Originally published by Transport Operator.
Dr Paul Yates, business development director at Intelligent Fingerprinting, examines the role and management of drug screening in the workplace for commercial transport operators
Drug misuse is a serious concern when it comes to health and safety in the workplace – particularly in those safety-critical environments where transport operators are responsible for HGV, PSV or LCV vehicles and their cargo or passengers.
However, many organisations find it hard to deliver on workplace drug testing, as they often rely on traditional screening approaches that require collecting body fluid samples (usually urine, saliva, or sometimes blood) – which are generally invasive and challenging to administer.
Collection may also require specially prepared sample collection areas and hazardous-waste disposal facilities for traditional oral fluid- or urine-based drug screening.
These factors can restrict a more proactive approach to tackling drug misuse in the workplace. So what’s the alternative? We’ve established that drug screening is necessary, but how can we make it more practical, faster, easier to manage, and also more dignified? Similarly, how can we ensure the process doesn’t disrupt the day-to-day work environment?
To address these challenges, the British company Intelligent Fingerprinting launched an entirely new approach to drug screening in August that relies on testing sweat from a fingerprint. It’s a screening method that’s non-invasive, portable, quick, and easy to use, and that also offers a much more dignified drug testing process for both those being tested and those administering the test.
Results are available within minutes. It’s also particularly well-suited to supporting workplace testing as part of a broader health and safety strategy, with the non-invasive drug screening system enabling truly random, immediate testing.
The process is simple. First, the test subject’s fingerprint sample is collected via a small disposable Cartridge. The Intelligent Fingerprinting Cartridge is designed to be ‘tamper-evident’ meaning that, once the sample has been collected, it is protected from inadvertent contamination with another person’s fingerprint and kept secure ready for analysis.
Once the test is activated, it is then inserted into the Intelligent Fingerprinting Reader 1000, which analyses the sweat in the fingerprint for traces of the target drugs or drug metabolites.
A single screening test can detect evidence of four drug groups: amphetamines, cannabis, cocaine and opiates. Because the Reader delivers a pass-or-fail result within just 10 minutes, testers are immediately alerted to a potential employee issue and can act according to their organisation’s drug misuse policy.
This non-invasive drug-testing solution is particularly flexible, making it an ideal option for commercial vehicle operators seeking to support truly random and spontaneous workplace testing.
Key benefits of the approach for workplace testing include reduced reliance on the invasive collection of biohazardous body fluid samples and the elimination of the need for gender-specific staff to witness urine sample collection.
Initial pilot customer feedback indicates that a fingerprint-based solution is easier to use and more convenient than traditional drug testing methods.
The arrival of new technology has the potential to revolutionise drug screening in the workplace, supporting health and safety policies and ensuring that active drug testing plays an effective, positive role in your workplace drug misuse policy.
Specifically, fingerprint-based drug screening could provide organisations with a cost-effective and practical way of delivering more effective drug misuse policies, supporting health and safety initiatives, discouraging drug use and – critically – helping to reduce drug-related accidents and identify those employees who might require support to address a substance abuse problem.
