Definition - What does Prohibited Alcohol Concentration Level mean?
A prohibited alcohol concentration level refers to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) that would prevent an employee from engaging in safety-sensitive functions under Department of Transportation rules or other regulations on a state or company level.
SureHire explains Prohibited Alcohol Concentration Level
Employees covered by the Department of Transportation (DOT) guidelines for safety-sensitive functions may be asked to take a breath or saliva test to determine if their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is at or above the prohibited level. This is the level at or above which the employee is not permitted to perform safety-sensitive work. Each DOT agency has specific standards governing which employees are covered under the safety-sensitive guidelines and the prohibited alcohol concentration level for that agency's employees. A BAC of .02 or greater will usually trigger removal from duty and further testing for DOT covered employees. Companies that are alcohol testing employees outside of DOT regulations may set their own prohibited alcohol concentration in their drug and alcohol policy. State criminal codes often use the term prohibited alcohol concentration level to refer to the limit above which it is illegal for someone to operate any motor vehicle. The BAC limit under most criminal statutes is higher than the level permitted for safety-sensitive employees.
