National Safety Council

The National Safety Council (NSC) is a nonprofit, nongovernmental public service organization dedicated to protecting life and promoting health in the United States. Located in Itasca, Illinois, the NSC is a membership organization, founded in 1913 and given a congressional charter in 1953. Members include more than 51,000 businesses, labor organizations, schools, public agencies, private groups and individuals. The NSC’s mission is to “educate and influence people to prevent accidental injury and death,” and its vision is “making our world safer.” The NSC is nonpolitical and does not contribute to or support any political party or candidate.

First Cooperative Safety Congress
In 1912 the First Cooperative Safety Congress was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The event was sponsored by the Association of Iron and Steel Electrical Engineers. The approximately 200 attendees, representing industry and government, resolved to “organize and create a permanent body devoted to the promotion of the safety to human life in the industries of the United States.”

Formation of National Safety Council
At the Second Safety Congress in 1913, the National Council for Industrial Safety was established. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Robert W. Campbell served as first president and William H. Cameron served as secretary. The name was changed to National Safety Council in 1914 to reflect the organization's expanded scope to include traffic and home safety. As membership increased, the NSC began producing posters, technical fact sheets, and other publications. In 1953, the U.S. Congress and President Dwight D. Eisenhower recognized the importance of the NSC’s efforts with a Congressional Charter to: “…arouse and maintain the interest of the people of the United States… in safety and in accident prevention, and to encourage the adoption and institution of safety methods by all persons, corporations, and other organizations.”

Traffic Safety
Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of unintentional injury deaths. The NSC has teamed with public and private partners to lead the effort to help reduce the number of deaths and injuries on the road.

Defensive Driving
The NSC has offered defensive driving courses since 1965.

Fleet Safety
The NSC and its partners have hosted various symposia to bring international attention to the number of fleet driver fatalities that occur and to develop strategies for protecting workers while on the road.

Teen Driving
Through state legislators, public agencies and corporations, the Council promotes defensive driving programs and advocates for stronger laws geared toward making young drivers safer on the road.

Workplace Safety
The NSC is aligned with government agencies to further strengthen workplace safety and help reduce the number of injuries and fatalities.

Training
The NSC offers training courses for occupational safety and health, driver improvement and emergency care.

Off-the-Job
The NSC brought together multi-national corporate leaders and federal safety experts to establish the nation’s first Off-the-Job Safety Symposium to help bring about a reduction of injury-related fatalities that occur off-the-job.

Emergency Preparedness/First Aid
The NSC is a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s Citizen Corps, a network of organizations and individuals dedicated to raising awareness about the need for preparedness. Since the NSC’s Emergency Care Services program began in 1991, more than 8 million rescuers have been trained in the program.

Elder Falls
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths among older adults. The NSC is part of the Falls Free Coalition, which hopes to advance the national action plan among key national stakeholders and build community awareness and support for fall prevention activities among older adults.

Safe Communities America
As part of the World Health Organization’s Safe Communities program, the NSC is a designated Affiliate Safe Communities Support Center and Safe Communities Certifying Center for the United States. Communities apply for the Safe Communities designation by indicating their long-term commitment to the promotion of safety.

Board of Directors / Board of Delegates
The NSC is governed by a Board of Directors and a Board of Delegates. The Board of Directors manages fiduciary and strategic affairs. The Board of Delegates develops the mission agenda, creates public policies, and tracks safety, health and environmental trends. More than 2,000 volunteers, drawn from NSC industry volunteer divisions, assist the boards in determining policies, operating procedures and programs to be developed and implemented by the Council’s professional staff.

Chapters
The National Safety Council’s network of 40 local Chapters conducts safety, health and environmental efforts at the community level, providing training, conferences, workshops, consultation, newsletters, updates and safety support materials, as well as networking avenues. Located in cities and towns across the United States, the Chapters provide a voice for advocating local safety issues.

Divisions
Members of the NSC are segmented into divisions. Division members plan and create programs for the annual NSC Congress & Expo, and participate in discussions of research findings, new concepts, trends, and solutions for safety challenges. Divisions meet twice a year and have ongoing communications. The divisions are Business & Industry, Construction, Highway Traffic Safety, Labor, Motor Transportation, and Utilities. Some divisions are further segmented into sections.

NSC Congress
Held each fall, the NSC Congress & Expo attracts between 15,000-18,000 safety and health professionals, plus industry suppliers from around the world. The event showcases the latest safety and health products and services, and provides an opportunity for members to exchange ideas and learn about new safety technologies and training methods. Members attending the annual Congress can also earn continuing education credits by participating in technical sessions and professional development seminars.

National Safety Month
In 1996 the NSC established June as National Safety Month. Its purpose is to increase public awareness of safety and health risks and ultimately decrease the number of accidental injuries and deaths. Each week focuses on a specific safety venue: workplace, traffic, home, and community.