing the organization’s previous record gathering from last year. With 5,905 registered attendees and 3,033 exhibitor representatives in New Orleans, it remains one of America’s largest conferences for occupational safety and health professionals.

“Workplace safety professionals want to stay current on best practices, industry trends and the latest product innovations,” said Mary Silva, CSP, chair of ASSP’s Professional Development Conference Planning Committee. “It’s great to see the commitment from safety professionals to gain as much knowledge as possible to help their companies better protect workers in every industry.”

Safety 2019 marked the 58th year of the conference, which has experienced rising attendance for several years. There were 5,794 registered attendees at Safety 2018 in San Antonio, 5,484 at Safety 2017 in Denver, 4,255 at Safety 2016 in Atlanta and 4,182 at Safety 2015 in Dallas.

In addition to the record attendance, Safety 2019 featured the largest exposition in ASSP history with 641 vendor booths. The physical size of the product showcase at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center was also a record, exceeding 119,000 square feet. The exposition has doubled in size over the past decade, a testament to the need for occupational safety and health professionals to stay abreast of the latest product and service innovations.

Safety 2019 had approximately 2,500 first-time attendees, making up 47 percent of the total paid attendance. Nearly 20 percent of conference attendees were non-members. Both customer segments signal future growth for ASSP and the workplace safety profession.

“We’re proud to be a leader in providing professional development for the occupational safety and health community,” said ASSP President Diana Stegall, CSP, CFPS, ARM, SMS, CPCU. “Our global event shares key case studies and new safety techniques every year along with vast networking opportunities that can help solve challenges, generate ideas and advance careers.”

In a post-event survey of Safety 2019 attendees, 97 percent of respondents indicated they would recommend the conference to a colleague while 92 percent said the event provided them with new information or increased knowledge and trade skills.

ASSP’s Safety 2020 Professional Development Conference and Exposition is June 23-25 in Orlando. The Orange County Convention Center is the nation’s second-largest convention facility with 2.1 million square feet of exhibit space. Orlando is the well-known home to Walt Disney World, SeaWorld and Universal Studios Florida.

Groups planning to attend Safety 2020 can save on the entire conference. To learn about group offers, contact ASSP group coordinator Nancy O’Toole at notoole@assp.org.

About ASSP – Working together for a safer, stronger future
For more than 100 years, the American Society of Safety Professionals has been at the forefront of helping occupational safety and health professionals protect people and property. The nonprofit society is based in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge. Its global membership of over 38,000 professionals covers every industry, developing safety and health management plans that prevent injuries, illnesses and deaths. ASSP advances its members and the safety profession through education, advocacy, standards and a professional community. Its flagship publication, Professional Safety, is a longtime leader in the field. Visit www.assp.org and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.