Review on Lion Breathalysers
12 May, 2023
Breath testing is a convenient way to measure Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)after alcohol consumption. It is a practical measure to ensure personal and public safety through awareness and prevention. Portable devices like the BACtrack and Lion breathalysers enable individuals to monitor their alcohol or intoxication levels instantly and without invasive procedures. Lion breathalysers offer personal and professional devices for rapid screening and evidential breath testing. Therefore, different types are valuable in various settings and applications.
Alcohol intoxication is one of the main causes of road and workplace accidents. Overconsumption severely impairs vision, hearing, reaction time, reasoning, and motor functions. Therefore, it affects an individual’s ability to operate and control a vehicle and heavy machinery. To prevent the safety hazards of alcohol use or abuse, law enforcement and high-risk industries facilitate alcohol screening. The information below will present the functions of a breathalyser, device types, and their applications.
Lion Breathalysers: Functions of Alcohol Breath Testers
A breathalyser is a measuring equipment for estimating the BAC level in a breath sample. It works by oxidising the breath through its sensors to calculate the amount of alcohol in the system. Law enforcement uses it during roadside screening to determine drink-driving offences. In Australia, it is illegal to drive with a 0.05% BAC. Police officers use pro-grade devices like Lion breathalysers to measure the BAC accurately.
Police breathalysers use fuel cell sensor technology, which is the standard for precise alcohol breath testing. It is also the same sensor technology used in medical facilities and workplaces. The reliability of fuel cell sensors depends on their specificity to ethyl alcohol. Therefore, they do not react or interact with other compounds. For instance, it will not interfere with the BAC results of people with diabetes who have high acetone levels. Additionally, fuel cell sensors remain stable in back-to-back testing.
Lion breathalysers use fuel cell sensors for accurate breath analysis in high-traffic or professional environments. Another type of breathalyser uses semiconductor sensors. The sensors are comparatively cheaper than platinum fuel cells, making them more appropriate for personal or low-volume uses. Moreover, semiconductor sensors are sensitive to alcohol and other gases. Therefore, exposure to other compounds may cause inaccurate readings or false-positive results. Some personal breathalysers also use fuel cell sensors like BACtrack at a more affordable price.
Standard Features
- Sensor type – semiconductor or fuel cell sensors
- Test modes – passive breath tests detect alcohol in the breath by showing only Pass/Fail results. The active breath test measures the BAC amount in the breath.
- Mouthpiece – breath capture system
- Display – show BAC results in percentage or another unit of measurement
Lion Breathalysers for Law Enforcement
The Lion breathalysers have an extensive range of alcohol-testing devices suitable for law enforcement, healthcare, or workplace purposes. Police officers use a handheld unit such as the Lion Alcolmeter SD-400 for roadside screening. A roadside breath test enables police to check if a person’s BAC exceeds the legal limit while driving. They may perform the test at checkpoints or randomly if they believe a driver is impaired. Breath test procedures take a few minutes to complete.
A driver registering a BAC of 0.05% or above is asked to go to a police station to undergo an evidential breath test. Results from this test are final and can be used as evidence in court. In particular, the Lion police-grade device may be used for professional settings. It operates on optical filters and detectors for the highest specificity to ethanol. Furthermore, it also ensures that only the deep lung air goes through for analysis.
The Lion interlock is another type of breath-testing device installed in cars and heavy vehicles. This Lion breathalyser connects to a car’s engine and requires a zero BAC to start. Individuals charged with an alcohol interlock order apply for installation of the device to allow them to drive under a limited license. Therefore, they must not have any alcohol concentration in their system when driving. This aims to stop habitual offenders from drinking and driving.
Applications of Ignition Interlock Devices
An alcohol interlock device may be required for the following instances:
- Drivers with a high-range BAC at the time of the test
- Repeat offenders – subsequent offences regardless of the BAC level
- Truck drivers or operators of heavy vehicles
- Operators of heavy-lifting equipment, excavators, forklift, etc.
- Public transportation – bus and coach
Lion Breathalysers: Professional Breath Testing
Aside from roadside breath tests, breathalysers are valuable in many workplaces, hospitals, and high-traffic areas. Alcohol monitoring in high-risk places helps manage the detrimental impacts of alcohol use or impairments. Several Lion breathalysers are suitable for moderate to high-volume testing. In particular, the Lion breathalyser can suit situations with a large flow of people, such as mines, airports, factories, and other safety-critical premises. It enables rapid alcohol screening without physical contact between the subject and the device.
Most workplaces use a portable breathalyser to conduct breath tests in remote locations. Professional devices also use fuel cell sensor technology for high accuracy. Additionally, it allows companies to conduct frequent breath testing according to their needs of policy regulations. For instance, regulated industries like mining, aviation, and transportation mandate compulsory breath tests. Hence, a zero-tolerance policy prohibits employees from working with alcohol in their system.
Workplace devices like Lion breathalysers include advanced functions like GPS and configurable settings to fit a company’s testing needs. Furthermore, if companies need robust alcohol testers, they may also check flexible testing solutions at Breathalysers Australia. The SHIELD Express Identity features passive and active testing modes and photo verification. Thus, it is suitable for workplaces with strict safety regulations. In addition, it is essential to use a breathalyser compliant with Australian Standards to ensure its reliability.
Benefits of Workplace Breathalysers
Breathalysers provide the following advantages over other alcohol testing methods:
- Non-invasive and painless sample collection
- Quick and easy to use
- Give instant results
- Allows multiple retests
- Portable and can be used anywhere
- Can measure specific alcohol levels
- Breathalysers like SHIELD Express or Lion can record and download data for documentation.
Conclusion
Alcohol intoxication and abuse are associated with increased road and workplace accidents risks. It also negatively impacts the health and safety of the community. Therefore, key stakeholders implement laws and regulations to minimise untoward incidents and other safety hazards. Law enforcement use certified devices like Lion breathalysers for accurate alcohol breath testing. For example, the Intoxilyzer is an evidential equipment for determining drink-driving violations. The results from this device are final.
Moreover, workplaces and other safety-critical settings use pro-grade breathalysers to monitor alcohol impairment efficiently. Getting a device will depend on the company’s needs and policy requirements. However, for low to moderate testing, individuals may use a personal alcohol tester like the BACtrack. Breathalysers Australia offers a comprehensive selection of fuel cell breathalysers for consumer and workplace use. Lastly, each breathalyser has distinct features suited for various needs. Therefore, they are cost-efficient for risk management.