Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) is a requirement for any persons who intend to work in the Liquor and Gaming industry in Australia. RSA is a training program that came about from the National Alcohol Strategy 2006-2011, which aims to minimise alcohol-related risks in communities due to the rise in trends of alcohol-related deaths and incidents.
According to the National Alcohol Strategy 2006-2011, an estimated 3,500 persons die, and 81,000 people are hospitalised annually with alcohol intoxication as an underlying or contributing cause. Because of this, RSA training is a requirement for all persons working with the handling, sale, and service of alcohol. RSA training and certification is attainable through Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) found all over the country.
Upon completion of the RSA training, a trainee is given a certification or competency card. States have independent certifications, which means that while the training itself is a national program, certifications aren’t recognised cross-state; workers will need to retake the course in the state they intend to work in if they received their certification from an RTO located in another state.
Licensees, permit holders, and their employees will, without doubt, find themselves in situations where they will need to decide on whether or not to refuse alcohol service to a patron for any number of reasons. Part of RSA training is educating servers on the dos and don’ts of refusing service to an unduly intoxicated patron. RSA training provides guidelines for servers on how to perform their obligations in a manner that limits or prevents any further incidents from occurring.
Below are some examples of such guidelines.
HAVE A WRITTEN POLICY DISPLAYED ON PREMISES
More on the licensee’s or permit holder’s part than on the server, this part nonetheless provides clear and visible notice to patrons that the establishment has the obligation to refuse or deny service to patrons who exhibit unruly behaviour. This also offers some protection to the servers from harassment, as a notice places responsibility on the patron to be on their best behaviour to receive service.
TALK TO THE PATRON TO IDENTIFY INTOXICATION
The first step to identifying if a patron is unduly intoxicated is to speak with them tactfully. This is important, as it helps the server identify if the patron is displaying signs of intoxication, as well as ensures that the patron is not being discriminated against for reasons such as physical or mental impairments. If the patron is intoxicated, attempt to explain calmly that they are being refused service for their own good. Refer to visible notices that indicate or outline the establishment’s policies regarding refusal of service as well, to reinforce the explanation.
MAINTAIN COMPOSURE
It’s important for servers to maintain composure when handling or dealing with intoxicated patrons. It’s always a possibility that intoxicated patrons can get unruly, disrespectful, and loud when being refused services. For this reason, servers need to maintain a calm outlook when facing difficult patrons to prevent the situation from escalating further, as an escalation could lead to physical altercation and property damage.
These examples of server guidelines are just a few of the things that workers are taught when taking on RSA training. For those planning on going into the Liquor and Gaming industry, enrol in an RSA training course at Success Training Academy today.