Owners of commercial transport companies are required to inspect drivers before each flight. This is especially true for those organizations involved in the transport of dangerous goods or passengers. One of the points of such an event is the detection of intoxication. A special breathalyzer for pre-trip inspection of drivers will help to check the alcohol indicator (percentage ppm) in the exhaled air.
On the shelves of car dealerships you can see many types of such devices, but all of them are usually amateur, that is, they differ in too much error. While organizations on the line need a more reliable and sensible breathalyzer for pre-trip inspection of drivers.
In a professional environment, equipment of such a plan is divided into two categories:
- ordinary breathalyzer - a frivolous design, which gives too much error with a small number of samples (for personal use, breathing in the morning will work fine);
- breathalyzer is a competent and reliable tester for professional needs (in traffic police and PATP handling).
The devices of the last category will be discussed in our article.
So, let's try to figure out how to choose a breathalyzer for pre-trip inspection, what to pay attention to first of all, what kind of devices of such a plan are found. To understand what kind of apparatus you need, we will analyze it into its component parts.
Breathalyzer device
The device itself is simple. Professional breathalyzers for pre-trip inspection must be equipped with a mesh hole for air intake. In this capacity, either a mouthpiece or something like a suction mechanism can act. After that, the air gets inside, its components are analyzed using a sensor.
Sensors, in turn, can be of several types:
- infrared;
- electromechanical;
- semiconductor.
Semiconductor devices are used, as a rule, for their own needs and have a low cost. By and large, this is the same amateur device, only a little more complicated. The sensor in such a device has a crystalline structure through which pairs pass, where ethanol molecules are absorbed, thereby affecting the electrical conductivity of the substance. That is, the indicator of blood alcohol in this case is determined by the change in conductivity in numerical form.
Using a semiconductor breathalyzer for pre-trip inspection of drivers is not the best option, because with this scheme of work it takes quite a lot of time to “recharge” the device (alcohol vapor evaporates from the sorbent for a long time).
Electromechanical and infrared devices are already purely professional breathalyzers. Moreover, the latter give more accurate results. At its core, an infrared breathalyzer for pre-trip inspection of drivers is a spectrograph, that is, it is designed for a specific absorption wave (in our case, ethanol). The only problem with this sensor is its increased sensitivity to ambient temperature, which means that in the fresh air, for example, in the hands of a traffic police officer, such a device will give a large error. The main scope of the apparatus is medical stations, laboratories and transport companies. The error of the device ranges from 0.01 ppm.
The electromechanical breathalyzer for pre-trip inspections, like infrared, has a high accuracy rate of approximately +/- 0.02 ppm. Devices with such sensors are absolutely indifferent to environmental conditions, and therefore are popular among traffic police and traffic police. Nevertheless, many transport enterprises have adopted the electromechanical devices, due to their unpretentiousness.
The standards and standards of professional breathalyzers are very strict, therefore, there are a lot of money machines, unlike amateur "toys".
Instrument Requirements:
- sensor error - not more than 0.01-0.02 ppm;
- annual (quarterly) calibrations;
- no more than 300 measurements per day.
Some devices are equipped with additional functionality and some features, such as printing results or SMS alerts. Such devices cost, naturally, more expensive, but each leader decides for himself whether he needs such “lotions” or not.
Popular models of breathalyzers
As mentioned above, professional devices are expensive. In addition, the practical use of the device must be certified by tests and registration certificates that are issued in departments of the Ministry of Health. That is, the list of breathalyzers for official use is approved by law and is updated as new models enter the market.
Jupiter-K
This Russian-made device is equipped with a touch screen and can operate on a vehicle network (12/24 V). The life of the device without calibration is one year. The whole set is a small case where the breathalyzer itself is located, as well as a power adapter, an additional battery and a disk with a manual and drivers for the PC.
The error of the device is around 0.02 ppm, and the number of tests should be no more than 500 per day. The built-in printer allows you to print the result and attach the data to the examination report. There is a wireless module "Bluetooth" and GPS (for fixing fences on the map).
A model costs about 75,000 rubles; it’s almost impossible to buy it from hand, only at certified points of sale.
Alcoscreen
This Canadian device is noticeably cheaper than the Russian "Jupiter" (about 15,000 rubles), but it also has less possibilities. The device operates on an electromechanical sensor with AAA batteries. The design is light, but at the same time reliable and with a small measurement error (0.02 ppm).
The operational life on one calibration ranges from 5,000 measurements. The device will be an ideal tool for a small organization for 20-30 drivers.
Drager Alcotest 6510
This German model is a cross between a Canadian and Russian device. A professional device costs about 45,000 rubles and is designed for 300 measurements per day. The kit itself is small in size, and the device with all the accessories fits easily in a small suitcase.
The error, as with other similar devices, is about 0.02 ppm, and the breathalyzer can easily endure any weather, whether it is a terrible frost or a hot summer day, thanks to a strong and thoughtful design. All necessary certificates of the Ministry of Health are attached.