About

The Conference That’s By Safety Professionals, For Safety Professionals

PDC Planning Committee 2024-25

The History of the ASSP Safety Conference and Expo

The conference has a long and rich history that dates back to the early 1960s.

The first conference was held in Chicago in 1962, and was attended by over 100 people. At the time, the conference was called the "Annual Conference of Industrial Safety Engineers," and it focused primarily on technical aspects of safety engineering.

Over the years, the conference grew in size and scope and became an important venue for safety professionals to learn about new developments in their field, network with their peers, and stay up to date on regulatory changes and best practices. In 1984, the conference was renamed the "Professional Development Conference," and it began to emphasize professional development and continuing education. This is why you’ll hear many attendees refer to it as the “PDC.” That year was also the first time the conference included an exposition, and the number of participating companies has grown to more than 500 in recent years.

In 2000, the event marked the turn of the century with an updated name, “Safety Conference and Expo,” to acknowledge the expansion of the learning that takes place both within sessions and in the exhibit hall.

We celebrated the 100-year anniversary of our Society’s founding at the conference in 2011 with a history pavilion, gala and the inaugural appearance at Robert R. McCormick Place in Chicago.

In 2020, the conference was held virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting our mission of delivering education to OSH professionals when they need it most.

Past and Future Safety Conference and Expo Locations