Calibration is the process of establishing the relationship between the values an instrument displays and reference values. When you send breathalyzers to a calibration laboratory, clearly communicating which organization sent which device for what purpose is as important as getting the unit there undamaged. Safety managers and equipment administrators need to prepare so that application forms and the actual devices do not get swapped, especially when sending several devices at once or combining calibration with a separate inspection request.
The application form is the document that conveys, for each device, the calibration request, any additional diagnosis request, and whether documents need to be issued. Device identification here means cross-checking that the model name and serial number marked on the unit are the same on the application form, the per-box list, and the actual device. The purpose of packing does not end with reducing shocks. The key is to make it possible for the receiving laboratory, when it opens the box, to link the unit to the request immediately.
Delivery is not the same as intake
Even after a box arrives at the laboratory, if the serial number on the form differs from the number on the unit, or the quantity on the documents does not match the quantity in the box, it is hard to decide right away what to work on. The laboratory then has to ask the sender again about the devices and the request, so it is better to manage delivery time and intake confirmation time separately.
Several breathalyzers of the same model are hard to tell apart by appearance alone. On top of that, you might request only calibration for one unit and ask for a power fault to be checked as well on another. A form that states only the total quantity does not show which request applies to which device, so requests need to be written separately by serial number.
Items such as cables, power accessories, and mouthpieces are also subject to checking. If you are sending a unit for calibration only and include items whose necessity has not been settled, you only add to what must be cross-checked on receipt and return. Conversely, if you ask about a power or connectivity problem but leave out the related items, additional checks may be needed, so it is appropriate to include in the enclosure list only the items you agreed with the receiving laboratory to send.
Cross-check the unit number before packing
Packing does not start with putting the application form in the box. First check the model name and serial number on the unit, and match them one by one against that device's entry on the form. Then record the work requested for that device and the items to be sent with it, and move only devices whose cross-check is complete into the packing area, which reduces the chance of another device getting mixed in.
If the laboratory provides a calibration request form or receipt, use that form first. DATECH's official download center offers, as separate materials, a calibration request form and receipt for KOLAS calibration applications and a consent form for the collection, use, and provision of personal information. Your own list is a supporting document describing each box's contents; it does not replace the application items the laboratory requires.
| What to link before packing | What to write on the form and list | What to check on the actual items |
|---|---|---|
| Breathalyzer to be calibrated | Model name, serial number, quantity | Whether the marking on the unit matches the number written |
| Request for each device | Whether calibration, additional diagnosis, or documents are requested | Whether the request fits that device |
| Items sent with it | Names and quantities of the agreed items | Items and quantities actually placed in the box |
| Contents of each box | Devices and items in each box | Whether nothing is missing, including split shipments |
The reason for splitting the information this way is that the application form and the box serve different roles. The form is what the laboratory uses to judge what work was requested, and the per-box list is what the recipient uses to quickly cross-check the contents of the box in front of them. Only when the serial numbers and item quantities on both are the same is each device reliably linked to its request.
When the shipment is split into boxes, split the requests by device too
As a hypothetical case, suppose three breathalyzers are shipped in two boxes. Assume that a pre-packing check shows the first box will hold two units and the second box one, and that only one of the three needs a power-related check requested as well. Writing only the total, "calibrate three breathalyzers," does not show which device needs the power check or what each box contains.
A possible action is to write the serial number and request for the device needing the power check separately on the form, and to also write the serial numbers of the devices inside on each box's list. If the two boxes are sent together, you can also attach box labels to show which box is which part of the whole shipment. The completion criterion is a state where the per-device numbers and requests on the form, and the actual devices and enclosed items in both boxes, all match.
Particular care is needed when reusing a previous intake form. If you change only the contact name or shipping date and leave the old serial numbers, quantities, or requests, the documents can diverge from the actual shipment. Reading each device entry afresh and cross-checking it against the unit is safer than simply recycling the form.
Protect the device without changing its condition
Place cushioning so that the unit does not move inside the box during transport and pressure is not concentrated on the device's inlet or buttons. For specific packing methods, follow the conditions given for the product and by the carrier. It is better not to decide arbitrarily, based on general packing practice alone, on matters that can vary with the product configuration and shipping conditions, such as whether to enclose or how to handle batteries.
If there is a condition the receiving laboratory should know about, such as external damage or contamination, it is better to tell them before shipping than to hide it with packing. Disassembling the device or cleaning its interior to check its internal condition is not part of preparing a calibration request. Sending the device without arbitrarily changing its condition allows any checks needed after receipt to proceed within the scope requested.
After protecting the device and enclosed items separately, put the box contents list inside and close the box. Rather than writing a lot of unnecessary application information on the outside of the box, it is more practical to link a box label to the list inside. When sending several boxes, this label, together with the tracking number, becomes the reference for telling which box's shipping status you are looking at.
Use shipping records to cross-check returned items too
You can keep the final list and packing condition just before shipping on file internally. If you take photos, arrange them so the unit's identification and each box's components are visible. However, photos are only supporting material for confirming what was sent; they do not prove calibration results or device performance.
Link the tracking number and shipping date to that shipment on the application form or internal list. After tracking confirms receipt, check separately whether the laboratory cross-checked the form and devices and completed intake. Separating things this way lets you respond to a loss in transit and to a mismatch between documents and devices after receipt without treating them as the same problem.
When the items come back, match the units and enclosed items again against the final shipping list you kept. The cross-check is complete when the devices sent, the items sent with them, and the work requested match the original records. The key to calibration shipping is not elaborate packing, but linking one device, one entry on the application form, and the box that device is in through the same information from shipment to return.
