Alcohol on the Breath
What Supervisors Should Do if they Detect the Odor of Alcohol
Alcohol on the Breath: What It Means and What It Doesn’t Mean
Do not think just because an employee has alcohol on the breath they have been drinking or are drunk.
Alcohol is odorless. Since it has no smell, what you may identify as alcohol is actually any number of other aromas, things we general find in alcoholic drinks (besides the alcohol). The smell of non-alcoholic beer on the breath is the same as alcoholic beer. Even law enforcement officers have found the strength of someone’s alcoholic breath is completely unrelated to how much alcohol they have in their system.
The human body produces alcohol that occasionally comes out in the breath. Many cold medicines and other over the counter medications have the “smell” of alcohol but do not actually contain alcohol (or they do, but in such limited quantities it is literally impossible to get intoxicated). Acetaldehyde, a form of alcohol, is a byproduct of smoking. A tobacco smoker may have elevated levels of acetaldehyde in their breath which can smell like alcohol to the passerby, and even produce false readings on a Breathalyzer. Alcohol on the breath is not enough alone to establish reasonable suspicion.
Sedative class drugs also “enhance” the smell of alcohol on the breath. If taken with an alcohol based medicine, the two would combine to create the smell, but not necessarily any of the other effects (slurred speech or reduced motor functions). A person who has been a heavy drinker may also have periods when alcohol is prevalent on their breath – a residual expelling of the chemicals in the body not necessarily comprised of alcohol. It is the metabolism of the other chemicals that creates the smell. Someone who drinks a large quantity of pure grain alcohol may have little to no aroma on their breath, while someone who has only one beer may smell quite a bit.
A supervisor’s role is to evaluate work performance and conduct. If you do smell alcohol on the breath, then evaluate the employee’s performance. If there are definite signs of impairment, document them. Although you need to ensure the employee’s privacy, you can speak with Human Resources if you feel the employee’s performance warrants a reasonable suspicion test. Even then, a test can only be requested if the poor performance is confirmed by two supervisors and a request for the test is submitted in writing to HR. Alcohol on the employee’s breath is not enough by itself to justify any action on your part.
