What an incredible few days in California! The Incident Prevention (iP) team just wrapped up an action-packed week at the ASSP Safety 2026 Professional Development Conference and Exposition in Anaheim.
Representing iP and Utility Business Media, Kurt Moreland was on-site on the expo floor from June 15–17, connecting with industry innovators, catching up with safety leaders, and bringing back critical insights to share with the utility safety community. With hundreds of cutting-edge exhibitors and thousands of passionate occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals in attendance, the energy this year was unmatched.
Here is a quick look at our top highlights from the event!
High Fashion, Higher Protection: The FR & PPE Fashion Show
One of the definitive highlights of our time in the exhibit hall was attending the Apparel and PPE Fashion Show.
Flame-resistant (FR) clothing and personal protective equipment have come an incredibly long way, and this year’s runway proved that style and compliance can go hand-in-hand. Manufacturers are pushing the boundaries of material science, showcasing garments engineered for the modern workforce that prioritize:
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Lightweight, breathable fabrics designed specifically for maximum heat stress relief.
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Enhanced mobility and ergonomic fits that ensure workers don’t feel restricted while performing high-risk tasks.
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Modern styles that workers actually want to wear, which naturally drives better PPE compliance out in the field.
For the utility sector—where frontline crews routinely face harsh environmental elements alongside critical electrical and arc flash hazards—these advancements in FR technology are absolute game-changers.
Major Trends from the Expo Floor
Beyond the runway, Kurt logged serious mileage exploring the trade show floor to see what’s next for utility safety. A few major themes dominated the booths and educational sessions this year:
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Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) Prevention: There is a clear, industry-wide shift toward focusing heavily on the critical controls that prevent life-altering events during high-risk operations.
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Heat Stress Mitigation: With summer safety top of mind, the floor was packed with smart monitoring tech, advanced cooling gear, and data-driven hydration solutions to protect crews in extreme conditions.
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Connected Safety Tech: From AI-driven hazard recognition software to wearable sensors, technology is becoming more integrated into the daily workflow to provide real-time risk mitigation.
Love the Energy of Big Safety Events?
Large-scale events like ASSP are fantastic for broad safety insights, but if you are in the utility industry, you face a very specific, unique set of high-voltage challenges every single day.
If you loved the innovation and networking at ASSP, you need to check out our upcoming iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo! It is the premier event designed exclusively for utility safety professionals, linemen, and supervisors looking for tailored education, hands-on demos, and unmatched peer networking.
👉 Secure your spot and check out the next event at utilitysafetyconference.com!
Staying Connected with the iP Community
More than anything, ASSP Safety 2026 was about the people. It was a fantastic opportunity for iP and Utility Business Media to sync up with our long-time partners, meet new safety champions, and discuss the unique, hands-on challenges facing utility line crews and safety managers today.
We are walking away from Anaheim inspired, energized, and ready to channel everything we learned into our upcoming articles, podcasts, and events.
Missed us in Anaheim? Keep an eye right here on incident-prevention.com for deeper dives into the newest safety technologies and strategies we discovered at the show.
Stay safe out there!
