As an alcohol server, it is important to know which sectors of our customers are most risk of binge drinking, so we can be prepared.
According to a new OECD report wealthy, middle-aged women are most at risk of drinking too much. This is interesting because these women don’t necessarily fit the profile of what we would imagine as “a drunk”.
Young people are also drinking at exceedingly higher levels.
Read more about the findings here.
Soon drivers in The ACT won’t be allowed to drink while driving, bringing laws in The Territory in line with other jurisdictions in Australia.
It sounds strange but currently Canberra drivers can consume alcohol when they are behind the wheel, providing they stay under the legal blood alcohol limit – but this is set to change.
Read more here.
According to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) drinking in developed nations has declined by 2.5 per cent over the past 2 decades.
Despite the decline, risky drinking is on the rise which is why the report advises people to avoid excessive alcohol consumption. It also notes that drinking among the youth has also increased.
Find out more here.
The three week graduation festival known as “Schoolies” Week is fast approaching and as school leavers around the country make plans about how they will be spending it, it is also crucial that we take into consideration safety and the importance of being responsible while we’re enjoying ourselves.
According to popular schoolies website Schoolies.com while The Gold Coast is Oz’s most popular schoolie destination, there are a number of other destinations such as Byron Bay and Airlie Beach that also draw a large schoolie crowd. Each destination has a number of exciting activities to offer but one thing that school leavers at all destinations have in common is the temptation to drink and not just drink but drink to get drunk.
For most young people this holiday is their first without their parents and after so many years of schooling most school leavers just want to experiment and let down their hair. Unfortunately while most schoolies do the right thing when it comes to drinking responsibly there are many who don’t know how to handle peer pressure and their new found freedom. What is supposed to be a school leavers best week can soon turn into a nightmare because of excessive drinking.
There are a number of initiatives aimed at keeping schoolies safe such as “The Red Frogs Australia” and “Be Safe and Watch your Mates” – more can be found at http://www.schoolies.com/safety
School leavers as well as parents should be responsible when it comes to consuming and providing alcohol to teenagers, especially keeping mind that excessive alcohol consumption can have some extreme negative consequences, both immediate effects as well as in the long term. Alcohol poisoning, getting involved in drunken brawls and drink driving crashes are just a few of the consequences that can result from abuse of alcohol particularly for inexperienced, often naive school leavers, most of whom probably haven’t even touched alcohol before.
Parents, also keep in mind that providing alcohol to your kids is illegal if they are under 18 – the legal drinking age in Oz. By consenting to your underage children consuming alcohol, an act you may consider harmless, you are actually consenting to the law being broken.
For schoolies who are of the legal drinking age, moderation still needs to be exercised – just because you can drink legally doesn’t mean you need to do so excessively. And if you are going to be serving alcohol to other schoolies, you also need to ensure that you check their IDs to confirm that they are old enough to have a drink.
Speaking of serving alcohol, if you are going to be working in hospitality over the festive season, then in order to learn all the other requirements for responsible service of alcohol, you need to complete Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training. In fact working in the hospitality sector, even just part time means that you need to be in possession of a RSA certificate according to the law, to learn the dos and don’ts of serving alcohol.
Completing the RSA course online is an easy, convenient and comprehensive option, preferred by most servers, particularly other schoolies who have just completed many years of school and prefer online RSA training rather than having to return to a classroom environment. And at just $45 it’s a lot less costly too!
The online option is also quicker and you won’t get bored…, Start course here!
This punchy, quick-to-read eBook provides you with an overview of important things you MUST KNOW ABOUT to work in the hospitality industry.
You’ll be able to behave like a seasoned pro… even if you’re quite new to the industry, once you’ve read this information packed instantly downloadable eBook.
Here’s the Contents:
| INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………… | 1 |
| KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT ………………………………………… | 2 |
| HOW TO GET EMPLOYED IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY ……………….. | 3 |
| WHAT’S IT LIKE TO WORK AS A BARTENDER DAY TO DAY? …………….. | 5 |
| HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL BARTENDER ……………………………………. | 6 |
| HYGIENE AND SAFETY …………………………………………………………… | 8 |
| TYPES OF ALCOHOL ………………………………………………………………. | 12 |
Download the eBook for FREE here >> HospitalityHandbookVolume1-SucceedinHospitality.
