Eastern Airways to use portable, hygienic, non-invasive fingerprint sweat test to support new European Aviation Authority regulations

Intelligent Bio Solutions Inc. (Nasdaq: INBS), a life sciences company developing non-invasive, real-time diagnostic testing for patients and their primary health practitioners at point of care, today announced Eastern Airways is set to use an innovative drugs test that uses fingerprint sweat to help ensure its employees are fit-to-work. The award-winning, leading provider of private air charter flights and short-haul flights across the UK and Northern Ireland, will start to drugs test employees randomly from across the business – from flight crews to maintenance personnel in a bid to promote adherence to the company’s Drug and Alcohol policy.

The Intelligent Fingerprinting drug screening system will also help Eastern Airways to comply with recently introduced regulations from the European Aviation Authority designed to promote staff wellbeing and support in response to lessons learnt from the tragic Germanwings flight of March 2015.

The Intelligent Fingerprinting test is a portable system that screens for very recent use of drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, opiates and methamphetamine by collecting a simple sample of fingerprint sweat – in contrast to the traditional biohazardous urine or saliva samples other drug test methods employ. A major benefit for Eastern Airways is that tests can be managed in-house by a company’s own HR team. Sample collection through fingerprint drug testing is completed in under a minute with clear results in ten. It is so easy to use that organizations including Eastern Airways have been able to adopt the train the trainer approach – where one person in HR for example has been trained to use the system and then can easily pass this knowledge on to others within the company.

Charles Auty, Safety Manager at Eastern Airways said: “The medical fitness of aircrew – both physical and mental – has understandably come into the spotlight and, quite rightly, new regulations are now in force. As a result, the Eastern Airways team obviously needed to comply, so we set about researching the best ways to test for drug and alcohol use. We knew we had found the answer with Intelligent Fingerprinting’s innovative testing approach. Not only could we purchase both drug and alcohol tests from a single supplier, but the drug test is particularly suited to our requirements as we can do it all in-house from any of the airports Eastern Airways travels to if required. And, because the fingerprint drug testing system doesn’t require any specialist collection facilities or medical personnel in attendance, we have the flexibility to test as and when needed.

“Intelligent Fingerprinting ticks all the boxes for D&A testing at Eastern Airways. Of particular interest to the airline industry is the Intelligent Fingerprinting system’s portability. Once in its protective case the testing kit is just the right size to be taken on board one of our aircraft as baggage – enabling us to easily transport it to any of the airports where we operate –and to test aircraft crew / local staff if required,” added Charles Auty.

“We’ve already seen fingerprint-based drug screening prove successful in the aviation sector, where it has been used to help combat the challenge of bodypacking at airports. With Eastern Airways, we’re now seeing how our drug screening solution can increasingly become the smart choice for airlines looking to meet their European Aviation Authority regulatory requirements,” added Intelligent Fingerprinting’s Executive Chairman, Philip Hand.

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.

About Intelligent Bio Solutions Inc.

Intelligent Bio Solutions Inc. is a life sciences company developing and delivering intelligent, non-invasive, real-time testing solutions to customers globally. With its world-first Biosensor Platform, Intelligent Bio Solutions is developing and launching diagnostic tests urgently needed to help people living with chronic disease. In addition, through its recent acquisition of Intelligent Fingerprinting, the company is the world leader in the advancement of portable drugs of abuse testing through the analysis of fingerprint sweat. The test is non-invasive, hygienic, fast, and cost-effective, and screens for recent use of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamines, benzodiazepines and marijuana. Sample collection takes just seconds, with results 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 organizations, as well as UK coroners.

About Eastern Airways

Eastern Airways is a regional airline currently operating within the UK and Ireland, with a fleet consisting of Jetstream 41, ATR 72-600, and Embraer aircraft. Established in 1997, the airline initially built up its network of scheduled services around the North Sea offshore industry with flights to Aberdeen. Eastern Airways operates to and from the following UK and Ireland airports: Aberdeen, Dublin, Gatwick, Humberside, Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay, Southampton, Sumburgh & Wick.

