The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), founded October 14, 1911, is the oldest and largest professional safety organization. Its more than 32,000 members manage, supervise and consult on occupational safety and health and environmental issues in industry, insurance, government and education.

The ASSE was created partially in response to the March 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which killed 148 garment workers in New York who couldn't safely get out of the building which was on fire, or died from jumping out of the windows.

Each year ASSE, along with many other organizations and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Alliance partners, take part in North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH) in order to help raise awareness of occupational safety and health.

Currently, ASSE has 16 practice specialties, or groups that focus on a particular industry or field of safety. The practice specialties include academics, construction, consultants, engineering, environmental, fire protection, healthcare, industrial hygiene, international, management, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, public sector, risk management/insurance, and transportation. The industrial hygiene practice specialty also has an ergonomics branch and the management practice specialty has two branches, the hospitality and a human resources branch. The risk management/insurance practice specialty also has a training and communications branch. [1]

ASSE also serves as a secretariat for various voluntary consensus standards that include fall protection and construction.

[edit] External links

• American Society of Safety Engineers official website
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration official website