The signature event of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) returned to Chicago in a big way in June as the occupational safety and health event attracted over 1,000 more attendees than the last time the global conference was held at McCormick Place.

ASSP’s Safety 2022 Professional Development Conference and Exposition was a hybrid experience for the second time and welcomed 5,564 registered attendees in person and online from June 27-29. In 2011, the Society’s 50th annual event in Chicago drew 4,535 safety and health professionals. It is one of America’s largest conferences for the advancement of workplace safety and health.

“Workplace safety professionals want to stay current on best practices, industry trends and the latest product innovations,” said ASSP President Christine Sullivan, CSP, ARM. “Regardless of your level of expertise, there are always new safety management techniques and strategies to adapt to our changing world of work.”

This year’s in-person turnout was 4,122, and an additional 1,442 attendees joined online. The event’s success – the third highest ASSP attendance behind events in New Orleans (2019) and San Antonio (2018) – reflected a commitment to help advance occupational safety and health worldwide during a challenging time.

Boosting Safety 2022’s popularity was a dynamic exposition with 445 vendor booths that covered 82,000 square feet. The extensive product showcase was a key element of the in-person experience. “Our expo is so illuminating and informative that we get some safety and health professionals coming only for that,” Sullivan said.

Safety 2022 welcomed 2,782 first-time attendees, making up about half of the total attendance. Approximately one-third of attendees were non-members, who received a free year of ASSP membership. These results signal future growth for ASSP and the workplace safety and health profession.

“We’re proud to be a leader in providing professional development for the occupational safety and health community,” Sullivan said. “Our event shares case studies and new safety approaches along with vast networking opportunities that can help practitioners solve challenges, implement innovations and advance their careers.”

In a post-event survey of Safety 2022 attendees, 9 out of 10 respondents said they would recommend the conference to a colleague while nearly 80 percent said they already plan to attend next year’s event.

The conference surpassed its $25,000 fundraising goal as participants donated $27,193 to the ASSP Foundation, including a $10,000 match from Liberty Mutual. The ASSP Foundation promotes occupational safety and health as a career choice and works to build a sustainable talent pipeline in the profession that will help make all industries safer worldwide.

ASSP’s Safety 2023 is set for June 5-7 in San Antonio and is expected to again include both in-person and online elements. The Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center is on the famous San Antonio River Walk, which includes 15 miles of restaurants, shops and museums. San Antonio is an international culinary destination and last hosted ASSP’s conference in 2018 when the Society launched its new name and brand.

Groups planning to attend Safety 2023 can save on the entire conference. A record 119 groups received discounts on this year’s event. To learn about group offers, contact ASSP’s Nancy O’Toole at notoole@assp.org.