How to become a Breath Alcohol Technician

The world of drug screening has expanded considerably in recent years as a new focus has been put on workplace safety and maintaining a drug and alcohol-free environment. The upshot of this was the creation of new career possibilities in the drug and alcohol screening field. One of the most promising decisions is to become a Breath Alcohol Technician, but you’ll need to earn your certification before you can take advantage of any job opportunities in the industry.

Completing Your Course

The first step toward earning a Breath Alcohol Technician certification is the completion of a qualifying educational course. Understand that course duration will vary depending on the education provider and the course delivery method. For instance, in-person training might last as long as seven hours, while online courses can be completed in a shorter time.

Your alcohol screening and confirmation certification course will cover a wide range of elements involved with equipment use, measurement reading, device calibration, and even how to deal with individuals during the testing process. This last step is crucial, as breath tests will sometimes be administered to individuals with at least some level of inebriation. With alcohol use comes the potential for a range of behavior types, including belligerence, anger, and possibly even violence.

If you intend to work with DOT-regulated companies or will be employed at a center that works with DOT-regulated companies, the training must comply with CFR Part 40 Regulations.

As part of your drug screen certification training, you may also be qualified as a certified calibration technician, which requires hands-on training in calibrating a breath analyzer.

Mock Testing

As part of your certification process, you will have to complete several mock tests. You will have to perform up to seven mock tests under the observation of a qualified observer.

Refresher

Similar to the certification to become a qualified Urine Specimen Collector, Breath Alcohol Technicians are required to go through refresher courses periodically. You will have to retake the course and complete another run of mock tests every five years to retain your credentials.

The most important aspect of earning your Breath Alcohol Technician certification is to ensure that you are enrolled with a qualified program that adheres to industry and government standards.