In this article, a proven safety concept with documented success is presented. The concept aligns with best safety practices and the international engineering educational framework termed "The CDIO Initiative," and it has resulted in a strong safety culture among students and staff. This concept has been developed for undergraduate chemical and biotechnological engineering students to provide them the opportunity of working both innovatively and safely in the laboratory at a very early stage of their education. By providing an intensive and targeted effort, we build and maintain a safety culture where the initial resources invested are justified by students working interdependently. We believe that the elements embodied in our safety concept may be broadly adaptable as a means to obtain a strong safety culture in other science educations.