Goldstar Transport waves goodbye to urine drug testing

• Container logistics expert now controls drug testing in house with hygienic and fast fingerprint method, supporting FORS guidelines and promoting driver safety
• “We are saving time on each and every drug test by switching from urine testing to the fingerprint method,” Nick Tolley, Goldstar Transport

Goldstar Transport, the UK’s market-leading container haulier, has switched out urine tests for fingerprint drug testing. The company employs approximately 600 LGV drivers, 170 office staff and 40 container lifter staff and is now using fingerprint drug testing to promote health & safety adherence across its 14 site UK-wide operations. The company purchased six portable readers from Intelligent Fingerprinting and has been conducting random drug tests each month to adhere to FORS (Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme) guidelines, whilst also using the in-house system to support for cause testing.

Nick Tolley, Driver Compliance Manager, Midlands Depot Manager for Goldstar said: “We had looked at fingerprint drug testing a few months back, but it was still quite a new technology, so we held fire. However, we have been tracking it carefully and with more and more companies switching from urine to fingerprint sweat for workplace drug testing I can now see why! We’ve purchased six readers to use across our 14 sites and, together with the single use sample collection cartridges, we can do the initial random and suspicion drug testing ourselves in-house.

“We’ve now been using it for around four months and everyone prefers it over the old urine tests. Intelligent Fingerprinting’s approach is much more hygienic and less intrusive for both our employees as well as those in charge of the testing. It takes less time so has less impact on productivity – saving 5-10 minutes on each test soon adds up! Drivers consistently provide a fingerprint sweat sample, so we aren’t subject to the delays due to not being able to gather a sample etc, and we have on site results with one of our six in-house scanners in 10 minutes. In comparison to the urine tests where we were equipped with gaffer tape, toilet blue and rubber gloves, Intelligent Fingerprinting is a lot more straightforward!”

Terry Elvin, Goldstar’s account manager at Intelligent Fingerprinting said: “Fingerprint drug testing has actually been successfully used in the workplace for a while now. It is reliable, accurate and saves time and therefore costs for our clients – not only in the transport and logistics space but in other workplaces as well. With six readers across 11 locations the Goldstar team has the in-house facilities to test as and when they like, enabling the company to positively promote driver safety.”

Intelligent Fingerprinting’s simple fingerprint-based sweat test takes around 10 minutes to screen for cocaine, cannabis, opiates and methamphetamine, using a portable reader and disposable test cartridges. The system is hygienic and easy to use, and offers a more dignified and convenient approach to drug testing than conventional tests which require urine or saliva sample collection. Goldstar Transport is using fingerprint drug test for random testing – to help ensure drivers are fit for driving – and also to support for cause testing, should an accident occur, or suspicion be raised. The digital reader displays the results on screen – eliminating the need for interpretation of results by colleagues and therefore acting as an impartial part of the process.

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.
For media information contact Cheryl Billson at Comma
Email: [email protected] 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, 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 was a spin-out company from the University of East Anglia (UEA). The company is based in Cambridge, England, employs around 40 people. On the 4th October 2022 GBS Inc. (Nasdaq: GBS), a life sciences company developing non-invasive, real-time diagnostic testing for patients and their primary health practitioners at point of care, announced it has acquired Intelligent Fingerprinting Limited (IFP), thus expanding the GBS platform of rapid, non-invasive diagnostic testing technologies. You can read more about the acquisition here www.intelligentfingerprinting.com

About Goldstar Transport

With its head office in Felixstowe, Goldstar has an extensive UK network of 14 depots across England. The company was established in 1998 with a fleet of four Scanias. By 2015 annual turnover hit more than £110 million, with Goldstar handling over 1,400 movements per day. The company specialises in container transport, specialist trailer services and expertise for non-standard jobs and provides off-dock storage facilities at four key locations around the UK www.goldstartransport.co.uk

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.

