Drug and Alcohol Testing Services

Maritime Industry
Contents
About Us .............................................................................................................................................................. 2
Maritime Industry... .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Types of Testing ................................................................................................................................................. 5
Training & Consultancy Services ............................................................................................................. 7
Products ................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Hair Drug Testing ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Hair Alcohol Testing ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Urine Drug & Alcohol Testing .................................................................................................................. 9
Oral Fluid Testing .............................................................................................................................................. 10
Designer & Synthetic Drugs ...................................................................................................................... 10
Breath Testing ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
Sample Collection Service & Chain of Custody ............................................................................ 12
Medical Review Services ............................................................................................................................. 12
Expert Witness Services .............................................................................................................................. 13

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 About Us
Randox Testing Services, part of the Randox Laboratories group, is a global market leader in the
forensic toxicology and drug and alcohol testing industry. The company, which has over 30 years’
experience, now employs over 1,000 people worldwide including 200 research scientists, has 25
international offices and distribution agreements in 145 countries. The reliable and high quality
products and services developed by Randox are used internationally by laboratories and industries.
These are held in high esteem due to our exceptional customer service and commitment to
revolutionising testing solutions through continuously improving diagnostics. This commitment is
what drove founder and managing director, Dr Peter FitzGerald, to develop the innovative Biochip
Array Technology (BAT) that has changed the way we think of drugs of abuse testing. This technology
has a multiplexing design which has been optimised to test for up to 23 different drugs at once from
a small sample of urine, hair, oral fluid or blood.

Be Positive It’s Negative

Founded in 1982, Randox utilises cutting-edge drug and alcohol screening methods to test
employees in the Maritime industry. Companies in these industries face bad publicity, fines and
employee tribunals for even the smallest incident of drug or alcohol abuse. Many employers
are being proactive and adhering to stringent regulations by taking the necessary steps to test
employees before incidents occur. As a result, more companies are using drug and alcohol tests
to effectively manage substance misuse in the workplace. Employers have the power, through
company workplace drug and alcohol testing policies, to take the following actions:

• Random drug and alcohol testing

• Pre-Employment drug and alcohol testing
• With-Cause drug and alcohol testing
• Post-Accident drug and alcohol testing
• Abstinence Monitoring

Our revolutionary technology not only provides high quality, reliable and accurate results for
companies but it also offers a much more cost-effective way of screening.

Analysis of hair, urine, oral fluid, breath and blood (or a combination of these) can be used to
help assess drug and alcohol exposure or abuse. All analytical work is accredited to UKAS: 17025
standard and our practices adhere to European guidelines for testing – Society of Hair Testing (www.
soht.org) and European Workplace Drug Testing Society Guidelines (www.ewdts.org).

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Maritime Industry
Randox Testing Services use cutting-edge drug and alcohol screening methods to test employees
within the Maritime industry.

Did You Know?

• A mariner is more likely to become impaired from drug and alcohol consumption than a driver
• The consumption of alcohol is involved in approximately a third of all recreational boating fatalities
• The Coast Guard has the authority to issue a ‘Boating under the Influence’ penalty, which can
include a large fine, ban and/or prison sentence
• A mariner with a blood alcohol concentration above 0.10% is estimated to be 10 times more
likely to die in a boating accident than someone with zero blood alcohol concentration

Why Test?
On water, alcohol and drugs are even more dangerous than on land because of the changing
environment. The motion, vibration and engine noise mixed with the sun, wind and spray can
emphasise the hazards of drugs and alcohol.

With approximately 80% of Maritime accidents caused by human error, the implications for a
mariner who consumes drugs and alcohol are greater:

• Information is more difficult to process so the cognitive ability to assess situations and make good
decisions deteriorates
• A person who falls into water intoxicated may not want to get out as alcohol creates a physical
sensation of warmth. They are then at severe risk of hypothermia
• Balance problems, lack of co-ordination and decreased reaction time are aggravated by the
movement of the boat
• A person who has consumed alcohol has decreased peripheral vision, reduced depth perception,
decreased night vision, poor focus and difficulty in distinguishing colours (particularly red and
green)
• Alcohol can create inner ear disturbances, making it difficult for someone who falls into water to
be able to distinguish up from down

Alcohol and some drugs cause fatigue which increases the likelihood of these errors occurring.

