Key insights and action steps for employers from the National Safety Council Congress
The National Safety Council (NSC), a leading non-profit dedicated to eliminating preventable injuries and deaths, recently held its annual Safety Congress & Expo drawing more than 12,000 safety, health, and environmental professionals. The event delivers compliance updates, highlights innovation, and offers strategies to prevent injuries.
OSHA top ten most cited safety violations relate to BLS workplace injury data
A highlight is the release of OSHA's annual list of the Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards, offering insights into enforcement priorities and common compliance deficiencies.
The preliminary list includes data from Oct. 1, 2024 to Aug. 12, 2025:
- Fall Protection - General Requirements (1926.501): 5,914 violations
- Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 2,546
- Ladders (1926.1053): 2,405
- Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,177
- Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 1,953
- Fall Protection - Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,907
- Scaffolding (1926.451): 1,905
- Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,826
- Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment - Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,665
- Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,239
NSC experts took a deeper dive linking the citations to BLS's real-world injury data. While the violations do not establish causality and the relationship is not always direct, the data helps identity serious problem areas.
BLS data shows that falls remain a leading cause of death, with 885 fatalities, 725 of them falls to a lower level. Ladders accounted for 173 deaths, scaffolds 62, exposure to electricity 142, caught in running machinery 53, and powered industrial trucks, such as forklifts, 67. Transportation-related incidents were the single largest category, responsible for 1,942 deaths. Workplace violence, with 458 homicides and 281 suicides reported in 2023, is a growing concern but a standard for the healthcare and social services industries is stalled. Respiratory illnesses accounted for 125,400 reportable cases in 2023.
Takeaway: The same violations appear year after year, signaling common blind spots. Regular benchmarking against OSHA Top 10 violations and BLS statistics is an effective way to identify workplace vulnerabilities.Tracking trends helps identify where preventive measures can have the most impact, and compliance should be aligned with outcome-driven safety programs.
Changing how EHS is measured
The Campbell Institute Forum emphasized the growing importance of utilizing leading indicators (proactive safety metrics) and prioritizing the prevention of serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs) over relying on lagging metrics such as the traditional total recordable incident rate (TRIR). Identifying high-energy hazards, known as STKY (Stuff That Can Kill You), is the first step in anticipating SIFs.
The key resource for SIF standards is the American Society for Testing and Materials, which is being revised and will be issued in November to define SIFs and potential SIFs (pSIF). ASTM will also soon issue related standards on leadership and employee engagement. The three ASTM standards will combine to offer step by step guidance to prevent SIFs. The standards will be applicable regardless of the company's size.
Takeaway: Employers were encouraged to conduct High-Energy Control Assessments (HECA), a real-time job assessment that examines life-threatening hazards. Stay abreast of ASTM standards.
Innovation and emerging technologies to address MSDs, lone worker safety, and drug impairment
Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
The Congress showcased 10 breakthrough technologies to help prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) at the fourth annual MSD Solutions Lab Safety Innovation Challenge. The winner was MākuSafe for its Scout system, which enables forklifts to detect nearby workers, provide real-time risk indicators based on pedestrian density, and produce comprehensive analytics to identify high-risk interaction patterns and make proactive interventions without disrupting operations.Learn more about the 10 finalists.
Lone worker safety and crisis readiness
Noting that about 60 percent of lone worker incidents occur on second and third shifts or with weekend staff when supervision is at its thinnest, a speaker from EcoOnline emphasized the importance of integrating lone worker protection and crisis management practices. He presented information on GPS-enabled monitoring, automatic fall detection, and dual notification systems that alert both monitoring centers and direct supervisors. More information.
Eye tracking for drug impairment detection
A Montana startup, Gaize, showcased a virtual reality headset that runs law enforcement-designed eye tests to identify drug and alcohol impairment in real time. The headset automates the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) protocol, recording both eye movement data and video evidence, which is analyzed instantly to determine whether a worker is impaired. It can identify the class of drugs, such as cannabis or stimulants, but not the exact substance. Using the example of a construction company where several employees tested positive for THC but were found not to be impaired, the company says the headset can be used proactively or reactively. More information
Takeaway: Wearable technology and data analytics are emerging as powerful tools for preventing workplace injuries before they occur. Employers were encouraged to adopt technology strategically. Pilot at least one new technology that aligns with the highest-risk job functions and measure ROI in reduced incidents.
New product showcase awards
The Congress showcases new safety products, services, and technologies from participating exhibitors on the Expo floor, allowing attendees and subscribers to vote for the "Best in Show." More than 7,500 votes were cast, and the top three vote getters were:
Best in Show: The iEvac E500 Industrial Escape Hood from Elmridge Protection Products, designed for industrial environments where fast, reliable protection from toxic gases, vapors, and particulates is crucial, requiring no fit testing, maintenance, or medical evaluation.
Second place: The PIP Traverse Safety Helmet with Quin and Mips 280-HP1491RM-QPOD from PIP Global Safety. It's an intelligent helmet that detects workplace-specific incidents, including falls, slips, impacts and temperature changes.
Third place: Werner Cable Grab from Werner. Designed for seamless integration with a wide range of fixed ladder and tower systems, its universal attachment system allows for quick and easy connection to any 3/8-inch solid core 1 by 7 or 7 by 19 cable.