Lessons
1. AlcoDigital EON – A brief history of Breathalyzers
Welcome to your Approved Alcohol Testing Officers Course. Before we introduce you to your breath alcohol testing equipment, let’s first look at some of the background and history behind the Breathalyzer. The first breathalyzers were developed in 1953 by chemists working for Draeger. They created the beginnings of the device the…
2. AlcoDigital EON – Blood Alcohol VS Breath Alcohol
Alcohol in the blood (liquid) and alcohol in breath (gas) are two different entities and are therefore measured differently. There is a formula which can be used to establish the ratio between to the 2 different measurements. Known as Henry’s Law, it specifies: “the quantity of a substance in a liquid (eg….
3. AlcoDigital EON – Alcohol Measurements and Readings
As learnt in the last lesson, the measurements for a breath alcohol reading and blood alcohol reading are different, but imply the same level of impairment. BrAC – Breath Alcohol Concentration A gas concentration. This can be displayed in microgrammes of Ethanol per 100ml of breath eg 35 µg/100ml (the current…
4. AlcoDigital EON – The Drink Driving Law
Free PreviewIn December 2014, the Drink Driving limit in Scotland was reduced to 22µg of alcohol per 100ml breath. You may also have seen it in the media expressed in its blood alcohol limit of 50mg/100ml (0.05%BAC). This is the same limit for Ireland. Ireland also have a lower limit again for…
5. AlcoDigital EON – Drink Driving Limits Across Europe
England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Malta have the highest drink driving limits in all of Europe. Most other European countries not only have a much lower limit, they also have a lower limit again for commercial vehicle, novice and learner drivers.
6. AlcoDigital EON – Testing in the workplace
So why are you thinking of testing in the workplace? There are many benefits to screening employees for alcohol use in the work place, including the following: – Safer environment for employees – More productive employees – Increased staff attendance – More alert and efficient staff – Better cause of incident awareness…
7. AlcoDigital EON – Breathalyzer Measurement Conditions
Prior to performing a breath test, there are several factors to consider: Contamination It is imperative to wait at least 20 minutes after smoking, eating or drinking. Residual mouth contamination (for example from mouthwash) can give false readings, damage the accuracy of breathalyzer and reduce the service life of the sensor. No solvent…
8. AlcoDigital EON – Mouthpieces
This is the standard mouthpiece that is used with the AlcoDigital EON breathalyzer. It comes sealed for hygiene. There is a brief explanation of the various attributes listed below: Sampling port– is where the sample is taken into the device. The Air exhaust – makes it more difficult to be…
9. AlcoDigital EON – Powering your handset
Your Breathalyzer is powered by Alkaline batteries (1.5 V Mignon LR6, AA) and you can expect around 500 tests per set of batteries. The handset will show a Battery symbol as below indicating the charging status. Your handset will also have an internal battery used to retain the sample data and date/time…
10. AlcoDigital EON – The Breathalyzer
As with all Sentech devices this breathalyzer is very easy to use and navigate. If you have your breathalyzer on you now, use the image below to familiarise yourself with the features. LED warning lights – Red, Amber, Green Bluetooth connection – Connect to android phone to store results,…
11. AlcoDigital EON – Standard Operation
Follow these steps using your breathalyzer to familiarise yourself. Remember: Always ensure that there is no residual mouth contamination by waiting at least 15 minutes after eating, drinking or smoking prior to using your Breathalyzer. Procedure for taking a measured sample: 1- Press and hold the on button to switch on…
12. AlcoDigital EON – Producing the Print out
Having successfully produced your breath test result, you now need to know how to produce the evidential printout. The AlcoDigital EON Printer works via bluetooth to print results automatically from the handset it is synched with. There is an ON/OFF button on the left hand side of the printer. To…
13. AlcoDigital EON – Fast screening
To receive an accurate measured breath reading on the EON the normal sampling method is used. This automatically takes 1.2 litres breath using the standard mouthpiece to obtain an accurate result. If the handset is in ‘Normal’ mode ‘N’ will be displayed in the top right corner of the screen….
14. AlcoDigital EON – Calibration & Servicing
The AlcoDigital EON is an evidential breathalyzer with European Approval for Professional Use. ALL professional breathalyser units are calibrated prior to dispatch and will have calibration data attached detailing when the next calibration service is required. Recommended service intervals on the AlcoDigital EON is every 6 months/500 tests – in…
15. AlcoDigital EON – Summary and Assessment
You have been taken through an introduction to Alcohol Testing with your AlcoDigital EON Breathalyser. By now you should be familiar with and understand the difference between measurements for UK limits. You should have a good understanding of the best practise before taking a sample, and be able to use…