What's the difference? -
Certification
In the UK the only certification if for Breathalyzers for
Police roadside testing and is carried out by the Home Office. Only two
companies currently hold UK Home Office Approval for their devices - Dräeger and
Lion, and they share the UK Police Force market between them. In the USA, there
are two forms of certification; EBT's (Evidential Breath Testers) and ASD's
(Alcohol Screening Devices).
The US DoT certification for an EBT is similar to the UK's
Home Office Approval and represents a very high standard; the testing for ASD's
however is to a much lower standard and most importantly, while a detector must
demonstrate it's ability to detect alcohol, it is not required to
demonstrate the accuracy or manner of the displayed value. Some
ASD's therefore simply show "Pass" (ie. zero) or "Fail" while others display an
actual value - but it is important for a buyer to understand that the accuracy of the value displayed has not been certified.
Every employer has a duty of care to ensure that equipment
used by their employees is of a satisfactory standard.
For company use in the UK we
would always recommend a UK certified device.
While they may be
slightly more expensive to buy, you have the reassurance that no matter what the
circumstance, should you ever be called to account for a decision made based
upon the result of the test you have ensured that the equipment used was, beyond
doubt, fit-for-purpose and it cannot be suggested that sub-standard or
inaccurate equipment was used for the test.
