Workplace safety increases corporate profitability and competitive advantage

Compliance means much more than avoiding financial penalties for non-compliance. Compliance is savvy business practice. Biotechnology companies working with hazardous materials must institute safety programs in order to comply with local, state, and federal regulations, including permit and license requirements. Consider, for example, that MWRA fines for each non-compliance offence can run up to $25,000. Yet, in addition to ensuring compliance and increasing employee confidence, instituting workplace safety programs dramatically reduces the costs associated with workplace risk, including workmen's compensation claims, lost employee time and productivity, higher insurance fees, site clean-up, adverse corporate publicity, and law suits. Equally important is that effective safety programs prepare companies for the next phase of business growth, whether it's expansion, positioning to be acquired or purchased or preparing for an IPO. Consider the facts:

• Workplaces that establish safety and health management programs reduce their costs from injury and illness by 20%-40% (OSHA).
• The financial impact of workplace injuries is growing faster than inflation, costing US businesses nearly $1 billion every week (Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, Key Findings, 2003).
• 6.1% of private-sector employees suffered 5.7 million workplace injuries and illnesses in 2000, and 46% of those required days away from work or restricted work activity (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2000).
• Businesses spend $170.9 billion per year on costs associated with workplace injuries and illnesses, and those costs come directly out of company profits (J. Paul Leigh, Stanford Medical Center).

"In today's competitive business environment, the black-and-blue of workplace injuries can be the difference between operating in the black and running in the red." (John L. Henshaw, OSHA Administrator).

Safety Partners saves biotechnology companies time and money

Typically a company's Safety Officer develops, implements, and manages its safety program. Small biotechnology companies with limited financial resources and under considerable pressure to maintain a competitive scientific pace are faced with hiring an employee to be responsible for the company's safety program or dividing the program responsibilities among scientists or other employees, taking hours per week away from valuable scientific time and reducing their productivity in their primary job responsibilities. The problem is compounded when the employee responsible for the company's safety program is unfamiliar with industry-standard safety practices, and must therefore spend hours researching guidelines and regulations. All of this affects the bottom line.

Similarly, mid-sized biotech companies usually employ a small group of people who are responsible for the companies' safety programs. They often require additional, outsourced help in order to support the existing programs because there is simply too much to do with too few people.

For these reasons, many small and mid-sized biotech firms are turning to Safety Partners to develop their safety programs, rather than dilute the efforts of their staff.

Our mission

We strive to increase our clients' profitability by minimizing the costs associated with workplace risk and optimizing employee productivity.

About Safety Partners, Inc.

Founded in 1992, Safety Partners is a pioneer in the Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (EHS) industry. Safety Partners is the first EHS consulting firm dedicated to serving as an outsourced Consulting Safety Officer solely for small and mid-sized New England biotechnology companies. We provide our clients with custom, and performance-based program development, management, and implementation services, and have over 50 years of combined experience implementing safety programs in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations. The uniquely personal, practical, and hands-on approach of Safety Partners' expert staff dramatically reduces the costs associated with workplace risk, maximizes employee productivity, and increases client profitability.