BAT Breath Alcohol Technician Testing Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the required waiting period after a subject's last oral intake (food, drink, tobacco, gum) before administering an evidential breath alcohol test?
- 5 minutes
- 10 minutes
- 15 minutes (Correct answer)
- 20 minutes
Correct answer: 15 minutes
DOT regulations require a minimum 15-minute observation period before administering an evidential breath test to ensure no oral intake has occurred.
Question 2: When a BAT is required to observe the subject during the pre-test waiting period but is called away, what must the BAT do?
- Continue the test immediately upon return
- Restart the full 15-minute observation period (Correct answer)
- Have a witness complete the observation and proceed
- Cancel the test entirely
Correct answer: Restart the full 15-minute observation period
If the observation period is interrupted, the BAT must restart the entire 15-minute waiting period to ensure the integrity of the test.
Question 3: Which of the following is an acceptable reason to proceed with an evidential breath alcohol test without restarting the observation period?
- Subject drank water 10 minutes ago
- Subject burped once during the observation period
- Subject removed a nicotine patch before the observation began
- No interruptions occurred during the full 15-minute period (Correct answer)
Correct answer: No interruptions occurred during the full 15-minute period
Only a completely uninterrupted 15-minute observation period satisfies DOT requirements before proceeding with the test.
Question 4: If a subject's first breath alcohol test result is 0.02 or higher, what is the required wait time before conducting the confirmation test?
- 5 minutes
- 10 minutes
- 15 minutes (Correct answer)
- 20 minutes
Correct answer: 15 minutes
At least 15 minutes must elapse between the screening test result and the confirmation test when the initial result is 0.02 or higher.
Question 5: A subject provides a breath sample that the EBT indicates is insufficient. What should the BAT do?
- Record the test as a refusal immediately
- Give the subject one more opportunity to provide an adequate sample (Correct answer)
- Contact the MRO before proceeding
- Conduct a blood test instead
Correct answer: Give the subject one more opportunity to provide an adequate sample
The BAT should give the subject a second opportunity to provide an adequate breath sample before considering other options.
Question 6: What must a BAT do if an EBT produces an error code during a test?
- Note the error, complete the test on the same device
- Void the test, note the error, and use another EBT if available (Correct answer)
- Record the result as 0.00 and document the error
- Ask the subject to breathe harder into the device
Correct answer: Void the test, note the error, and use another EBT if available
If an EBT produces an error code, the test must be voided and another EBT used if available; the error must be documented.
Question 7: When documenting an evidential breath test, what information is NOT required on the Federal Breath Alcohol Testing Form (Form 2)?
- Subject's Social Security Number (Correct answer)
- BAT's name and employer
- Date and time of the test
- Device serial number
Correct answer: Subject's Social Security Number
The Federal Breath Alcohol Testing Form does not require the subject's Social Security Number; it uses the employee ID or other employer-specified identifier.
BAT Breath Alcohol Technician Testing Procedures 2
What is the required waiting period after a subject's last oral intake (food, drink, tobacco, gum) before administering an evidential breath alcohol test?