Innovative fingerprint drug testing to be used in UK ports for the first time

Innovative fingerprint drug testing to be used in UK ports for the first time

• Precision Stevedores leads shipping industry innovation with adoption of portable fingerprint drug tests to promote site safety
• Non-invasive test uses sweat from fingerprints to get rapid on-site drug screening results for pre-employment, random, for cause and post-incident testing purposes

Precision Stevedores – the flexible labour and training provider for ports and port-centric businesses – has selected the innovative Intelligent Fingerprinting drug testing solution to help support its active employee drug policy at leading UK ports. Precision Stevedores will initially use Intelligent Fingerprinting’s system for rapid pre-employment drug screens and monthly random tests for its outsourced workforce across the entire Humber and Trent port area. This is the first time that the easy-to-use fingerprint drug test is being used at UK ports, and is part of a drive to promote safe operations across Precision Stevedores’ business.

The Intelligent Fingerprinting test detects drug use in around 10 minutes by collecting and analysing tiny traces of fingerprint sweat, and will be used to screen all new Precision Stevedores employees as part of the recruitment process. In addition, the fingerprint test will be used for random drug testing of employees to encourage site safety, and for post-incident and for cause testing, replacing the company’s previous urine test method that was unpleasant to handle and intrusive for the employee.

Philip Crawford, Precision Stevedores’ Health and Safety Manager said: “As a recruitment and workforce provider for the high-risk ports and shipping sector, it is paramount that we ensure the safety of our employees and their on-site colleagues. Therefore, we have adopted Intelligent Fingerprinting’s innovative technology as part of our active drug testing policy. The process can be carried out on-site and in-house by our HR staff, providing results in 10 minutes and an immediate insight into fitness for duty. In contrast to our old method of urine testing that was unpleasant for our staff to handle and intrusive for employees being tested, the new hygienic fingerprint method is a major step forward for testers and employees alike.

“At Precision Stevedores our aim is to offer the very best services in our field and – as our people are our most important asset – their safety is at the forefront of everything we do. As an innovative company, we’re pleased to adopt the Intelligent Fingerprinting solution which will help us to lead the way in shipping industry drug safety, and we’re delighted to be the first to be using the test at UK ports. Our Managing Director, John Daniels, and I were immediately very impressed by the Intelligent Fingerprinting technology during initial demonstrations and, considering the strong benefits of convenience, time savings and non-invasiveness alongside the innovation, the decision to invest and adopt the product was an easy one to make. We have had conversations with other organisations within our group and industry who are already showing a keen interest in adopting the impressive fingerprint drug testing method themselves, so we are expecting the fingerprint sweat test approach to catch on quickly,” he continued.

Intelligent Fingerprinting’s Dr Paul Yates added: “Our fingerprint-based drug test provides a hygienic and dignified means of supporting a wide range of workplace drug testing – including fast-moving, high-risk environments such as the busy port environments where Precision Stevedores operates. The fact that fingerprint drug tests don’t require specialised testing facilities or clinical waste disposal services also means that Precision Stevedores can benefit from drug testing capabilities that are much less invasive and significantly more dignified than the urine cup test approach they are replacing with our solution.”

Fingerprint-based drug testing – how it works
Intelligent Fingerprinting’s drug testing solution 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. A fingerprint-based laboratory confirmation service is also available.

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

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

About Precision Stevedores Ltd
Precision Stevedores offers safe, reliable and flexible resourcing and training solutions to the ports and port-centric businesses. It offers a ‘one stop shop’ solution to personnel resourcing and developing people. Precision Stevedores provides temporary or permanent recruitment services, berthing & mooring services to ports and their users, as well as training services for individuals looking to further their careers or businesses looking to upgrade their workforces.
www.precisionstevedores.com

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, drug treatment and family safeguarding organisations, as well as UK coroners. The company has distributors across the globe, including the USA.

Founded in 2007, Intelligent Fingerprinting is a spin-out company from the University of East Anglia (UEA).  The company is based in Cambridge, England and employs around 30 people.
www.intelligentfingerprinting.com
Twitter @iFingerprinting