Abstract:
This research investigated effects of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) on
psychomotor performance of workers in the workplace in order to determine the
minimum blood alcohol level that impairs work performance. In addition, this
study aimed to correlate the effects of alcohol on psychomotor performance and
BAC. This study design was an experimental study. Critical flicker fusion (CFF)
and simple reaction time (SRT) were observed before and after alcohol
administration in 37 healthy volunteers. The results showed that the CFF from low
to high frequency was significantly different at BAC 40, 50 (p-value<0.001) and 60
mg% (p-value<0.01) compared to 0 mg%. While the CFF from high to low
frequency, only at BAC 80 mg% showed significant different (p-value<0.01)
compared to 0 mg%. SRT was lengthened after consuming alcohol beverage. The
warned reaction times of visual stimulus were affected by increased BAC 50, 60
and 80 mg% could show statistically difference (p-value<0.001) as compared to
baseline. For warned auditory and tactile stimulus, the psychomotor performance
deteriorated at 20, 40, 50, 60 and 80 mg% of BAC was significantly different
(p-value<0.001) as compared to baseline. The correlation between BAC and CFF
from low to high frequency was not significantly correlated: r = 0.100, p-value =
0.139. The comparison from high to low frequency was significantly negatively
correlated: r = -0.194, p-value<0.01. In term of SRT study, it was significantly
correlated with BAC. BAC and visual, auditory, and tactile reaction time were
significantly correlated: r = 0.430, 0.587, and 0.561, p-value<0.001, respectively.
The statistic analysis showed peak performance impairment at BAC 80 mg%.
The minimum BAC with psychomotor performance impairment was 20 mg%.