American Society of Safety Engineers

American Society of Safety Engineers
Abbreviation ASSE
Motto Protecting People, Property and the Environment since 1911
Type Nongovernmental Organization
Location
  • Park Ridge, IL
Executive Director
 Dennis Hudson
Website www.asse.org

Founded in 1911, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) is a global organization of more than 37,000 occupational safety and health (OSH) professional members who manage, supervise, research and consult on work-related OSH concerns in all industries, government and education. The Society's members use risk-based approaches to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses.

ASSE was founded in the wake of the March 25, 1911, Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire[1], where lack of safety measures caused the death of 146 garment workers.

ASSE focuses on elevating the professional practice of OSH through continuing education, the promotion of professional certification, the development of national and international standards, and alliances with federal agencies such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. ASSE also works with ABET to develop accreditation standards for OSH-related degree programs[2] and has worked with the International Network of Safety and Health Practitioner Organizations (INSHPO) to develop a professional capability framework[3] for OSH professionals.

Organization

ASSE has 151 chapters, 40 sections and 65 student sections located in 75 countries. Members live in regions including the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Categories for membership include; professional, international, associate, emeritus and student.

ASSE has 20 practice specialties, or groups that focus on a particular industry or field of safety. Practice specialties consist of academics, construction, consulting, engineering, environmental, ergonomics, fire protection, healthcare, industrial hygiene, international, management, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, public sector, risk management/insurance and transportation.

ASSE has industry groups in: Academics, Construction, Consulting, Engineering, Environmental, Ergonomics, Fire Protection, Healthcare, Industrial Hygiene, International, Management, Manufacturing, Mining, Oil & Gas, Public Sector, Risk Management/Insurance, Utilities, and Transportation. There are also eight branches; Agricultural, Health & Wellness, Human Resources, Legal Services, Military, Service, and Training & Communications. Members may also join one of ASSE’s common interest groups - Blacks in Safety Engineering (BISE), Safety Professionals and the Latino Workforce (SPALW), Women in Safety Engineering (WISE), and Young Professionals in SH&E.

Setting the standard for safety

ASSE is the administrator for the U.S. Technical Advisory Groups ﴾TAG﴿ to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO﴿ on fall protection and risk management. Also, ASSE members serve on over 40 safety and health standards committees.

Standards

ASSE is secretariat for several American National Standards Institute ﴾ANSI) committees and projects. The committees develop and maintain the standards, ensure that the revision process is timely and in accordance with ANSI procedures and publish the final product. ASSE serves as secretariat for the following standards:

Center for Safety and Health Sustainability

The Center is a global collaborative effort among ASSE, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), and the United Kingdom’s Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).

Hosted by ASSE, the Center is dedicated to advancing the safety, health and sustainability of the global workplace.

NAOSH Week

Along with the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), ASSE sponsors the North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH Week) each year in May. ASSE members, industries, trade organizations and corporations throughout North America are host to community workplace safety and health activities during NAOSH Week. Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day is also observed during this time.

Held in conjunction with NAOSH Week, ASSE’s annual kids’ ‘Safety on the Job’ poster contest supports our members and educates children on the importance of workplace safety.

ASSE Foundation

The American Society of Safety Engineers Foundation, established by and in partnership with the American Society of Safety Engineers, generates funding and provides resources for research opportunities, educational advancement, and leadership development in order to advance the safety, health, and environmental profession.

Chartered in 1990 by the ASSE Board of Directors, the Foundation exists to provide programs and opportunities to advance the safety profession. Focusing on research and education, the Foundation leads on research initiatives that benefit the global community, while also providing educational opportunities and financial resources to benefit safety professionals and their families.

The ASSE Foundation receives contributions from corporations, individual members, family of ASSE members, and ASSE Chapters and Regions interested in supporting the safety, health and environmental profession. As a 501(c)(3) organization, contributions to the Foundation are generally considered charitable contributions under IRC Section 170 and are tax deductible as provided by law.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Cornell University - ILR School - The Triangle Factory Fire". trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  2. ↑ "ABET" (PDF).
  3. ↑ "The OHS Professional Capability Framework: A Global Framework for Practice" (PDF). INSHPO.
  4. ↑ http://www.asse.org/foundation/about_foundation.php

See also

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/12/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.