Implementation Guidelines - Federal Transit Administration - U.S. ...

Chapter 8. ALCOHOL TESTING
PROCEDURES
The FTA regulation (49 CFR Part 655)
requires that you conduct breath alcohol
testing on safety-sensitive employees
consistent with 49 CFR Part 40, Subparts J
through N. The alcohol test consists of an
initial screen test, that if not negative, is
followed by a confirmatory test. A breath
alcohol test measures the alcohol in a
volume of breath expressed in terms of
grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.
Alcohol is the intoxicating agent in beverage
alcohol, ethyl alcohol, or other low
molecular weight alcohols. The test
measures the concentration of alcohol
regardless of its source. Thus, it will detect
alcohol consumed as a beverage, candy,
food, medicine, or other product where the
quantity of alcohol results in a breath
alcohol concentration above the minimum
cut-off levels.
Only saliva and breath tests using
approved devices are authorized by the DOT
for alcohol screen tests, and only breath tests
are authorized for confirmatory alcohol
tests. Urine and blood tests are not
allowed for DOT covered alcohol tests.
The FTA regulation (§40.23) prohibits
any employer from allowing an employee
with an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or
greater to perform any safety-sensitive
duties until he/she has been evaluated by an
SAP and has passed a return-to-duty test.
An employee with an alcohol concentration
of 0.02 or greater, but less than 0.04, must
be removed from duty for 8 hours or until a
retest shows an alcohol concentration of less
than 0.02.
Section 1. ALCOHOL TESTING
DEVICES
The initial screen test may be conducted
using an evidential breath testing device
(EBT) or a non-evidential alcohol screen
device (ASD) using breath or saliva. The
confirmatory test can only be conducted
using an EBT.
Alcohol Screen Devices (ASD) (§40.3).
An ASD is a breath or saliva device, other
Chapter 8. Alcohol Testing Procedures 8-1 August 2002