Providing responsible service of alcohol

Monday, July 25, 2022 9:37 AM

Basic requirements of a bar:

1. All premises serving alcohol must be licensed.

2. Licensed venues must comply with legal obligations.
3. Additional requirements for individual premises may be imposed by the terms and conditions of individual licenses.

Refusal of service is an important aspect of RSA (responsible service of alcohol) and may relate to:

1. Refusal of service of alcohol

2. Refusal of all service, but allowed to remain on the premises.
3. Refusal of all services and asked to leave.

Who should be refused alcohol?

Those who should be refused alcohol include:

1. Anyone identified by management.

2. Anyone contravening house polices and rules.
3. Anyone whose presence on the premises renders the licensee, venue, patron or you liable to an offense under the
liquor licensing legislation or the terms and conditions of the license. Eg. Someone under the legal drinking age, the
patron is intoxicated, the person is violent or disorderly.

Ways to identify who should be refused service

1. Check people upon entry.

2. Keep an eye on patrons.
3. Listen to customers. Identify when customers are behaving aggressively, swearing, slurred speech etc.
4. Monitor alcohol consumption. Drinks with high levels of alcoholic have more of an impact on customers.

Apply relevant standards and requirements to the service of alcohol

All liquor service must occur within legal and house standards and requirements in order to deliver practical RSA. This is
essential to:

1. Demonstrate the responsible attitude of the venue.

2. Prevent you being charged by the authorities.
3. Protect the venue against legal action.
4. Reduce the incidence of drunk patrons starting fights.
5. Reduce the legal of police attendance at the venue.
6. Help protect patrons from drink related injury or accident.
7. Reduce alcohol related violence and health issues.
8. Provide a better working environment for staff.

Drink spiking
• Always be alert for the potential for this to happen.
• Follow house rules or procedures if you suspect a case of drink spiking.

If you believe a customers drinks has been spiked and they are being affected by it, here are some actions you can take:

1. Call for medical assistance.

2. Call the police.
3. Control who takes the affected person off the premises.
4. Monitoring patron activities.

Practices to ensure legal and responsible service of liquor include:

1. Asking for/ checking on ID for those who look underage.
2. Only relying on approved documents as acceptable evidence of age.
3. Checking people at the door as they enter the venue.
4. Refusing entry to those who are banned.
5. Monitoring patrons intake of alcohol.
6. Ensure those who are refused service, are not proved liquor by other persons.
7. Notify other staff of those who have been refused service.
8. Monitoring patrons behavior
9. Being alert of potential for third party sales.
10. Adhering to internal liquor serving protocols.

Internal protocols an establishment can implement for proper RSA

• No double shots
• No service or sale of drugs or premixed alcoholic drinks
• No refilling partially filled glasses
• Limiting the number of alcoholic drinks a person can purchase at any one time
• No having limited time specials. Eg. 25% of all drinks for the next 15 minutes!
• Not conducting or allowing drinking games

Restrictions for service

You may need to explain legal and in-house restrictions to patrons if they do not know or understand what the
requirements or limitations are. This must be done in a customer focused manner. Meaning:

• To meet the needs and expectations of the customer

• To encourage repeat business
• To encourage referral business

This should be done with an emphasis on courtesy and diplomacy.

You may need to explain things in the following situations:

1. When patrons behave in an intoxicated manner. Signs of intoxication include:

○ Aggressive and/or intimidating others
○ Inappropriate language or actions
○ Rambling conversations
○ Falling asleep
○ Uncoordinated actions
○ Behaving in a violent manner

2. When underage patrons are identified on the premises

3. When a person seeks entry or service and they have been excluded or banned

NOTE: The acts that govern the running and operation of a bar at the Spirit License Act and the Spirit Control Act.