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 Maritime Industry
Know Your Limits
The Standards for Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) outline that it is illegal to operate
a boat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It also details a limit no greater than 0.05% blood
alcohol level or 0.25 mg/l alcohol in the breath (BrAc) for mariners.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the United Nations agency dedicated to improving
maritime safety, advises a maximum of 0.08% blood alcohol level during watch-keeping duty as a minimum
safety standard on ships. Prohibiting the consumption of alcohol within 4 hours prior to serving as a
member of a watch is also preferred.

Who to Test?
Randox Testing Services help many professionals within the Maritime industry to develop and implement
an effective drug and alcohol testing policy. We test all staff on board:

• Chemical tankers • Cruise liners

• Oil tankers • Super yachts
• Bulk carriers • Charterers
• Ferries • Manning agents

The Maritime industry is very susceptible to the abuse of drugs and alcohol for the following reasons
outlined by The International Maritime Organisation:

• The vessel acts as both work and home for an extended period of time
• The working hours are long and irregular
• There is limited social interaction other than that with the vessels crew
• Support and health facilities are limited
• Working conditions can often be difficult
• Significant variations in the rules and regulations surrounding the use of drugs and alcohol in each
country

We Recommend Regular Testing

The STCW recommends that in order to identify, minimise and eliminate drug and alcohol abuse by the
Maritime industry, screening programmes should be implemented. Those who are specifically involved in
safety critical roles require regular testing to prevent alcohol and drugs from impairing the ability of the
crew.

Guidelines for the Control of Drugs and Alcohol Onboard Ship, provided by the Oil Companies
International Marine Forum, outline that seafarers should be subject to testing for drug and alcohol
through a mixture of random and regular testing. Randox Testing Services recommend that testing for
drugs and alcohol is carried out regularly to eliminate safety hazards in the Maritime industr.y

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Types of Testing
Random Testing
Random drug and alcohol testing is a popular type of workplace testing as it acts as a deterrent to drug
and alcohol abuse. While your drug and alcohol testing policy should clearly outline that you carry out
random workplace testing, employees should not know when. We recommend that random selections
and testing should be performed at least quarterly. Randox Testing Services will arrive to your workplace
unannounced and carry out the sample collections from an indiscriminate selection of employees, under
strict chain of custody procedures. Our clients are able to choose the percentage of the workforce to be
tested, and how often you would like the testing carried out. We use our random selection technology
to eliminate bias and provide accurate random selections.

Key Benefits:

• Can be used to monitor the drug and alcohol culture

• Helps to assert what level of workplace drug and alcohol misuse there may be
• Can be used as a deterrent as each employee will know that they could be asked to undertake a test
at any time
• Studies have shown that random testing is effective in reducing accidents, absenteeism, staff turnover
and lateness among staff
• It is a convenient way to maintain the safest, most efficient employees and ensures their working
environment is safe and free from drug and alcohol misuse

Pre-Employment Testing
Pre-Employment drug and alcohol screening is the most popular type of workplace testing especially in
industries which have safety critical roles. This type of testing is an essential part of a company’s recruitment
process and clearly states the company’s position on drug and alcohol misuse for any potential employee.
Frequently included as part of a pre-employment medical, a company can choose the type of sample they
wish to test but consideration should be given to the detection windows for each sample.

Key Benefits:

• Pre-Employment testing is one of the easiest programmes to implement

• Screening applicants is an effective way of preventing future problems such as absenteeism and
decreased productivity
• Some companies offer employees specific healthcare policies. Therefore, drug and alcohol testing during
the recruitment process will reduce the company’s healthcare cost
• Pre-Employment screening can protect the integrity of a company, acting as an effective deterrent to
prospective employees who misuse drugs and alcohol

Recommended sample types for Random and Pre-Employment testing:

• Hair
• Urine

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 With-Cause Testing
With-Cause or Reasonable Suspicion drug and alcohol testing is performed when a company is suspicious
that an employee may be currently under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This suspicion is normally
raised if an employee is acting out of character and there has been observed different behaviours. These
may include a lack of motivation, over-activeness, aggression, anxiety or arrogance. Randox Testing
Services offer a 24 hour call-out service which guarantees an experienced collection officer will arrive to
your company within a maximum of two hours and perform a sample collection. This excellent service is
available 24/7, 365 days a year and complies fully with chain of custody procedures.