Need to get your RSA Certificate to work in hospitality? Click Here.
Under the NSW government proposed new one-punch laws, people with a blood alcohol level of 0.15 will be found “intoxicated” – this is the equivalent of people charged with high-range drink driving offences.
Under Premier Barry O’Farrell’s Crimes and Other Legislation Amendment (Assault and Intoxication) Bill 2014, intoxication will be defined as a blood alcohol concentration of .15. The amendment was tabled last week Thursday and is three times the level used to measure low-range drink driving offences (.05). The bill is expected to be passed by the Parliament soon with the support of the Labour opposition.
According to O’Farrell the bill is intended to bring about safety on the state’s streets with its new measures which are aimed at combating drug and alcohol fuelled violence.
O’Farrell was quoted as saying about the amendment:
“The NSW government has heard the community’s call for action. We are committed to continuing to address the drug and alcohol-fuelled attacks on our street and the increase in violence that is used in those attacks.”
The bill says that there will be a “conclusive presumption of intoxication if the accused has more than .15 concentration of alcohol following a breath or blood sample analysis”.
The measures do not set any limits for drugs which means that any level of drugs found in a person’s system may indicate intoxication.
Perhaps one of the more controversial of the government’s alcohol violence measures is the introduction of a minimum mandatory sentence of eight years and a maximum penalty of 25 years in jail for an assault causing death if the assault is committed by an “intoxicated” perpetrator, under the influence of either drugs or alcohol. For those perpetrators who aren’t intoxicated a 20 year maximum penalty will apply for assaulting a person resulting in their death. Also whether the victims die from the injuries received during the assault or hitting the ground etc, the same will apply.
Alex Wodak, the emeritus consultant for the Alcohol and Drug Service at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney said the 0.15 blood alcohol level was the same level at which drivers are charged with high range drunk driving. The following excerpt is taken from Smh.com.au and quotes Wodak about the new measures:
“That comes from a huge body of research into blood alcohol and risk of a car crash. But this figure has been plucked out of the air,” Dr Wodak said.
“There is no research on the link between blood-alcohol concentration and violence.
“Some will be unconscious at this blood level and most will be very drunk.
“But some drinking, say, three bottles of wine per day might be little affected by it.”
According to Dr Wodak, the risk of these new laws is that some people have higher alcohol tolerance levels than others and these people may be found guilty when they are innocent. Dr Wodak said that high blood alcohol concentration levels aren’t always linked to violent crimes.
According to the proposed law a breath test must be taken within 2 hours of the alleged offence and blood and urine samples can only be required within 4 hours after the alleged offence.
An article on Abc.net.au recently discussed the benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation, something that we have always advocated. While it’s true that excessive alcohol consumption can be extremely detrimental to your health both in the short and long term, moderate and responsible consumption can be good for your health and wellbeing.
With a lot of people vilifying alcohol in the media these days because of a few who cannot control their drinking and go out and cause a menace, it is important that we know what the limits are and adhere to them, not only for our wellbeing but also for the safety of others.
So what level of regular drinking is agreed to be harmful to our health?
According to Australian guidelines, adults shouldn’t drink more than 2 standard drinks a day because this poses an “unacceptable” risk of lifetime harm. According to an alcohol researcher, Professor Chikritzhs from the University of WA, these are some of the effects those who abuse alcohol have to look forward to,
“For example, alcoholic liver cirrhosis, alcohol dependence and a range of cancers, including breast cancer, are all longer-term consequences of regular ongoing exposure to alcohol,” says Chikritzhs.
Sticking to fewer than two standard drinks a day means your risk of such nasties over your lifetime is below one in 100.
“One in 100 was selected because that’s the kind of benchmark by which we test water quality and other kinds of things. People often see that as an acceptable level of risk.”
It’s drinking levels below two standard drinks a day where any protective effect against heart disease, diabetes and strokes come in (for those who believe it exists).
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/stories/2014/02/20/3948645.htm
Some of the ways that alcohol is thought to impact the body in this positive way includes boosting levels of “good” fats in the blood, increasing the body’s sensitivity to insulin and decreasing inflammation.
