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Breathalyser & Alcohol Test Kits

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Breathalysers & Alcohol Test Kits

Personal and workplace breathalysers including the Andatech Sentry, Prodigy, Surety and GT and the AlcoSense Verity, plus alcohol and drug test kits, for workplaces, clinics and community settings across Australia.

Need replacement parts? Browse our breathalyser mouthpieces and sampling cups, or see our full diagnostic equipment range.

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Fuel cell or semiconductor

This is the distinction that separates a workplace device from a novelty, and it is worth understanding before comparing prices.

Fuel cell sensors produce a current by oxidising ethanol specifically. They are far less likely to be fooled by other substances on the breath, hold their accuracy better over time and over repeated tests, and are what workplace and professional testing programs use. They cost more and the sensor is a consumable with a service life.

Semiconductor sensors are cheaper and perfectly adequate for a rough personal check, but they respond to a wider range of compounds, drift sooner and are more affected by temperature and humidity. They are not appropriate where a result might be relied on or disputed.

Calibration is not optional

Every breath alcohol sensor drifts. A device that is not recalibrated on schedule will eventually read high or low without giving any sign that it is wrong, which is worse than having no device at all. Manufacturers specify a recalibration interval by elapsed time, number of tests, or whichever comes first, and that interval is part of the running cost of the device, not an optional extra. Build it into the budget and the policy. Check the interval for the specific model before you buy, especially if the device will be used daily.

Mouth alcohol and the waiting period

A breathalyser is designed to measure deep lung air. Alcohol still present in the mouth gives a falsely high reading, and it does not take much: a recent drink, mouthwash, some medications and reflux will all do it. Standard practice is to wait at least fifteen to twenty minutes after the last drink or any of the above before testing, and to retest if a result looks implausible. Mouthpieces are single use.

Australian standards and limits

AS 3547 is the Australian Standard for breath alcohol testing devices. Workplace drug and alcohol policies frequently require a device certified to it, so check the stated compliance of a particular model against your own policy before ordering. Workplace limits are set by the employer and are commonly zero or very low rather than the road limit.

Road limits are set by each state and territory. A full licence holder in Australia is generally subject to a 0.05 limit, with a zero limit for learner and probationary drivers and for a range of commercial and heavy vehicle licence classes. A personal breathalyser reading is a guide only and is not a substitute for judgement. Blood alcohol can still be rising when a reading is taken, so a low result does not mean it is safe or lawful to drive. If you have been drinking, do not drive.

What we stock

  • Personal breathalysers: compact devices for individual use.
  • Workplace and professional breathalysers: fuel cell devices for testing programs, including printer-capable models.
  • Wall-mounted units: for site entry and self-testing points.
  • Consumables: mouthpieces, sampling cups, blow caps, straws, printer rolls and covers for the models above.
  • Alcohol and drug test kits: saliva, surface and urine testing devices.

The information above is general guidance on choosing a device. It is not legal advice on workplace drug and alcohol policy or on road traffic law.

Related Categories

See also drug test kits and rapid test kits.

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