Why test in the maritime industry?
- Working and living on the vessel
- Long shifts and irregular shift patterns
- Changing sea conditions
- Availability of alcohol on cruise ships
- Limited health facilities
Case study – Supporting maritime employee safety with our drug and alcohol testing service
Explore our range of maritime medical services
- Full management of onboard medical services
- Individual, concierge-style health support service
- Mental Health assessment and therapy services
- Guest and crew medical screening services
- Pre-employment medical checks
- Crew wellness programme
- Immunisations
- Telehealth services
- Point of care diagnostics
Maritime drug and alcohol testing FAQs
Employers in the maritime industry will typically use a urine drug and alcohol test to screen their employees. Urine sampling is reliable way to test and provides quick and accurate results. This method works by detecting the drug or biomarkers that point to recent drug use.
We can arrange alternative testing methods for you if needed, including hair, breath, and saliva testing. Speak with our team to discuss your testing requirements today.
In March 2004, Part 4 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 (the Act), titled “Shipping, Alcohol and Drugs” came into force. This made it an offence for seafarers to be impaired by alcohol or drugs whilst on duty on board of a ship, especially on board a passenger vessel if they might be required to undertake emergency duties to protect passenger safety.
As a result, The National Maritime Occupational Health and Safety Committee updated its guidelines. It put an emphasis on the need for companies to conduct risk assessments to help determine the maximum permitted blood/alcohol levels for seafarers and provided guidance on testing.
The standards for Training, Certification and Watchkeeping also details a limit no greater than 0.05% blood alcohol level or 0.25 mg/l BAC (breath alcohol concentration) for seafarers.
The maritime industry relates to all activities taking place on sea vessels, this includes but is not limited to:
- Transport including cruise ships and ferries
- Logistics including cargo ships
It is common to conduct pre-employment drug and alcohol tests for all people working on sea vessels. Crew members will undergo random drug and alcohol testing throughout their employment to prevent misuse in the workplace. Employers may carry out testing at other times during the employment, e.g. after an incident (post-incident testing) if there is reason to suspect that an employee was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident.
When you enquire about our services, we will discuss your requirements, including the number of staff needed and where the testing will take place to create a tailored package and quote.
We offer a partially or fully managed maritime testing service, so the cost of your package will include:
- Testing area preparation
- Collecting samples safely and effectively
- Reviewing of instant testing results
- Managing logistics for further assessment of positive results
- Providing a legally-defensible certification
All seafarers are typically required to undergo a pre-employment medical assessment, ensuring they are fit and able to work at sea. A pre-employment medical examination might involve but is not limited to:
- Physical medical assessments
- Blood pressure checks
- Vision tests
- Breathing and hearing evaluations
- Drug and alcohol screenings