False breath test prompts southern rail division to ban soft drink, mouth wash for loco pilots

New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) Thiruvananthapuram division of the Southern Railway Zone has banned the consumption of some dietary items that produce false breathalyser test impacting the crew deployment and smooth train operations.

An Extra Ordinary Circular issued by the division on February 18 said that the presence of alcohol in the exhaled air detected by the Breath Analyzer while Sign On and Sign Off at crew lobby is on the rise and the reasons cited for such unwarranted occurrences by the crew are mainly due to the consumption of Homoeo medicines, soft drink, tender coconut water, some kind of plantain fruits, cough syrup, mouth wash etc.

“While analyzing the blood sample taken in such cases at the Chemical Examiner’s Laboratory, owned by the government, almost all blood samples were found with NIL content of alcohol in it,” the circular said.

“But the disturbance created due to alcohol presence in the exhaled air is too high which directly affects the smooth operation of crew links. Hence, it is instructed to all running staff that the consumption of the above-mentioned items before Sign On and Sign Off which leads to alcohol detection in the BA test is totally prohibited,” it added.

According to the circular, if the loco pilots want to consume any of such items in unavoidable circumstances, they should inform it in writing to the CRC (crew controller) on duty with the justification for it before conducting the Signing On or Signing Off.

“CRC on duty should inform the same to the CCRC (a loco pilot who works in the Centralized Control Room Complex) and ADEE/OP (Assistant Divisional Engineer, Operation) immediately. Consumption of medicine containing alcohol should be continued with the written approval of Railway Medical Officers Only ,” the circular said.

“Detection of alcohol in BA test without unavoidable reasons will be treated as a wilful attempt made by the crew to disturb the train traffic and appropriate DAR action (disciplinary action) will be initiated against them,” it added. PTI JP AS AS