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

05.09.2022

Intelle Construction

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“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.

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For media information contact Cheryl Billson at Comma
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.

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 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

 

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