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

“Fingerprint drug testing system is highly cost-efficient for SMEs” says construction company

• SME firm purchases fingerprint drug test system to prevent drug use at work
• Intelligent Fingerprinting system detects very recent use of cocaine, cannabis, opiates and methamphetamine to ensure workers aren’t jeopardising Health & Safety for themselves or colleagues

Intelle Construction, a SMAS Worksafe accredited primary building contractor, has purchased Intelligent Fingerprinting’s drug testing system to support in-house testing on demand as it starts work on the major 28 storey Gramercy Tower residential development in Cardiff. Intelligent Fingerprinting’s solution is quick and easy-to-use, with fingerprint sample collection in seconds, enabling Intelle to be proactive in testing to support on-site worker safety. Regular random testing of sub-contractors, in line with Intelle’s new Drug and Alcohol policy, will help ensure people working on the construction site are not under the influence of drugs.

As the Intelligent Fingerprinting drug test uses simple fingerprint sweat and not biohazardous urine or saliva samples, tests can be managed in-house by Intelle’s own Health & Safety Manager – whenever required and without the need for dedicated sample collection facilities. Consisting of a test cartridge and portable reader, the fingerprint drug test method is ideal for construction sites and, as Intelle now owns the system, testing for recent use of cocaine, cannabis, methamphetamine and opiates can be rolled out to the company’s other construction sites as required. Results are available in 10 minutes on-site, enabling any necessary safety decisions to be taken immediately if required.

Andrew Davies, Health & Safety Manager at Intelle Construction, said: “We wanted to introduce random drug testing to promote safety at work on Intelle sites. I’ve run urine-based drug testing programmes in a previous role, but as soon as we saw the advantages of fingerprint testing for Intelle, we were quickly able to rule out traditional urine or saliva-based testing approaches. Intelligent Fingerprinting’s solution is ideal for the construction industry, particularly as sample collection doesn’t require any dedicated toilet facilities that we don’t have on building sites. Fingerprint drug testing is hygienic, rapid, easy-to-use and the results are easy to understand and accept from the employee point of view. We own the testing equipment – giving us the freedom to test when and where we want to.

“Financially, fingerprint drug testing is highly cost-effective for SME firms such as Intelle,” continued Andrew Davies. “Once the initial outlay has been made, the system serves as a positive deterrent for employees and promotes a safer workplace, while also helping to protect an SME such as Intelle against potential fines and reputational damage from having employees under the influence of drugs while at work. We see the Intelligent Fingerprinting system as a positive step towards reducing this business exposure.”

Philip Hand, Executive Chairman at Intelligent Fingerprinting said: “The accessibility of fingerprint drug testing is proving a win/win for SMEs such as Intelle. For just the cost of a reader and a supply of testing cartridges, our system not only gives them access to fingerprint drug testing across multiple sites, but also helps protect them against potential health and safety fines. Fingerprint drug testing is proving an increasingly smart choice for the SME community.”

Terry Elvin, Intelle Construction’s account manager at Intelligent Fingerprinting, added: “We worked with Andrew and the Intelle Construction team to help them write and implement the company’s first Drug and Alcohol policy. Since deploying the Intelligent Fingerprinting drug test, Intelle has found that it provides a very visual deterrent to drug use at work. As we have seen with other customers, Intelle noticed – even ahead of the actual testing – that drug use and its dangers at work were discussed more openly among its workforce. Embedding the safety policy in employee behaviour can only be a good thing.”

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.

-ends-

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.

The Intelligent Fingerprinting VSS-GP COVID-19 Saliva Test uses lateral flow technology to detect the SARS-CoV-2 antigen, including the Omicron variant. Unlike existing COVID-19 tests that require unpleasant, invasive nose and throat swabs, the VSS-GP COVID-19 Saliva Test uses a simple swab to collect a saliva sample just from the inside of the cheek.

