From earliest times, individuals have faced perils to their safety. As civilization developed and living became more complex, these perils increased in number and seriousness. At first, accidents were thought to be unavoidable. Gradually, people sought ways to prevent accidents, but safety was still considered an individual responsibility.

Organized accident-prevention efforts were a result of the Industrial Revolution. The widespread mechanization of industry brought soaring increases in the number of accidental injuries and deaths among workers. Laws designed to make the operation of machinery less hazardous were then adopted. The Employers' Liability Act, passed by the British Parliament in 1880, spurred the safety movement by forcing employers to compensate employees for injuries not their own fault. In Germany in 1884, a law requiring compensation to workers for all injuries received on the job was adopted. Similar federal and state laws were enacted in the United States early in the 20th century.

At about the same time, the transportation industry in the United States, particularly the railroads, started educational campaigns to reduce accidents among patrons as well as employees. The American Museum of Safety, opened in New York in 1911, was the first of several institutions to exhibit safety devices and display graphic evidence of the need for improved safety techniques. The safety problems that stemmed from the increasing number of automobiles also helped to heighten interest in accident prevention.

In 1912, persons interested in safety met in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under the sponsorship of the Association of Iron and Steel Electrical Engineers. Safety measures were discussed and plans were laid for the systematic spread of safety information. As a result of the conference, the National Council for Industrial Safety was organized in 1913. Its program was soon expanded to cover general public safety, and its name was changed to National Safety Council.

In various industries, employees started forming safety committees to find the causes of accidents and to recommend means of prevention. Later, labor and management worked together to remove mechanical hazards, to promote safety research and engineering, and to improve worker training. Legislation regulating industries and setting safety standards was enacted by both the federal government and state governments. Especially notable was the act, passed by Congress in 1970, that established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Consumer product safety was promoted by a consumer-protection movement that began in the 1960's. It led to passage of auto-safety and product-safety laws and the establishment of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (1970) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (1972).

The movement to develop and to maintain interest and activity in safety has come to involve the cooperative efforts of business, industry, government, education, and various associations, safety councils, and interested citizens.