teresa green
It is better if confronted with a crew member that smells of alcohol to
ask them directly if they have had a drink in the last previous eight
hours.
Yours question doesn't measure blood alcohol, and presupposes the person answering would be truthful about the 8 hours. What if they're still above the limit after 9, or 12? Someone with a chronic problem would probably not be truthful, and would be well-versed in giving answers they know you and others would like to hear.
I did just this to a F/O who was nothing more than guilty of eating TAA's now infamous trifle,
So you were suspicious and made that judgement call yourself? How do you know that was all he/she was guilty of, i.e., nothing, and not covering up other consumption by eating those. And if someone had answered "mouthwash", how do you know he/she wasnt consuming it to the point of being under the influence? Alcohol is alcohol no matter how it's ingested.
You owe it to the crew member to give them a chance to explain without rushing to the first manager you see, and if they have broken the rule, advise them to go sick, and go and see their GP if they have a problem. However if you sight them again in the same situation then you have no choice but to inform management.
What about the first debt and consideration a professional pilot owes is the one owed to the passengers who trust nobody on the crew isn't impaired? Where does that debt factor into your scenario if the person above answers you untruthfully, fools the person who's asking, and goes on to help operate the aircraft while over the limit? Isn't the primary goal of no aircraft taking off with a pilot over the limit being subordinated by your suggestion?
If you're truly suspicious enough to ask the question, why not give them a choice; give the person the chance to take themselves off duty or be subject to the DAMP process instead of trying to play a very imperfect game of 1 Question that's so full of holes it seems more like it's designed ot protect reputations rather than the traveling public.