Hozelock implemented drug tests utilising fingerprint sweat-based technology to promote employee safety and determine recent employee use of cocaine, cannabis, methamphetamine or opiates.

The Intelligent Fingerprinting Drug Screening System, which analyses sweat to screen for recent drug use, is quick, hygienic and non-invasive, and enables Hozelock’s Human Resources (HR) staff members to easily conduct drug tests whenever necessary. As Hozelock staff numbers vary according to seasonal demand, ranging from 320 to approximately 650, the fingerprint drug testing technology makes testing especially convenient when staffing resources are more limited.

As the System is portable and visual, the operation of on-site drug tests also provides a great way of promoting Hozelock’s drug use policy to new employees and potential employees. Hozelock had consulted with and gained full support for the new testing system from Unite, its trade union, before implementing the change.

Andrew Parker, Human Resources Manager of Hozelock said, “Intelligent Fingerprinting is a really good way of allowing us to conduct random drug tests in-house – a process that’s an important contributor to Hozelock’s excellent safety record. We consulted initially with Unite, who gave their full backing to our use of a fingerprint-based drug screening. Compared with urine and saliva methods, the fingerprint method of drug testing treats the employee with much more dignity, while the system’s shorter window of detection means we’re not intruding into our employees’ personal lives.”

“No one in HR ever wants to catch anyone with a drug test. But some of our operations are potentially dangerous, and, as a responsible employer, it’s essential that we do the right things to protect our employees and their colleagues. That said, as a team, we are only concerned with people being safe to work for their shift – not what they might have done over the weekend. With its sub-24 hour window of detection, Intelligent Fingerprinting’s system allows us to look at just that, ensuring the safety of our employees while respecting their privacy during their personal time. From our experience, traditional tests typically look for drug use beyond this, and that’s not what drug testing for health and safety purposes is all about,” continued Mr. Parker.

Harry Simeonidis, President and CEO of Intelligent Bio Solutions added: “employees under the influence of drugs in safety-critical manufacturing can be a danger both to themselves and their colleagues. The adoption of simple, reliable, and portable fingerprint drug testing illustrates an organisation’s commitment to health and safety and its clear support for union guidelines, namely treating employees with dignity. That’s why Intelligent Fingerprinting is the best method to drug test in comparison with traditional urine and saliva-based methods.”

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 that 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.