What Happens during a DOT Breath Alcohol Screening Test?

A DOT breath alcohol screening test is the first of up to two breath tests. Under 49 CFR 40.3, a screening test is an analytic procedure to determine whether an employee may have a prohibited concentration of alcohol in a breath or saliva specimen. A screening test technician (STT) or breath alcohol technician (BAT) gives it at a testing site that, under 49 CFR 40.221, provides visual and aural privacy sufficient to prevent unauthorized persons from seeing or hearing test results. Under 40.221(e), a reasonable suspicion or post-accident test may use a site that only partly meets these requirements when a fully private site is not readily available, with privacy provided to the greatest extent practicable.

Under 49 CFR 40.241, the technician begins without undue delay once the employee arrives. If the employee also has a DOT drug test, the alcohol test is completed before the urine collection begins, to the greatest extent practicable. The employee shows positive identification, such as a photo ID issued by the employer or by a government agency, for example a driver's license, and faxes or photocopies are not accepted. The technician explains the procedure and completes Step 1 of the DOT Alcohol Testing Form (ATF), and the employee completes and signs Step 2. Refusing to sign Step 2 is a refusal to test.

Under 49 CFR 40.243, the technician selects, or lets the employee select, an individually wrapped or sealed mouthpiece and opens it in view of the employee. The employee blows steadily and forcefully into the mouthpiece for at least six seconds or until the device indicates that an adequate amount of breath has been obtained. The technician shows the employee the result. Under 40.243(e) to (g), the result is printed directly onto the ATF, printed separately and attached to the ATF with tamper-evident tape or a tamper-evident label, or recorded in Step 3, depending on the device.

Under 49 CFR 40.247(a), a result below 0.02 ends the test. The technician signs and dates Step 3 and sends the result to the Designated Employer Representative (DER) in a confidential manner. A result of 0.02 or higher leads to a confirmation test, as covered in When Is a DOT Alcohol Confirmation Test Required?. What each level means for a CDL driver is covered in What Alcohol Concentration Levels Apply to CDL Drivers?.

Providers that list alcohol testing services appear in the Alcohol Testing category of the MyDrugTesting.com directory.