Although Chikritzhs says that if your do not drink, you do not need to start drinking just so that you will live longer. For example if you suffer from heart disease and you’re a non-drinker, starting to drink alcohol won’t help you cure your heart problems. Read more from Professor Chikritzhs http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/stories/2014/02/20/3948645.htm
Some of the Benefits
Research also shows that moderate consumption of alcohol can reduce the chance of having a stroke. For women who drank moderately research shows they are at a lower risk of developing high blood pressure.
Experts have long advocated the consumption of beer and wine in moderation to enhance the flow of blood through the arteries and blood vessels and help reduce chances of a heart attack. An alcohol drinker will therefore be able to handle physical activities without the risk of sudden death even if there are blockages in certain parts of the cardiovascular system. Amazingly alcohol also discourages the development of gallstones. This is because the presence of alcohol in a person’s body reduces the tendency of cholesterol to accumulate in the bile.
But just as beneficial as drinking in moderation can be, drinking in excess and binge drinking can have the adverse effect and be extremely dangerous to your health as well as place you in immediate danger. Stick to the rule of no more than 2 drinks a day and avoid drinking on a daily basis to protect your health and stay safe.
The New South Wales Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) recently released a fact sheet for liquor licensees detailing the reforms which were passed by Parliament last week Friday. The changes were implemented so swiftly in a large part due to the mounting pressure the government was receiving from the public to act to reduce violence in Sydney’s night life districts.
The Liquor Amendment Bill 2014 was passed by the NSW Parliament last week amidst strong opposition from licensees and the legal fraternity. The amended laws will introduce a host of measures that are aimed at improving safety in Sydney’s entertainment district by tackling alcohol and drug fuelled violence.
Although the government has been criticised for moving so swiftly in implementing the new measures, the OLGR said “preparation and consultation is underway to ensure its effective implementation” to allow the industry enough time to adjust the way it does business to incorporate the new measures and establish appropriate changes to its practices and procedures.
The most notable changes that will apply once the legislation commences includes:
No take-away liquor after 10pm anywhere in NSW;
Suspension of the trial of online RSA training;
The creation of a new Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct;
“Lock-outs” at 1.30am and “Last drinks” at 3am for some venues in the Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct and the Kings Cross Precinct;
A freeze on new liquor licences in the Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct;
Temporary and Long-term banning order provisions in the Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct; and
Suspension or revocation of an RSA competency card or disqualification of a person from holding an RSA competency card, for staff in the Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct.
The strict new measures targeting drug and alcohol fuelled violence will officially begin on February 24th 2014 – giving licensees little time to adapt, many of which say their business will suffer severe negative financial implications which may not allow their businesses to survive. Others welcomed the new measures which they believed would help attract the right customers and keep the wrong element out of their venues.
Some of the other measures to implemented include an annual risk-based licensing fee scheme for liquor licenses and additional special licence conditions on venues in the district as determined as the article on TheShout.com.au goes on to explain
Development of a plan of management for the Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct, which will impose additional special licence conditions on venues in the Precinct
An annual risk-based licensing fee scheme for liquor licences.
The OLGR said it will continue to notify affected liquor licensees and other key stakeholders of developments, including the commencement date of each of the reforms.
In the meantime night time revellers can expect 1.30am alcohol lockouts and 3am last drinks while the whole of NSW will have a ban on takeaway alcohol after 10pm as of the 24th of this month.
New South Wales like many other states is suffering from the effects of excessive drinking on the youth and according to the opposition if the state government does not act soon many more young lives may be ruined by the scourge of excessive alcohol.
The opposition has called upon the NSW government to “stand up” to the liquor lobby to reduce the amount of drunken violence plaguing the state particularly involving the state’s young people. They have called upon the government to limit the availability of alcohol.
The following excerpt from an article on Bordermail.com.au explains:
MORE young lives will be ruined by alcohol-fuelled violence unless the NSW government stands up to the liquor lobby, the opposition has said.
Labor’s health spokesman Andrew McDonald yesterday said the worst-ever drunken violence in the state could be reduced by restricting alcohol availability.
“I have spent 40 years working in the health system and I know no one has ever seen such dreadful violence,” Dr McDonald said.
He laid the blame for the 540 people arrested at the weekend in NSW during Operation Unite, a police crackdown on alcohol-fuelled violence, at the state government’s door.
“This government does not have the guts to stand up to the liquor lobby,” Dr McDonald said.
“Until this problem is sorted, these assaults will continue and we will see innocent lives ruined.”
Read more at: http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/1974692/alcohol-ruining-our-young/
A particular area of concern in Sydney is the city centre and the Kings Cross district where Labor is calling for 1am lockouts.
The violence is not however confined to NSW, Queensland has apparently also been the source of high levels of violence fuelled by alcohol as discovered during Operation Unite.
In the state of Queensland, 430 people were arrested and a police officer was stabbed in the neck at a bar during the operation.
Victoria showed the greatest improvements in terms of reduction in violence during the Operation with only 76 people being arrested.
In Sydney an incident on Bondi Beach left one 23 year old man critical in hospital, as the article on Bordermail.com.au points out:
In Sydney, a 23-year-old man remains in a critical condition in St Vincent’s Hospital after he was punched and stomped on in front of dozens of revellers at Bondi Beach early on Saturday.
He was one of several young men who were king hit over the weekend, with assaults at Darling Harbour, Kings Cross, Rozelle and the city centre.
Read more at: http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/1974692/alcohol-ruining-our-young/
Although police were pleased that the number of people arrested compared to last year was lower, they were dissatisfied with the level of violence which they believed had escalated this year due to the effects of alcohol. One police official, Detective Superintendent Gavin Dengate said,
“People think they’re seven-foot-tall and bullet-proof, that they can do what they want and get away with it.”
Medical staff described St Vincent’s Hospital emergency department as a “zoo” on Friday night.
“You would be mocking the anguish of our nurses or doctors if you talked about reductions in alcohol-related assaults,” hospital spokesman
Read more at: http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/1974692/alcohol-ruining-our-young/
When we were first introduced to smartphone applications which help us keep track and calculate how much alcohol we are consuming we welcomed them because we were thrilled at the prospect of being able to be more responsible drinkers, however new research which has emerged has revealed that these alcohol apps are inaccurate. The implications of these inaccurate apps is that people are incorrectly assuming that they are drinking safely when in fact they are consuming alcohol excessively.
Researchers have warned that these alcohol apps give people a false sense of security and are in actuality promoting excessive consumption.
The revelation was made by a new Victorian study analysing alcohol-related smartphone applications. The study showed that the measures used to determine blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was inaccurate.
The research by The Burnet Institute Centre for Population Health Research reviewed more than 380 of the most popular alcohol apps on both Apple and Android devices, the following excerpt from an article on Heraldsun.com.au explains:
The vast majority lacked scientific legitimacy, with names such as Let’s Get Wasted and Drink Thin.
The majority were entertainment apps (50 per cent), which clearly encouraged alcohol consumption, followed by BAC apps.
Lead researcher Dr Megan Lim said her research was the first to critically evaluate BAC apps, which ask users to enter data or blow on their phone to find out their intoxication level.
Dr Lim said they tested about 100 apps by entering data from participants who had been breathalysed.
In one case a male, 18, had consumed five drinks of white spirits and blown a BAC of 0.03.
“But the output we got from the apps ranged from 0.0001, which is practically nothing, to 0.91, which is way beyond a lethal dose of alcohol,” Dr Lim said.
One of the greatest problems associated with the apps was the variability. During the research there was no consistency even when entering identical data in the same app.
The problem with most BAC apps is that they don’t ask enough questions in order to give an accurate estimate of intoxication. Some apps don’t ask age, weight, time spent drinking etc. all aspects that affect a person’s BAC.
Some apps are so inaccurate and misleading that they are actually breathalysers where users are supposed to blow on their phone and it will give them a “reading” of their BAC, which is obviously incorrect.
The problem with these apps that most concerns researchers is that people may be using them to test their ability to drive, thereby endangering themselves and others by getting behind the wheel of car when over the legal alcohol limit.
The researchers explained that that most young people questioned indicated that they doubted the apps which is a relief, the post went on to explain:
“They were sceptical about how accurate the results would be, but I don’t think many of them realised that many of the apps were not even trying to be accurate,” Dr Lim said.
So the next time you have a drink, don’t put your faith in a smartphone app to measure your level of intoxication, especially not if you are planning on driving.