Key Benefits:

Studies show that drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace is happening on a regular basis. Employers
must be aware that if they suspect an employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it is legally
required (Misuse of Drugs Act 1971) that they take the appropriate actions to protect the safety of the
employee concerned, other members of staff and the general public. With-Cause testing is an effective
method for reducing absenteeism, avoiding damage to a company’s reputation and dispelling safety
concerns.

Randox Testing Services offer extensive drug and alcohol management awareness programmes which
provide companies with advice and guidance to help identify workplace drug and alcohol misuse.

Post-Accident
Post-Accident testing is the screening of an employee to determine if drugs or alcohol may have
contributed to an accident/incident in the workplace. This type of testing can be an effective tool
in accident investigations and it is our recommendation that should an incident occur, all employees
involved should be tested. Randox Testing Services offer a 24 hour call-out service which guarantees an
experienced collection officer will arrive to your company within a maximum of two hours and perform
a sample collection. This excellent service is available 24/7, 365 days a year and complies fully with chain
of custody procedures.

Key Benefits:

Post-Accident testing for drugs and alcohol enables employers to determine if drugs or alcohol contributed
to an incident in the workplace. This could make a critical difference in decisions made following an
accident. This type of testing safeguards the rights of the employees and employers by confirming or
disproving if drugs or alcohol played a part in the incident.

Recommended sample types for With-Cause and Post-Accident testing:

• Oral Fluid
• Urine

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Abstinence Monitoring
Abstinence Monitoring is conducted as a follow up on a previous confirmed positive drug or alcohol
test. If an employer provides support to an employee who has had a confirmed positive drug or alcohol
test, this type of testing may be used to help with rehabilitation. Randox Testing Services advise that
your workplace drug and alcohol testing policy outlines that an employee in this situation may be tested
at any stage during the rehabilitation process. Employers use this type of testing to ensure that the
treatments offered to employees with substance addictions are effective. Employers should seek to
provide employees with the optimal opportunity to remain abstinent and then continue successfully at
work, and return-to-work testing offers this.

Key Benefits:

• Enures that an employer is tackling and reducing the instances of workplace drug or alcohol abuse
• It is used to monitor and support employees to return to work and improve productivity
• This type of testing improves staff discipline, increases employee morale and helps prevent staff turnover

Recommended sample types for Abstinence Monitoring testing:

• Hair
• Urine

Training & Consultancy Services

Randox Testing Services offer an extensive range of tailored training programmes to educate both
employers and employees. All training courses are fully documented, regularly reviewed and include an
assessment of the effectiveness of the training. Our programmes include training in key areas such as:

• Drug & Alcohol Management Awareness

• Collection Officer & Chain of Custody
• Policy Consultancy Services

Randox Testing Services provide bespoke e-learning packages which can be accessed remotely and
completed online.

Products
Randox Testing Services offer a wide range of products specifically designed to test for drug and alcohol
misuse. We provide point-of-care products for drug and alcohol testing which can be used and interpreted
on-site for instant results. In addition, we offer a selection of collection devices and confirmatory kits
which can be used by your trained staff and sent to our laboratory for detailed analysis.

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 Hair Drug Testing
A hair sample from an employee can provide a profile of drug use over a period of months. A hair
drug test offers a longer window of detection than alternative testing and helps to provide a detailed
month-on-month view or an overall picture of historic drug use. This can highlight trends of drug use,
suggest abstinence or show evidence of use depending on the length of the hair sample. Our hair testing
services are designed to meet the specific requirements of your organisation.

When a drug is taken it is absorbed in to the blood stream and circulated around the body. As the hair
grows, drugs from the blood supply are incorporated in the hair follicle. Drugs can remain in the hair
almost permanently. Hair grows at an approximate rate of 1cm per month, so a 3cm section provides a
profile of drug use over a 3 month period.