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

About Intelle Construction
Based in Pontypridd in Wales, Intelle Construction was founded by a team of senior construction professionals who have extensive knowledge and experience in operating a construction business. The company is focused on successful construction delivery through the lifecycle of a project, from initial development through to final completion. The company manages a large number of sub-contractors to deliver prestigious projects – including the Cardiff Gramercy tower due to be completed in Q3 2024. www.intelle.co.uk

UK manufacturer to make collaborative working safer with new fingerprint drug test

• Corrugated cardboard manufacturer purchases in-house fingerprint drug testing system for its three sites in Leicestershire, Preston and Larkhall
• In-house system supports random, post-accident, or under suspicion testing for Board24
• Will also be used to test company car drivers to promote safety beyond immediate workspace

Board24, one of the largest UK manufacturers of corrugated packaging, sheet board and boxes, is rolling out an in-house drug testing system that works by analysing fingerprint sweat to detect drug use, in a bid to proactively improve company safety. The portable test from UK company Intelligent Fingerprinting is non-invasive, fast and cost-effective. In-house testing carried out by Board24’s employees across its three sites is set to deliver drug screening results for cocaine, cannabis, methamphetamine and opiates in only ten minutes, with sample collection taking seconds.

All 425 employees to be randomly tested in first year
Alex Morris, Board24, said: “Our new company-wide drug policy using Intelligent Fingerprinting will show employees and customers that Board24 is safety-conscious and proactively working to ensure a safe workplace for all. We’ve purchased an Intelligent Fingerprinting drug screening system for each of our three sites, and have an internal goal to complete 12 months of random tests in the first year. Introduced at the start of February, our new drug policy is to randomly test across the business – ranging from employees on the manufacturing production floor to fork-lift drivers, as well as all company car drivers. We want to show that we’re committed to improving safety right across the business, not just on-site but also for our extended workplace.”

Teamwork on the manufacturing floor
“Teamwork is key during our manufacturing process where employees work with partners around big, industrial machinery,” Alex Morris continued. “In this environment you need your designated partner to be ‘on the ball’ as you rely on them to work safely with potentially dangerous corrugators, casemakers or fork-lifts. With broader drug use now more prevalent than five years ago, we don’t want any staff to be in a position where they are relying on a colleague who is under the influence of drugs. It’s our responsibility as an employer to ensure that staff are fit for duty.”

The simplest and easiest drug testing method on the market
“We found out about the fingerprint drug testing method from our HR advisor. After considering what drug testing options were available, Intelligent Fingerprinting’s innovative approach was both the simplest and easiest method on the market. With a unit at each site, and various Board24 employees trained to use the system, the Intelligent Fingerprinting drug test will, for the first time, enable us to test as part of our random drug test policy whenever we feel the need, under suspicion or post-accident quickly and easily – in our warehouse for example, we could test a driver of a fork lift truck immediately,” added Alex Morris.

Company car drivers to be drug tested
Dr Paul Yates of Intelligent Fingerprinting adds: “Adoption of fingerprint drug testing is growing in the UK workplace as organisations realise just how easy and cost-effective it is to use. Board24 also plans to use fingerprint drug testing to promote safety in the wider enterprise – particularly for those driving company cars. I’m really pleased that Board24 has also considered the benefits of using our system to test its company car drivers. Because the company owns the Intelligent Fingerprinting drug screening readers, the costs are only incremental, and it’s a great way of promoting employee and public safety for company representatives on a wider basis.”

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.

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 Intelligent Fingerprinting VSS-GP COVID-19 Saliva Test uses lateral flow technology to detect the SARS-CoV-2 antigen, including the Omicron variant. Unlike existing COVID-19 tests that require unpleasant, invasive nose and throat swabs, the VSS-GP COVID-19 Saliva Test uses a simple swab to collect a saliva sample just from the inside of the cheek.

