How often should a workplace breathalyzer be calibrated?
There is no single universal interval. Manufacturer guidance, test volume and your own policy set it — and the certificate is what makes the result defensible.
The three inputs
Calibration interval is set by the manufacturer's specification for the sensor, the number of tests performed, and any interval your own policy or regulator imposes. Many professional programmes land on 6 to 12 months, and several manufacturers also specify a test count (for example, every few thousand tests) whichever comes first.
- Manufacturer interval — the baseline, per model and sensor.
- Test volume — a gate terminal doing hundreds of tests a week ages faster than a desk unit.
- Policy or contract — some clients and insurers specify their own interval.
Calibration versus accuracy check
An accuracy check (sometimes called a verification or bump test) confirms the device still reads a known standard correctly. Calibration adjusts the device back to that standard. A programme that only calibrates annually but never verifies in between has a twelve-month gap in its evidence.
Keep the paperwork
The calibration certificate — device serial number, date, standard used, result before and after adjustment, technician — is what turns a reading into a record you can defend in a disciplinary hearing or an audit. Store it with the device history, not in an inbox.
We issue certificates with every calibration, run reminder schedules, and can supply loan units so testing continues while a device is in the workshop.