BAT Breath Alcohol Technician Equipment Calibration & Maintenance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of an external calibration standard (dry gas standard) used with evidential breath testing devices?
- To clean the mouthpiece before each test
- To verify the device's accuracy against a known alcohol concentration (Correct answer)
- To reset the device's memory after each subject test
- To measure ambient air temperature
Correct answer: To verify the device's accuracy against a known alcohol concentration
External calibration standards provide a known alcohol concentration to verify that the instrument reads accurately within acceptable tolerances.
Question 2: Under DOT regulations, how often must an evidential breath testing device (EBT) undergo an external calibration check?
- Every 30 days or every 150 tests, whichever comes first (Correct answer)
- Every 60 days or every 250 tests, whichever comes first
- Every 6 months regardless of test volume
- Only when the manufacturer recommends it
Correct answer: Every 30 days or every 150 tests, whichever comes first
49 CFR Part 40 requires that EBTs have an external calibration check at least every 30 days or 150 tests, whichever comes first.
Question 3: During a calibration check, the EBT reads 0.082 when the dry gas standard is certified at 0.080. What action is required?
- No action — a reading of 0.082 is within the ±0.005 tolerance (Correct answer)
- Remove the device from service immediately because it exceeds the ±0.002 tolerance
- Run three more calibration checks to confirm the reading
- Adjust the device's internal settings and retest
Correct answer: No action — a reading of 0.082 is within the ±0.005 tolerance
DOT regulations allow a ±0.005 g/210L tolerance for calibration checks, so 0.082 vs. 0.080 (difference of 0.002) is acceptable.
Question 4: Which organization maintains the Conforming Products List (CPL) for evidential breath testing devices?
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) (Correct answer)
- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Correct answer: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
NHTSA publishes and maintains the CPL of approved EBTs and screening devices that meet performance standards.
Question 5: What does a 'wet bath' simulator do in the context of EBT calibration?
- It washes the breath tube to prevent contamination
- It generates a vapor of known alcohol concentration by heating an ethanol-water solution (Correct answer)
- It measures the humidity inside the EBT
- It calibrates the printer component of the EBT
Correct answer: It generates a vapor of known alcohol concentration by heating an ethanol-water solution
A wet bath simulator heats an ethanol-water solution to produce a vapor at a precisely known alcohol concentration for calibration purposes.
Question 6: After placing an EBT out of service due to a failed calibration check, who must be notified according to DOT Part 40?
- Only the employer whose employee was last tested
- The EBT manufacturer and the local police department
- The office responsible for maintaining the device and the DOT agency (Correct answer)
- NHTSA directly within 24 hours
Correct answer: The office responsible for maintaining the device and the DOT agency
The BAT must notify the office responsible for device maintenance and the relevant DOT agency so corrective action can be tracked.
Question 7: What information must be recorded on the calibration check log for an EBT?
- Only the date and technician name
- Date, time, device serial number, calibration standard lot number, result, and technician signature (Correct answer)
- Only the pass/fail result and date
- Device brand, color, and location only
Correct answer: Date, time, device serial number, calibration standard lot number, result, and technician signature
Complete calibration records must include the date, time, EBT serial number, standard lot number, result, and the technician's identifying information.
BAT Breath Alcohol Technician Equipment Calibration & Maintenance 2
What is the primary purpose of an external calibration standard (dry gas standard) used with evidential breath testing devices?