Benefits of Hair Drug Testing:

• Historic timeframe available (90 days +)

• Helps identify long term abuse
• Sample collection is quick, simple and non-invasive
• Legally defensible chain of custody procedures
• Speedy turnaround of screening and confirmation results
• Easy to store specimen
• Observed sample collection; difficult to adulterate
• Quantifiable results
• Secure reporting of results – Certificate of Analysis

Drug Detection List:

• Amphetamine • Ketamine
• Methamphetamine • Benzodiazepines
• Cocaine • Cannabis
• Opiates • Phencyclidine

Hair Alcohol Testing

Randox Testing Services offer a combined analysis for hair alcohol testing as an aid in the determination of
chronic excessive alcohol consumption. A combination test of alcohol markers ethyl glucuronide (EtG)
and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) help provide evidence to assess chronic excessive alcohol consumption.
Both EtG and FAEE are metabolites of alcohol present in the hair after the breakdown of alcohol in
the body. Although EtG/FAEE analysis in hair is a useful tool, the analytical findings should not be taken
in isolation and other factors surrounding the case should be taken into consideration. The analysis of
blood samples for CDT (Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin) and LF (Liver Fuction) tests should also be
considered in clinical assessments.

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Urine Drug & Alcohol Testing
Urine is the most common sample type for drug and alcohol testing in the workplace. Simple and
practical to obtain, the detection window for drugs in a urine sample is between approximately 4 hours
to 5 days of intake. This is extended for regular cannabis users to around 30 days. Alcohol is detectable
in urine for less than 12 hours.

It is particularly useful if urine testing is used in combination with hair analysis to provide an enhanced
time-line for drug detection. The recent coverage of drug abuse in urine complements the ability of
hair testing to detect drug abuse over a retrospective period of months. The analysis of hair for alcohol
metabolites is a more satisfactory means of testing for chronic alcohol abuse.

Due to the nature of providing a urine sample, certain criteria need to be fulfilled to ensure that the sample
has been collected under strict chain of custody and so guarantees sample integrity for legally defensible
testing. Safeguards include removing any potential chance of diluting or replacing the sample. The toilet
area is secured and sample temperature checked to ensure that the sample has been freshly voided.
Randox Testing Services also test for Creatirnne which is a simple method of testing the authenticity of
the sample given and reducing false-negative results in urine testing for drugs of abuse.

Benefits of Urine Testing:

• Industry standard with good scientific support

• Robust and proven procedures
• Internationally available guidelines
• Fully validated laboratory methods accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005
• Legally defensible chain of custody procedures
• Secure reporting of results – Certificate of Analysis
• Speedy turnaround of screening and confirmation results

Randox Testing Services provide the most comprehensive range of Drugs of Abuse testing on the market.

Our extensive drug detection list includes:

• Amphetamine • Buprenorphine
• Barbiturates • MDMA
• Benzodiazepine • Ketamine
• Cannabis • LSD
• Cocaine • Zopiclone
• Methadone • Synthetic Cannabinoids
• Methamphetamine • Bath Salts
• Opiates • Fentanyl
• Phencyclidine • Oxycodone

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 Oral Fluid Drug Testing
In addition to analysis in hair and urine Randox Testing Services offer screening and confirmatory analysis
of drugs in oral fluid samples. Sample collection is fast, simple and non-invasive. The detection window
for drugs will typically be a maximum of 48 hours.

Benefits of Oral Fluid Testing:

• Easy to collect; non-invasive

• Observed sample collection; difficult to adulterate
• Robust and proven procedures
• Fully validated laboratory methods accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005
• Legally defensible chain of custody procedures
• Secure reporting of results – Certificate of Analysis
• Speedy turnaround of screening and confirmation results

Our extensive drug detection list includes:

• Amphetamine • Buprenorphine
• Barbiturates • MDMA
• Benzodiazepine • Ketamine
• Cannabis • LSD
• Cocaine • Zopiclone
• Methadone • Synthetic Cannabinoids
• Methamphetamine • Bath Salts
• Opiates • Fentanyl
• Phencyclidine • Oxycodone

Designer & Synthetic Drugs

Randox Testing Services provide clients with an array specifically designed to detect designer and synthetic
drugs. These drugs are synthetic versions of illegal drugs which have been modified and labelled so they
are not subject to any regulation. They are generally stronger than the original substances and are sold
under innocent names such as bath salts, incense or plant food. The European Monitoring Centre for
Drugs and Drug Addiction reported in 2013 that it detected 73 new substances in 2012 compared with
49 in 2011.