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 Board24

Board24 is the largest sheet feeder in the UK, supplying corrugated recyclable and sustainable sheet & case board to the specification desired across three locations in England and Scotland. The company has been manufacturing corrugated sheetboard for over 30 years and expanded its product offering in 2009 when Cases24 – the supplier of volume glued cases to the trade – became part of the business. www.board24.co.uk

Weber UK pioneers fingerprint drug testing for construction giant Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland

• Weber introduces non-invasive in-house fingerprint drug testing – sees Intelligent Fingerprinting solution as ‘a huge step forward’
• Drug and alcohol screening phased in by Weber following Occupational Health amnesty period to help adherence to substance misuse policy and company-wide safety

Weber – a leading player in the construction products industry – is to pioneer the use of Intelligent Fingerprinting drug testing within the Saint-Gobain group – one of the world’s largest industrial groups. With an international annual turnover of €43.1 billion and 193,000 employees worldwide, Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland traditionally uses urine drug testing to assist with its health and safety operations. For the first time, group company Weber is to deploy the innovative fingerprint drug testing system from Intelligent Fingerprinting, which simply uses sweat from fingerprints to screen for recent use of cocaine, methamphetamine, cannabis and opiates.

Craig Jones, HR Business Partner at Weber, said: “At Weber, we care about our colleagues and the environment in which they work. We wanted to introduce drug testing – it was one of the few Saint-Gobain subsidiaries that hadn’t yet introduced screening to encourage adherence to the company substance misuse policy. While the team recognised the importance of drug testing to help prevent accidents at work, there was a reluctance to roll-out traditional urine tests. They are invasive, sometimes embarrassing for the person being tested as well as for the Company representative having to supervise and process the test. The management team decided to look for something better than urine tests – and we found it! Intelligent Fingerprinting’s test is really easy to use for both the HR team and for the employees being tested. I’ve been an active member of facilitating urine testing at other Saint-Gobain subsidiaries and, in comparison, the Intelligent Fingerprinting method is a huge step forward. The fingerprint drug testing method is clean, hygienic, non-invasive and fast.”

“In practical terms, each test will only take around ten minutes – from the sample being taken to on-site results. We’ve already trained five colleagues with the Intelligent Fingerprinting system – two in HR and three Site Managers – conveniently via Teams, within an hour” Craig Jones continues. “This means we can now drug test across our three main sites whenever we need to – Flitwick, Telford, and Ballyclare in Northern Ireland. It is highly convenient and Covid-safe and, with simple virtual training, existing employees can be up and running with the system very quickly, using it for random, for cause or post-incident drug screening. We are introducing fingerprint drug testing at Weber following a three-month amnesty period where we have offered to work with any employees who feel they have drug or alcohol issues and provide Occupational Health support services.”

Philip Hand, Executive Chairman at Intelligent Fingerprinting added: “Adoption of fingerprint drug testing is gathering pace as companies – large and small – realise they just don’t need to deal with messy and unhygienic urine tests anymore. Intelligent Fingerprinting is a great alternative to fulfil Health and Safety drug testing needs, and it is compelling that companies such as Saint-Gobain subsidiary, Weber, see fingerprint drug testing as a modern solution to their workplace drug testing requirements.”

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.

About Intelligent Fingerprinting

Intelligent Fingerprinting is a leading provider of fast, innovative and cost-effective point-of-care diagnostic solutions – including a portable Drug Screening System that works by analysing fingerprint sweat, and easy-to-use saliva-based COVID-19 lateral flow tests. 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 40 people.
www.intelligentfingerprinting.com Twitter @iFingerprinting

About Weber Saint-Gobain

Weber is part of Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s leading industrial groups with activities in construction products, flat glass and packaging, high performance materials and building distribution. Saint-Gobain is an international group employing around 193,000 people in over 64 countries worldwide. Established in France in 1665, Saint-Gobain is one of the world’s largest industrial groups, with an annual turnover of €43.1 billion.

