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Breath Alcohol Testing Instrument- -Idea Need
Rank: Super forum user 
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Dear All
We are using Breath Alcohol Test Equipment(using Drager Analyzer) and there is an argument about whether using mouthpiece for checking alcohol is necessary for the measurement or people can place the analyzer in-front of their mouth and exhale the air and if there was alcohol in the exhaled air, testing crew will use mouthpiece for correct measurement..
Instrument manual, prescribe the method of not using mouthpiece for checking ambient air (e.g inside of vehicle) or checking exhaled air for person who is unconscious.. ( in this method Alcohol concentration will not be appear on screen)
The Question is: what is best practices and correct method? using instrument without mouthpiece for normal person is it fault free? or Testing crew should use mouthpiece each time they do the testing? I need justification for advising second method
SHV
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Rank: Super forum user
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Depends on the type of test you are carrying out...if it is a full chain of custody test then mouthpiece is required...
There has been some advances with the Dreager 9510 in measurement but is still involves a clear mouth seal.
Hope this helps.. :)
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Rank: Super forum user
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Thanks for comment Steve,
The instrument is 6810 and is not full chain of custody test, it is just routine test for company drivers to ensure they follow Zero Alcohol Policy but i need solid justification to advise them if using mouthpiece is absolutely required.
SHV
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Rank: Forum user
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Check with draeger but I know with Lion instruments they have a disposable sampling cup, by cup I mean it is a small plastic bowl shape you fit into the sampling port to concentrate the breath over the sampling port.
I've never had the need for them as I believe they are more for medical use or where persons are unable to blow consistently through the straw.
Obviously still not going to give accuracy.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Read reading your post I don't think any testing method is 100% fault free...as there are lots of instances where you would get a false positive. If you go down the route of an 'area' test for a vehicle what happens when the passenger has been drinking and the driver hasn't? My personal opninon is I think it would be introducing an element of error that would ultimately justify removing them... because i'm betting you haven't had anyone fail an in vehicle test, I haven't in nearly 5 years of reviewing results...
I note you are in offshore and in that environment I always test with a mouth piece regardless of chain of custody or not (although all tests should be conducted to the same standard)
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Rank: Super forum user
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If I have read this correctly you can do an ambient sample test that say's yes or no and then a mouth piece test that will give you a defined figured of how much alcohol is present if there was any?
To save time and money but still have a dependable result you could use the cup free test for the majority and only resort to the mouthpiece if and when you receive a positive and need to know how much by?
I know of a company that uses a similar method, passive test for yes/no and then a direct test with a tube for a detailed measurement. personally I would contact Drager but I can see why the passive method wouldn't be acceptable for the majority of the testing.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Rank: Super forum user
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woode1, Steve, Animax01 thanks for comments
Animax01 , you point is exactly what i mean, cost saving, when i made Google "Breath Alcohol Testing " 98% pictures indicate using of mouthpiece for Breath Alcohol Testing, but we as practitioner can not justify our advice based on pictures.
Therefore i need technical justification , what is best practice and based on what?
SHV
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Rank: Super forum user
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It is the procedure and reliability of tests regardless of what they are being used for should be the decision factor. If you can accept a lower level of reliability as it is not a critical system then ok but can't see how driving isn't a critical system...just my 2 pence.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Yes Steve , Driving a car is a critical system and high level of reliability is required..
SHV
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Breath Alcohol Testing Instrument- -Idea Need
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