Mandatory for 25% of aviation safety personnel to take breath analyser test: DGCA

Civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has made it mandatory for 25% of the air traffic controllers, ground handling, aircraft maintenance engineers and aerodrome operations staff to undergo the breath-analyzer (BA) test.

Earlier, 10% of these workers were subject to the BA test.

“BA test percentage has been increased from 10% to 25% for employees involved in safety-sensitive duties”, a statement by the DGCA said.

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“The DGCA has revised Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section-5, Series-F, Part-IV on procedure for BA examination of the personnel engaged in safety sensitive work such as, aircraft maintenance, air traffic control services, aerodrome operations and ground handling services for detecting consumption of alcohol. The revision in the CAR will further enhance the level of safety and is an effective step in view of an increase in air traffic and ground movements at airports”, the statement added.

The regulator also said that it has mandated fuel cell technology-based BA equipment which is more accurate for the test.

The DGCA said the revised CAR will be effective after three months from the date of issue to provide adequate time to industry to enhance the existing infrastructure for breath-analyzer tests at various locations.

According to DGCA’s norms, all the airline crew are subjected to the BA test.

The DGCA, in November last year, had revised the CAR norms to enhance the safety of aircraft operations and asked the pilots and crew members of all the airlines to not use mouthwash or tooth gel before operating a flight as it may show the breath analyser test to be positive.

“No crew members consume any drug/formulation or use any substance such as mouthwash/tooth gel or any such product which has alcoholic content. This may result in a positive BA test. Any crew member who is undergoing such medication shall consult the company doctor before undertaking flying assignment,” the DGCA earlier stated.