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.

Flexibility

At Safety Partners, we encourage working parents and people seeking an adjunct career, including those who wish to work part-time or on a flexible schedule, to join our team. Many of the brightest minds in this industry are working parents who are as committed to spending time with their children as they are to developing a safety program for their clients. They are also people who have another, complementary career, and benefit in the increased potential for advancement in both careers by the additional experience.

Diversity

At Safety Partners, we strive to be a good corporate citizen and role model for other companies. We believe that hiring people from different backgrounds strengthens Safety Partners and reflects the diversity of our clients.

What our employees have to say

"Safety Partners was the best move I could have made for both my family life and my career. The flexibility of working reduced hours has allowed me to continue working in a professional manner without sacrificing family time."

— Kristin Garland, Consulting Safety Officer

"Safety Partners is the only company I know that was willing to hire and mentor me simply because they saw my motivation, drive and potential. Not only was I able to get a great start in an adjunct career, I reached the point where now I am mentoring others.”

— Robert Vassallo, Jr., Consulting Safety Officer

Benefits

At Safety Partners we believe our employees are our greatest asset, and that it is important to take care of them. To that end, we support SIMPLE IRA savings plan, health insurance, short-term disability and long-term disability insurance, and a tax-saver program for dependent care, medical expenses, and health insurance premiums (Section 125 Flexible Spending Account).