A legal loophole that allowed cable car drivers in Switzerland to escape prosecution if caught drunk on the job has been closed.

Before Wednesday’s move by Swiss authorities, the law did not impose a specific alcohol limit on the operators. But from 1 October, they will be subject to such a limit, bringing them in line with drivers on the roads.

“Employees who are entrusted with safety-relevant tasks will no longer be able to perform these duties after [a blood alcohol level of] 0.5 parts per thousand,” Switzerland’s highest governing body said in a statement.

A spokesman for the federal traffic office said the rule was enacted to clear up a dissatisfying legal situation.

“Until now, it was already forbidden to perform security-relevant cable car activities while drunk, but under the prior formulation it was not possible to criminally prosecute someone caught under the influence of alcohol, except in the case of an accident,” he said. The revision was not thought to be a response to any actual cases.