Aycliffe Today Business Aycliffe Today Business Issue 43 | Page 19

The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 19
premium in nature to ensure the results
collected are as accurate as possible. DATS
also uses a Blyth-based supplier for its
testing kits to ensure the business offers as
much back to the local economy as it can.
“It can be very mixed work, some is office
based, some not. We carry out services
that include pre-employment screening, for
example, or random testing in workplaces,”
explains Shak.
“Employers have realised that not only
should there be a vetting process in terms of
their workforce, there is also a need to work
safely.
“We are thankful that we take instructions
from a large range of organisations of mixed
sizes to one member of the public walking
in off the street who might require a drug
and alcohol test before they can start a
contracting job to larger organisations.
“Although based in the Tees Valley, we
have become a national service. Many of our
clients have sites elsewhere in the country
which require screening services.
“We also take steps to advise
organisations on their policy considerations.”
DATS has five full-time employees and is
growing steadily. As MD, Shak feels strongly
about investing in his own workforce and
helping them develop their skills is key.
Office admin Kara Mulgrew-Traynor started
at the firm aged 16 and has progressed
through two NVQ qualifications. “She is a
product of our success - companies should
spend more time investing in their staff and
developing future leaders,” says Shak. “It is
important to recognise the value that staff
bring to an organisation.”
Around 70% of the company’s workload
is carried out in its North East heart. Monday
mornings are always busy, says Shak, as
are periods of time
surrounding any
significant sporting
event – local derby
football matches.
Prescription
medicine misuse
is also a factor
which needs to be
considered alongside
illegal substances
and alcohol: “It
could be something
like a person
taking prescription
medication that
belongs to their
partner or parent, for
example, and then heading in to work to
operate a fork lift truck.”
Breath tests for alcohol, saliva for drugs
and urine testing, if required, are offered.
Positive samples are also screened for
a second time and measured on both a
qualitative and quantitative basis so results
not only show whether a substance is
present, they show how much of it is there
too.
As the company evolved, so did demand
for other services and sister company
Tees Medical Services – which carries out
employment medicals – was born.
The team prides itself on its ability to
work confidentially, quickly and expertly –
an ability which has seen DATS gain many
accreditations from health and safety
awards to ISO 9001 certification.
“We already work with a number of
well-known companies in the Aycliffe
area, we’re familiar with it and we’d like
to hear from organisations large and
small who might be interested in rolling
out similar programmes,” says Shak.
He also has another message,crucial
at any time of the year.
“During the festivities of Christmas
there is traditionally a spike in the
positive findings for workplace alcohol
and substance misuse,” he adds.
“Think long and hard about drinking
and driving or using illegal substances
because the police are not the only
people who take an interest.”
Contact DATS at Suites 2&3, Royal Middlehaven House, 21 Gosford
Street, Middlesbrough TS2 1BB. T: 01642 937323 M: 07896 493776,
W drug-alcoholtesting.co.uk