New draft rules for breath analyzers

The Legal Metrology Division of the Department of Consumer Affairs has unveiled new draft rules for evidential breath analyzers under the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011. This initiative aims to ensure the accuracy and reliability of breath analyzers used by law enforcement and workplaces, thereby enhancing public safety and trust, an official press release said.

The verified and standardized evidential breath analyzers will accurately measure blood alcohol concentration from breath samples, ensuring that intoxicated individuals are identified swiftly and effectively. This helps prevent alcohol-related incidents on the road, contributing to safer travel for everyone.

The new rules require evidential breath analyzers to follow standardized testing procedures, ensuring consistent and reliable results across different devices. This standardization fosters public confidence in the fairness and accuracy of enforcement actions, the release said.

Evidential breath analyzers need to be verified and stamped according to the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, to ensure their accuracy. This verification protects individuals from wrongful penalties due to faulty equipment and helps maintain the integrity of legal and workplace policies.

Evidential breath analyzers provide a non-invasive way to measure blood alcohol content, offering quick and painless sample collection. The rapid analysis capabilities allow law enforcement officers to make swift, informed decisions, enhancing the effectiveness of roadside checks.

The draft rules define ‘evidential breath analyzer’ as an instrument that measures and displays the breath alcohol mass concentration of exhaled human breath within specified error limits.