It is and has always been obvious to every employer that alcohol use disables employees as much or more than certain drugs. That is why Alcohol Testing has become a standardized part of a comprehensive Drug & Alcohol-Free Workplace.

Alcohol Screening can be conducted in different ways:

There are two measures of alcohol in the system. One is “Breath Alcohol” and the other is “Blood Alcohol”. As the names indicate, a Breath Alcohol test measures alcohol levels in your breath and lungs via a Breathalyzer or similar test, while a Blood Alcohol Test measures alcohol levels that have already been absorbed into the blood stream via a blood test.

If a Breath Alcohol Test (BrAC) is given at the exact time that a Blood Alcohol Test (BAC) is given, you would think that both test results would be the same. However, this is almost never the case. As you can imagine, it takes time for the detectable alcohol content to go from your breath and lungs to your blood stream, which can vary by individual.

What Method Should You Use?

As it relates to your Alcohol-Free Workplace program, Breath Alcohol testing is the standard, mainly because the testing is usually done during business hours, which is the timeframe you are most concerned with.

Testing can be accurately accomplished through either a Breathalyzer, the subject blows into the unit, where the breath alcohol content is digitally analyzed. The other accepted method is through an Oral Fluid (Saliva) Alcohol test. The subject places a swab in their mouth between their cheek and gum and saturates it. The swab is then placed in a unit to measure the breath alcohol content.

Both methods are approved for Regulated (D.O.T.) and Unregulated testing.

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