Our extensive drug detection list includes:

• Bath Salts 1 (MDPV) • Salvinorin
• Bath Salts 2 • Synthetic Cannabinoids 1
• Benzylpiperazines • Synthetic Cannabinoids 2
• Mescaline • Synthetic Cannabinoids 3
• Phenylpiperazines 1 • Synthetic Cannabinoids 4
• Phenylpiperazines 2

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Breath Testing
Breath can be tested for alcohol using handheld devices which provide immediate results. These devices
are specific to alcohol and can gauge blood alcohol content (BAC) by measuring deep lung air. Randox
Testing Services use Intoximeters breathalysers which are Home Office Approved and used by a number
of police forces across the UK. Intoximeters breathalysers are legally defensible and designed to meet the
unique and rigorous requirements of evidential breath testing.

This type of testing can accurately determine whether an employee has recently consumed alcohol or
is currently over the legal or pre-determined limit. These instruments are simple to use, accurate and
robust and have a variety of functions including the ability to test passive, direct or liquid samples as well
as breath expelled into a container.

Detection Windows
Concentration of Drug (not to scale)

Oral Fluid Urine Hair

Instant - 2 days 4hrs - 5 days 90 days +

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 Sample Collection Service & Chain of Custody
Randox Testing Services offer a UK, Ireland & Europe sample collection service. By using our trained and
experienced collection network clients ensure the integrity of employee samples. This guarantees that
the results reported by the laboratory originated from a particular donor and that the reported results
relate, beyond doubt, to that specimen. Appointments for sample collections can be arranged within one
working day and all samples can be collected at one appointment. We can collect the following sample
types:

Hair Urine Blood Oral Fluid Breath

Most commonly our sample collection officers will attend your workplace site. However, we also offer a
number of collection sites for donors to attend. In addition to this we have a Mobile Testing Unit which
can be utilised should you wish to carry out testing off-site or have limited resources on-site.

We collect samples under strict chain of custody procedures which removes the potential that the sample
has had the opportunity to be accidentally or maliciously adulterated or tampered with. This is essential
should legal proceedings occur on the strength of the test outcome.

Chain of custody refers to the system of controls governing the collection, processing and storage of
samples and involves the following:

• Chain of custody form with barcodes that link the specimen to the paperwork
• Donor consent and collector’s signature on every form
• Tamper evident seals on the specimen containers that show if any attempt has been made to remove
them
• Secure packaging to protect the specimens in transit to the laboratory
• Laboratory checks on arrival to confirm the chain of custody is intact

Medical Review Services

Randox Testing Services provide a medical review service which offers independent and expert
examination of positive results under medical confidentiality.

A positive result from a drug and alcohol analysis is a cause for concern. However, there are some cases
when there is a legitimate medical reason for the result. The medical review service provided by Randox
Testing Services allows the independent and confidential review of the result to determine the cause of a
positive result, for example, if an employee is taking prescription medication.

The Medical Review Officer (MRO) assesses a positive result in the light of the donor’s medical background
to determine if there is a legitimate medical reason for the result. The MRO helps protect both the rights
of the employee being tested and the employer requiring the testing.

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Expert Witness Services
An Expert Witness Report is an interpretation of the results of an employee’s drug or alcohol test.
It provides a detailed explanation of whether or not substances tested for were detected as well as
information regarding chain of custody compliance and testing procedures. As trusted industry experts
Randox Testing Services staff are trained to act as Expert Witnesses in legal cases involving drug and
alcohol testing. Our experienced team of Reporting Scientists have undergone extensive Expert Witness
training from Bond Solon to provide professional witness statements or fully written reports for use as
evidence in a court of law or industrial tribunals. Where required a Senior Toxicologist from Randox
Testing Services can attend legal proceedings in person to provide expert witness testimony.

An Expert Witness Report provides our clients with professional and objective evidence suitable for use
in court. Professional interpretation of drug and alcohol test results is required to allow a full and correct
understanding of the results and put them into context. The information and advice you receive from
our experienced scientists ensures that you are fully informed about the results of your employee’s drug
and alcohol test.

Our reports will be written to suit the relevant court as directed by our client.

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Randox Laboratories Limited T/A Randox Testing Services,
34 Diamond Road, Crumlin, County Antrim, BT29 4QX
LT502RTS APR14

London Office, Finsbury House, 23 Finsbury Circus, City of London, EC2M 7EA
T +44 (0) 28 9445 1011 F +44 (0) 28 9445 2912
E testingservices@randox.com I www.randoxtestingservices.com
Directors: Dr S P FitzGerald CBE FREng R P Kelly BSc FCA
Northern Ireland Company Number NI15738 VAT Number GB 151 6827 08