Weber specialise in the manufacture of industrial mortar products including renders and decorative finishes, tile fixing products, floor screeds, technical mortars and external wall insulation systems. Due to their expertise of industrial mortars, Weber offer a complete solution including services which complement their products such as technical support and training.
www.uk.weber

Offsite construction specialist M-AR opts for fingerprint drug testing after rapid growth sees staff numbers set to triple

• M-AR buys fully scalable drug testing system to facilitate testing of rapidly growing workforce – to detect cocaine, cannabis, opiates and methamphetamine
• Intelligent Fingerprinting system detects very recent drug use to ensure workers aren’t jeopardising Health & Safety for themselves or colleagues while working

M-AR – the MMC (Modern Method Construction) modular building specialist that manufactures housing, schools, local authority and commercial facilities offsite before erecting them on-site in a fraction of the time of a traditional build, has purchased the Intelligent Fingerprinting drug testing system. M-AR has an ambitious 5-year growth plan. Turnover trebled in 2020 and last year the company invested in a new 100,000sq ft factory enabling it to manufacture at the rate of approximately two homes per day. With staff numbers set to rapidly triple, M-AR selected the fingerprint-based drug testing system to promote employee, agency and sub-contractor health and safety across the board, on-site and in its factory.

Following a rigorous market analysis of current drug testing approaches, M-AR selected the Intelligent Fingerprinting method as it is the only system that meets the company’s selection criteria, including:

• Managed in-house by existing staff
• Non-invasive and not embarrassing for staff to provide/handle samples
• Portable system – can test at any of M-AR’s manufacturing or construction sites as and when required
• Scalable – M-AR owns the test equipment and can therefore scale the number of tests up and down as required – especially important as the company is growing quickly
• Cost-effective – both on a per test basis and in terms of the time required to do the testing and processing – minimising time away from the work schedules

Tony Frost, Health and Safety Officer, M-AR said: “We had looked at the usual options such as urine and saliva methods to support our testing in-house, but we were reluctant to start drug testing with such invasive, time-consuming and expensive testing methods. Until we discovered Intelligent Fingerprinting, the disadvantages of introducing drug and alcohol testing outweighed the advantages. The fingerprint system fits the bill for us: it’s non-invasive, can be managed in-house, it’s portable and – critically for M-AR – the Intelligent Fingerprinting solution is completely scalable with highly-controllable costs.

“After initial training we can manage the fingerprint drug testing system in-house, rolling out testing as and when required. As a rapidly growing business this flexibility is essential, allowing us to scale our drug testing according to our operational requirements,” added Tony. “When we’re busy we have a range of agency staff and sub-contractors working with us, and the Intelligent Fingerprinting system has ensured we can scale our testing accordingly.

“The Intelligent Fingerprinting system and process is very visual. We feel that its use will become a proactive deterrent for drug use in our business. As a business, our concern is that our employees and contractors are free from these influences when they are at work. We believe that the Intelligent Fingerprinting system’s short window of detection of up to around 16 hours from use, provides us with a fair and accurate test that we can use to promote safety in the workplace,” he concluded.

Dr Paul Yates of Intelligent Fingerprinting said: “Drug and alcohol testing is one of those things construction companies really should be doing, but there is often a perception that it can be expensive, difficult and disruptive to do. Like with M-AR, many company representatives quickly change their minds when they see how easy to use and non-invasive the fingerprint-based system is. And, given that costs are controlled, and that construction firms are completely in charge of their testing – whether that’s simply post-accident or as part of a rigorous pre-employment or random company drug testing policy, it’s clear that Intelligent Fingerprinting provides a great testing option for construction firms.”

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.

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 Intelligent Fingerprinting VSS-GP COVID-19 Saliva Test uses lateral flow technology to detect the SARS-CoV-2 antigen, including the Omicron variant. Unlike existing COVID-19 tests that require unpleasant, invasive nose and throat swabs, the VSS-GP COVID-19 Saliva Test uses a simple swab to collect a saliva sample just from the inside of the cheek.

