Ohio’s workplaces, like Ohio itself, have changed much since 1927. One constant, however, has been the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo and its commitment to keeping Ohio workplaces safe and healthy.

In 1927, about 27,000 companies did business in Ohio. As one of the more industrialized states, Ohio had recorded about a third of the nation’s 600,000 occupational injuries and more than 1,100 of its fatalities the previous year. In response, the All-Ohio Safety Congress, as it originally was known, was born. The first congress was held Nov. 9-10, 1927, at the Neil House Hotel in downtown Columbus.

Renamed in 2000, the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo has grown into the largest free workplace safety conference in the United States. Today’s congress features more than 300 exhibits, 200 educational breakout sessions, and 7,000 in annual attendance. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 conferences were virtual events, as will the 2022 event. The need for a commitment to safety in Ohio workplaces is unchanging. The Ohio Safety Congress & Expo will continue to exemplify that commitment on March 9-10, 2022.

The Ohio Safety Congress & Expo is produced by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC). BWC helps injured workers and employers cope with workplace injuries. BWC pays medical benefits and lost wages to employees who are injured or contract an occupational disease on the job. To learn more visit www.bwc.ohio.gov.

Click on the graphic below to learn more about attending as a participant or an exhibitor, you can even earn continuing education units.