Predictive Safety takes a new angle with drug testing

AlertMeter™, a 60-second cognitive test, has entered the market for testing for marijuana impairment in employees.

News provided by

Dec 07, 2016, 10:07 ET

DENVER, Dec. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Citing statistics that urine analysis as a testing procedure has dropped 25% in the last 10 years because of its ineffectiveness, the test, called AlertMeter™, challenges the idea that a urine sample is even relevant when it comes to knowing whether someone is currently stoned, or impaired, from marijuana.

Body fluids do not give accurate reading on current impairment, but only provide markers that someone has smoked pot in the last several weeks, depending on their usage frequency. Development of breathalyzers and saliva swabs to detect the presence of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, are underway in the marketplace, but agreement on how much THC indicates impairment is still under hot debate.

Not only do random drug tests only sample a small group of employees, but employees with nothing to hide resent the invasion of their privacy. Most companies admit that the small number of people who are tested at any given time do not make workplaces safer.

Cognitive tests have been on the market since the 90s, but early pioneers didn't have technology to create practical easy ways to use at work. Touchscreen technology improved practicality to use quickly and conveniently. The test takes only 60-90 seconds to complete.

AlertMeter™ is promoting its use to identify anyone who is struggling with alertness for reasons that go beyond illicit drug use.

Predictive Safety president, former CEO of Chevron Mining, says impairment is about a lot more than just substance abuse. "People can be dangerously distracted by upsetting news, extremely fatigued from poor sleep, or not clear-headed because they're coming down with the flu. We want to help companies keep their employees safe, whatever the reason."

The Company is doing studies with AlertMeter™ to clinically prove its ability to detect real-time marijuana impairment, and plans to begin pilots soon in the workplace. The test has already been in use over the past 4 years to detect extreme fatigue in 24-hour shiftwork environments.

Predictive Safety SRP, Inc. is a Colorado-based company that focuses on predictive analysis in the high risk workplace to help identify leading indicators for safety and productivity improvement. For more information on the AlertMeter, please visit their website at www.alertmeter.com or contact Carol Setters at (303) 319-3505 or email at [email protected].

SOURCE Predictive Safety SRP Inc.