The ASSE Council on Professional Affair, with the assistance of the Governmental Affairs Committee, is proud to announce that a new professional recognition initiative has been launched to move the safety profession into the next millennium - The National Registry of Safety Professionals and Other Registrants. We are excited to roll this new program out to all safety professionals regardless of ASSE membership status. This initiative will benefit all safety professionals, the Society, the safety profession, and most important of all, people, property, and the environment.

During the past several years, federal and state legislators and administrators of regulatory agencies throughout the country have debated issues of safety and health. The central issue primarily focuses upon and galvanizes around those who deliver or provide such services, the safety professional. These discussions and debates, when reaching a final analysis and conclusion, have invariably addressed the competencies, credentials, education, experience, and continuing professional development of these persons. The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), in recognition of these state and national concerns as well as existing and emerging public policy, is establishing a National Registry of Safety Professionals and Other Registrants.

A registry is an official record where individuals are enrolled and their qualifications/credentials are filed for later verification by a registering authority or association. The National Registry of Safety Professionals and Other Registrants creates the means and methodology whereby any qualified safety professional and other registrants meeting the criteria can elect to be listed in the Registry. Serving as Registrar is the American Society of Safety Engineers. The Registry has the capability to be categorized by state and enables safety professionals and other registrants to accomplish several objectives:

• Public policy makers and private sector entities can obtain a numerical listing of registered safety professionals and other registrants at both state and national levels.
• When commenting on legislation and regulation the Registrar would be able to provide and offer specific data involving safety professionals, safety practitioners, and safety technicians/technologists affected by legislation and/or regulation in different states or on the national level.
• As we move to a global economy, there will arise a need to reach across national borders to provide services by qualified safety professionals and other registrants.
• There are significant internal and external drivers in safety and health for such a program, (e.g.: governmental regulation, professional recognition issues), and the Registry provides an efficient and effective means of meeting these drivers.
• With such a national recognition tool in place, safety professionals and other registrants will be more informed to be proactive in issues affecting the profession.
• Those persons choosing to be listed in the National Registry of Safety Professionals and Other Registrants can also cite their registration status in the following venues: