As published in issue 8 of BusinessWorks, Simon Smith served in the Royal Army Medical Corps for over 23 years before retiring and transitioning to civilian life as an occupational health technician and training manager.
Three years later, he established his own company and has since embraced pioneering technologies to enhance safety and productivity for SMEs and consumers. Here, he speaks to Alison Cowie about Objective Health
Simon Smith always had an interest in medicine, and at 17 years old, he Joined the Royal Army Medical Corps.
For over 23 years, Simon worked in challenging conditions during several tours before being assigned as the Garrison practice manager at HQ Brunei Garrison in Southeast Asia providing medical support for the British Army Jungle Warfare Division, Training Team Burnei and the Royal Gurkha Rifles.
He reveals: "As a medic, I worked with various units, including the infantry, cavalry, and combat support regiments. My primary role was to ensure that someone survived from the point of injury until they could get back to secondary healthcare, often working in arduous and dangerous conditions."
As Simon approached retirement from the military in 2014, he completed a Practice Manager qualification in 2007 and teaching qualifications as part of his resettlement package.
He subsequently secured a job as an occupational health technician and training manager where he gained invaluable experience of civilian work life. Simon explains: "When you're in the military, you're quite cocooned.
You know your career path and work steadily up the ranks. It's different in the civilian world-people are promoted or move jobs to gain experience.
"It's also a completely different way of talking and interacting with people. This was something I had to learn, as up until that point, everyone I had dealt with was in the military."
Within a few years, Simon decided he wanted to work for himself. In 2017, he established Objective Health with a business partner.
The company offered occupational health services and health and safety training, alongside revolutionary fingerprint drug testing for small and medium-sized enterprises.
"We recognised there was a section of society who were taking drugs recreationally and then turning up to work, particularly in heavy industry roles, where they were potentially putting people at risk by being under the influence of substances, Simon explains.
Objective Health's foray into fingerprint drug testing began after Simon attended the European Workplace Drug Testing Society conference in Turin, Italy, where he met a little-known company then called Intelligent Fingerprinting.
The tech company had developed the world's first fingerprint drug-testing machine that analysed sweat for traces of drugs and alcohol. Simon recognised its benefits over traditional methods such as blood, urine, saliva, or hair follicle tests, particularly for the SME market.
"The fingerprint tests are less invasive and more hygienic, effective, and reliable compared to traditional testing methods," he explains. "They are also much quicker to conduct, meaning companies can be more productive as it limits the time individuals are away from their work."
Objective Health became a UK distributor and general user of Intelligent Fingerprinting's drug testing technology. Simon and his team began working with companies and organisations to deliver the fingerprint drug tests themselves or supply the machines for clients to administer their own.
If Objective Health is recruited to deliver fingerprint drug testing, they do so onsite at a client's location, either individual testing or batch testing around four people every 20 minutes.
Should a test return a non-negative sample, a secondary sample is taken and sent to a UKAS-approved lab, where the specific drug and its levels are confirmed and return either a positive or negative result.
While Objective Health can also deliver traditional drug testing, it has steadily grown its client base for fingerprint drug testing since 2017, as more SMEs see the benefits of the technology.
During the pandemic, the company's testing expertise was recognised and, for a time, it became a Government registered Covid testing centre, delivering lateral flow and PCR tests to the general public.
Objective Health resumed its drug and alcohol testing services after its public sector contract ended. Based in the North East of England, Objective Health works with many local enterprises but with seven collectors based across the UK, it also delivers drug testing services to organisations from Swansea to Glasgow.
The company has since added another revolutionary technology to its portfolio of products and services-Biovitae Sanitising Lights. The partnership emerged after Simon introduced Intelligent Fingerprinting to Ermen Systems Ltd in Ireland who had partnered with Biovitae for the UK market.
Biovitae technology uses natural White LED light to continuously sanitise air and surfaces, killing viruses and bacteria, eliminate fungi, mould, and yeasts, prevent allergies, and reduce odours.
As Biovitae emits only safe white light, it is the only Safe Continuous Sanitisation technology that can be illuminated in the presence of people and/or animals while they carry out their daily activities.
This enables spaces, surfaces and air to be continuously made safe and not limiting activities within these spaces, a game-changing technology. Simon again recognised the wide-ranging benefits of this revolutionary technology and has since become a UK distributor of Biovitae Lights and a director in its parent company, Nextsense International Ltd.
"Biovitae uses safe white light to eradicate, disrupt, and kill bacteria and viruses, negating the need for Harmful UV Rays and/or chemicals," Simon continues. "It's like having all the positive impact of Sunlight, nature's greatest disinfectant, indoors."
Independent Tests have shown Biovitae technology can reduce up to 99.8% of the presence of SARS-CoV-2, MRSA, E. coli, and Staphylococcus and a range of other bacteria and viruses on surfaces within 30 minutes.
Simon reveals Biovitae technology is currently being used in airports, milk parlours, horse racing stables, creches, offices and several manufacturing and medical facilities across Europe, including in the UK.
The ex-military man is now busy attending expos, exhibitions, and conferences to promote the technology. He recently attended the Care & Occupational Therapy Show and is now in talks with several care homes about installing Biovitae technology in their facilities.
Biovitae is also currently collaborating with Birmingham University (Food Safety Department), to test the effectiveness of the lights on black mould and in food production, while the white goods company, Haier, is preparing to launch its first-ever dishwasher featuring Biovitae technology to eliminate bacteria during the washing cycle.
"A multi-million-pound business like Haier doesn't invest in something it doesn't believe in," Simon adds.
Objective Health is committed to demonstrating the advantages of Biovitae lighting not only in workplaces but also as an affordable and efficient solution for homes. Biovitae lightbulbs and spotlights are currently available to buy directly from Objective Health's website.
"The lightbulbs are absolutely suitable for home use," Simon continues. "They cost £27-£35 and provide around 30,000 to 50,000 lumen hours over their lifespan. Compared to a standard bulb, which offers around 5,000 lumen hours, you're looking at having a Biovitae lightbulb in your home for around seven to ten years.
Looking to the future, Simon is focused on bringing Biovitae Lights to the widest possible UK markets. But he also wants to expand all areas of Objective Health to create a "one-stop shop" for Biovitae lights, drug testing, occupational health services, and training in health and safety and first aid.
Simon aspires to establish a network of support hubs throughout the UK, with permanent bases in London, the Midlands, Manchester, Glasgow, and Aberdeen. "Ultimately, I want Objective Health to offer essential and affordable services for SMEs and anyone who wants to use us." The future looks bright for Simon and Objective Health.