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 M-AR
Located in Hull, M-AR Off-Site is a trading name of Module-AR Ltd. The company is a people-focused main contractor building homes, schools and commercial spaces using MMC (Modern Methods of Construction). Described as ‘the contractor with a factory, helping you build communities with #MMC solutions’, M-AR won the Hull Business of the Year Award in 2021 following sustained growth – including a 300% increase in turnover. The company champions MMC and invests heavily in both staff and facilities. Employee numbers have risen 75%, a comprehensive training programme to upskill staff is in place, and the company has just added a new factory to provide 100,000 square feet of dedicated manufacturing space. www.m-ar.co.uk

“Our new fingerprint drug testing system will pay for itself within 18 months”

• Total Recycling Services brings drug testing in-house using quick, clean and easy Intelligent Fingerprinting system
• “I hadn’t heard of fingerprint sweat drug testing before and it is a great alternative to the saliva and sweat tests that we previously relied on” – Mark Storrie, SHE Manager, Total Recycling Services

Darlington-based Total Recycling Services has brought its drug testing in house with an innovative fingerprint-based system that tests for cocaine, cannabis, opiates and methamphetamine. For the first time, Total Recycling Services will be able to use its own staff to carry out drug testing across three sites. Adopting the Intelligent Fingerprinting system will significantly speed up the testing process, with individual test costs lowered, allowing greater frequency of testing. Total Recycling Services expects its adoption of the Intelligent Fingerprinting system to provide a full Return on Investment within just 18 months as the company switches from using an external testing provider to an in-house service.

Total Recycling Services has a nationwide fleet of drivers and vehicles that collects waste – including hazardous cargos – before bringing it back to one of the company’s three depots for processing or recycling. Following a rare incident or suspicion, the company previously took staff to be tested at a third-party site 20 minutes away, resulting in disruption to the working day. Now, tests can be conducted onsite with results in only ten minutes. Thanks to the Intelligent Fingerprinting system’s flexibility and ease-of-use, the company hopes to expand its use of drug testing – enabling more frequent random testing across the workforce as well as potential use as part of the recruitment process.

Mark Storrie, SHE Manager at Total Recycling Solutions, said: “We previously used an external company to do our drug testing, but this required two employees, a driver and the individual requiring testing, to travel to our testing partner’s site some 20 minutes away, wait for the test and then return. This not only took time, but was clearly disruptive to our work schedules. We are really excited that the Intelligent Fingerprinting system enables us to bring our testing in-house. And because the system is portable, we can use it across our three sites and test as often as required. It will be great to have the flexibility to test when and where we need to, and we expect the system to pay for itself within just 18 months.

“From an employee point of view, our staff are curious and keen to see the system in action – and especially pleased to see the back of the traditional urine and close proximity saliva tests we were previously using. Our employees appreciate the fact that they have more control over the process with Intelligent Fingerprinting. They can unwrap the cartridge, put their finger on the test pad to provide the sample, and close the protective, tamper-evident cover themselves. In addition to reduced staff mixing from a COVID perspective, this employee control and first-hand experience of the drug testing process makes for a more engaged process. We have also completed remote training to enable several staff to carry out testing and they have all found the system really easy-to-use.”

Dr Paul Yates of Intelligent Fingerprinting added: “Total Recycling Services has found that our fingerprint drug testing system makes a great replacement for inconvenient and often expensive external testing services. Not only will they benefit from a solution that’s more flexible and easier to use, but also one that delivers a rapid Return on Investment. This combination will help support essential drug testing across the business without compromising on COVID safety measures.”

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.

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 Intelligent Fingerprinting VSS-GP COVID-19 Saliva Test uses lateral flow technology to detect the SARS-CoV-2 antigen, including the Omicron variant. Unlike existing COVID-19 tests that require unpleasant, invasive nose and throat swabs, the VSS-GP COVID-19 Saliva Test uses a simple swab to collect a saliva sample just from the inside of the cheek.

