FOCUS ON ALCOHOL TESTING BY BETYE BAILEY AND PHIL SIMMONS, INTOXIMETERS
The Evolution of Technology in Breath Alcohol Technician Training and Testing
the years to include many new options. Back in 1995, when DOT training regulations were first enacted, training was limited to the classroom seting only, where the latest technologies to be found were PowerPoint and overhead projectors. Today, more than 40% of testing facilities use some kind of electronic application to manage their breath testing programs1
T , and online training is
becoming more and more popular due to market demands and an overall trend toward online technology. Electronic Alcohol Testing Forms
(eATFs), web-based applications for program management, and online training are all relatively recent developments that help streamline the testing process.
echnology in breath alcohol testing and Breath Alcohol Technician (BAT) training has developed over
It is natural to be excited about the opportunities that technological advancements create, but it is also wise to remain cognizant of how new technologies could affect the integrity of your testing program, and choose solutions accordingly. For example, we all know that proper
training of the DOT rules and regulations, instrument proficiency, and mock tests are imperative to the success of a testing program. One mistake by the BAT and the integrity of a positive test situation is questionable, or possibly deemed invalid. Terefore, it is imperative that the QUALITY of a training program should be evaluated first and foremost over the manner in which the training is provided (ie. in a classroom or online). With a good understanding of the testing
program platforms and training options that are available today, your testing facility can determine the best fit for a quality, defensible breath alcohol testing program. Tis article will show some recent developments in online BAT training and paperless testing, and how you can successfully include them in your testing program.
Online BAT Training Te U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) alcohol testing requirements became effective for employers in 1995/1996. Tese regulations required all Breath Alcohol Technicians to be trained to a specific curriculum. In the beginning, classroom training was the only option, BAT training was a 2-day process, and it usually required extensive travel on behalf of the participants. Around the year 2001, the industry
saw the first electronic DOT rules and regulations training modules. Tese CD- ROM based, and later online, modules
46 datia focus
were designed to shorten a 2-day classroom process to a 1-day class. A student, who in the past may have been hampered by travel and time restraints, could now simply log in at any place and time and get an education on the DOT Rules and Regulations in a “Virtual Classroom.” Keep in mind that delivering the
procedural portion of BAT training online does not relieve the trainer of the responsibility to follow DOT requirements. For example, DOT continues to require new BAT students to spend 6 ½ hours completing a rules and regulations course, and refresher BATs to spend 2–3 hours.2
It is not acceptable
to just “rubber stamp” the BAT training with a brief overview of rules and procedures. The next evolution of BAT training
technology was the incorporation of online instrument proficiency instruction into its learning management systems. While we have found that many online BAT training programs will skip this portion of the training, and take the students directly into the mock tests, we strongly believe that an online program should emphasize proficiency in the use of the instrument that will be used during their alcohol collections. Finally, the last hurdle to overcome
for development of a completely online BAT training experience was to find a quality way to include the DOT-required 7 monitored mock tests in the online study modules. In the not so distant past, the mock-test portion was oſten required to be in-person, even if the rest of the BAT training (rules and regulations and instrument proficiency) was completed online. However, market demands increasingly pressured trainers to find a way to successfully implement the monitored mock tests into their online modules.
Spring 2016
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