Construction sector accelerates adoption of quick and easy fingerprint drug testing

Construction sector accelerates adoption of quick and easy fingerprint drug testing

• PJ Hegarty & Sons UK Ltd latest firm to use Intelligent Fingerprinting solution to promote positive safety culture across UK building sites – potentially including staff sub-contracted to HS2 project
• “Random fingerprint drug testing is quickly becoming best practice for the construction sector. By using it we demonstrate our dedication to safety to both employees and potential clients”
• Fingerprint drug test will also be used to screen workers for CSCS medical cards

The UK arm of €450m turnover construction giant PJ Hegarty Construction has selected an innovative fingerprint sweat technology for employee drug screening. Following rapid expansion in the first half of 2022, the progressive building & civil engineering contractor will use Intelligent Fingerprinting’s non-invasive testing approach – where a simple and reliable sweat sample is used to screen quickly for very recent use of cannabis, cocaine, opiates and methamphetamine, with on-site results available in ten minutes.

PJ Hegarty will use Intelligent Fingerprinting to reinforce the importance for all employees to be fit for work both physically and mentally. This technology will streamline this testing and support an increased frequency – helping PJ Hegarty align testing with its well-established positive safety culture.  PJ Hegarty is using fingerprint drug testing across a number of UK sites as well as currently being engaged with Balfour Beatty Vinci Joint Venture on various projects on the northern section of HS2. The PJ Hegarty Group currently has over 450 employees and sub-contractors working on medium to large construction sites, including waste to energy and pharmaceutical developments.

Narinder Singh Lall, EHS Advisor at PJ Hegarty & Sons UK Ltd said: “We needed an in-house drug test, so compared the innovative fingerprint sweat method with more traditional saliva swabs. From PJ Hegarty’s perspective, Intelligent Fingerprinting proved a clear winner thanks to immediate on-site results, and the ability to collect samples without the need for specialist collection areas or medically trained personnel. We also found the Intelligent Fingerprinting approach was highly visual, offering a proactive deterrent to those seeking employment as well as an incentive to our existing workforce to encourage adherence to our drug and alcohol policy.

“Random fingerprint drug testing is a fantastic solution and, not surprisingly, is rapidly becoming best practice in the construction sector”, added Narinder Singh Lall. “We’ve heard of other organisations using it and, by adopting it, PJ Hegarty sends a clear signal – to both prospective employees as well as the rest of the industry – that we’re serious about providing a quality service and leading within the construction industry to adopt new technologies to further strengthen best practices in the areas of health and safety.”

Terry Elvin, Intelligent Fingerprinting account manager for PJ Hegarty, added: ”Fingerprint drug testing is fast becoming best practice in the construction sector – tests can be managed in-house by a company’s HR or Health & Safety Manager – whenever required and, costs can be tightly controlled. With a growing number of companies rapidly adopting the test – including Hayfield Homes, Stonbury and MPB Structures – safety officers in the construction industry are realising that Intelligent Fingerprinting helps them deliver their drug testing obligations as simply and effectively as possible. It feels great to be able to offer a solution that not only makes workplaces safer but also makes it much easier for HR teams to deliver on their health and safety obligations.”

Fingerprint-based drug testing – how it works
Intelligent Fingerprinting’s drug testing system features a small, tamper-evident drug screening cartridge onto which ten fingerprint sweat samples are collected, in a process which takes less than a minute. The Intelligent Fingerprinting portable analysis unit then reads the cartridge and provides a positive or negative result on-screen for all drugs in the test in ten minutes.

An introductory video demonstrating fingerprint-based drug testing in action is available here.

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For media information contact Cheryl Billson
Email: cheryl.billson@commacomms.com  Tel: +44 (0)7791 720460

About Intelligent Fingerprinting

Intelligent Fingerprinting’s portable Drug Screening System works by analysing fingerprint sweat. It is non-invasive, fast and cost-effective, with sample collection taking seconds and simultaneous screening for multiple drug groups in ten minutes. A laboratory confirmation service is also available. The system has applications within many sectors and customers include employers in safety-critical industries such as construction, transport and logistics firms, and drug treatment organisations, as well as UK coroners.

Intelligent Fingerprinting has distributors across the globe, including the USA. Founded in 2007, it is a spin-out company from the University of East Anglia (UEA).  The company is based in Cambridge, England and employs around 40 people. www.intelligentfingerprinting.com

Twitter @iFingerprinting

About PJ Hegarty

Established in 1925, PJ Hegarty & Sons is one of Ireland’s most progressive building companies. The company undertakes major projects throughout Ireland and the UK from offices in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and London, and is a leading company in large scale construction.

https://www.pjhegarty.co.uk