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 Total Recycling Services
Total Recycling Services is an ISO-accredited total waste management company providing a range of services including collection services for both non-hazardous and hazardous waste. It provides clients with commercial recycling services, hazardous waste recovery and industrial services. Total Recycling Services owns two recycling facilities and a hazardous waste recovery facility equipped with state-of-the-art equipment facilitating cost effective waste management. The organisation has recently installed a bespoke chemical drum decontamination & recycling plant to provide a genuine recovery route for containers that formally contained chemicals. www.totalrecyclingservices.co.uk

Leading UK homebuilder invests in fingerprint drug testing

• Five-star housebuilder Hayfield adopts Intelligent Fingerprinting solution to support in-house drug testing across the business
• “We were keen to bring drug-testing in-house, and were particularly impressed by the flexibility and accuracy of the Intelligent Fingerprinting approach” – Andy Green, Head of Health & Safety, Hayfield

Hayfield, an award-winning five-star homebuilder, has adopted fingerprint drug testing to support health and safety across its UK construction sites and other operations. The Intelligent Fingerprinting drug testing system works by analysing fingerprint sweat to screen for recent drug use – cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and methamphetamine. The system will allow the Hayfield Health and Safety team to carry out drug testing in-house for the first time, supporting for-cause testing as part of the company’s drug policy designed specifically to help manage risk across its safety-critical building operations.

Intelligent Fingerprinting’s drug testing system is portable, hygienic and easy-to-use, with fingerprint sample collection in seconds and on-screen results available in ten minutes. Having its own in-house drug testing system means that Hayfield can move quickly to test for cause should they have any concerns, avoiding the wait times and costs associated with external testing service providers. Hayfield will use the system to test both its own employees and contractors who operate safety-critical homebuilding machinery across the company’s building sites, as well as at its Milton Keynes and Solihull operations.

“We were keen to start drug testing but also wanted to be able to carry out the testing process in-house. When looking at solutions on the market we were particularly impressed by the flexibility and accuracy of the Intelligent Fingerprinting approach,” explained Hayfield’s Head of Health and Safety, Andy Green. “The system’s portability means that we can now test at any of our sites, while its short window of detection ensures that we’re able to concentrate on identifying potential drug misuse in the period immediately before the test – and when it is most likely to affect employee performance.”

“Hayfield joins a growing number of UK construction firms that find fingerprint-based testing a great way of supporting their health and safety initiatives. By owning the system and being able to test in-house Hayfield has the opportunity to pro-actively test across its operations, and means they can move quickly to identify and help resolve any potential drug use problems,” added Intelligent Fingerprinting’s Dr Paul Yates.  “Safety is clearly paramount for homebuilders, with employees operating heavy plant machinery on site and working at height, so it’s essential that companies such as Hayfield do everything they can to maximise safety and reduce risk.”

Hayfield’s Health and Safety team was also impressed by the Intelligent Fingerprinting drug testing system’s ease-of-use. According to Andy Green, “the tests are easy to conduct, and we have been able to train our team remotely as there’s no specific medical training needed. We now have a system in place that we can manage ourselves, and scale to support our expanding homebuilding activities.”

Fingerprint-based drug testing – how it works

Intelligent Fingerprinting’s drug testing system features a small, tamper-evident drug screening cartridge on to 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 within ten minutes.

About Intelligent Fingerprinting

Intelligent Fingerprinting is a leading provider of fast, innovative and cost-effective point-of-care diagnostic solutions – including a portable Drug Screening System that works by analysing fingerprint sweat, and easy-to-use saliva-based COVID-19 lateral flow tests. 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 40 people

About Hayfield:

Hayfield is an award-winning Home Builders Federation (HBF) five-star builder. The company won Best Family Home at the 2021 First Time Buyer Readers’ Awards, received Gold and Bronze accolades at the 2020 WhatHouse? Awards, and has also won three Pride in the Job NHBC Awards. Hayfield specialises in building homes with exceptional character in aspirational locations, with unrivalled craftsmanship. The Hayfield team provides both knowledge and practical skills in house-building. This year, 96.4% of Hayfield customers reported that they would recommend Hayfield to a friend. www.hayfieldhomes.co.uk