RSA Course Online

Tag: responsible service of alcohol course

  • Hidden Camera Reveals Underage Drinking

    I recently found an interesting story that parallels the situation we are currently faced with in O, regarding underage drinking. A hidden camera investigation was carried out in a Canadian restaurant which revealed that underage drinking is a problem in that country as well. Australia is not the only country battling to come to a solution to the woes that result from teenage drinking and more specifically the serving of alcohol to minors.

     

    The hidden cameras revealed that a number of establishments are selling alcohol to minors and perhaps a similar approach can be implemented in problem areas in Oz to root out the guilty parties.

     

    This post on Cbc.ca explains in more detail

     

    In the investigation, a group composed of three 18-year-olds and one 17-year-old was sent to four establishments. The CBC asked the three males and one female to order alcohol, but not to drink it if they were served. Provincial laws prohibit anyone under 19 years old from being served or sold liquor.

     

    All four teens went together to Ebisu restaurant on Robson Street in Vancouver where they ordered a pitcher of beer and were served within minutes of sitting down.

     

    The same night, the Keg Steakhouse & Bar on Still Creek Avenue in Burnaby served red wine to two of the 18-year-olds, who went in as a couple. Another Keg waitress served beer to the two other teens who were sitting in the bar area.All four left their drinks untouched and later left.

     

    Outside the restaurant afterwards, the teens offered their own theories about why they were served.

     

    “It was just really casual,” said Jack Hu, 17. “I guess [the server] just thought we were older.”

     

    Aidan Ponton, 18, said he suspected the waitress sympathized with them.

     

    “I guess she just saw us, just some younger kids and she knew what it was like, she’d been in that position before and she didn’t hesitate,” Ponton said.

     

    These four teens checked out four restaurants in a CBC investigation. (CBC)

     

    Ben Roberts, 18, saw a monetary motive.”They are making money off of it, a lot of money and I don’t think that’s their main priority to obey the law.”

     

    “[If] your employer’s not forcing you to ID then you’re not going to,” said 18-year-old Katherine Gillard.

     

    When later confronted with the results of the CBC News investigation, the management at Ebisu said they were shocked and embarrassed and promised to be more vigilant in checking identification.

     

    A Keg spokesperson admitted its servers did not follow procedures and the restaurant chain will now redouble its training.

     

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/11/15/bc-hidden-camera-underage-drinking.html

     

    In Canada similar to Oz, there are hefty fines for selling alcohol to minors which doesn’t seem to be enough of a deterrent to sellers. In Canada the penalty for a first offence ranges from $7,500 to $10,000 (Canadian) or a 10-to-15- day licence suspension. Licensees can either accept the penalty or request an enforcement hearing.

     

    The incident in Canada has resulted in the restaurant assuring that it will increase the training of its staff. However in Australian responsible service of alcohol training is mandatory for every person serving or selling alcohol.

     

    One of the biggest benefits of RSA training is that it teaches you to serve alcohol in a manner that maintains the good reputation of the establishment. Ensuring that you do not suffer the consequences that come from serving alcohol to unduly intoxicated patrons or minors means that you will enjoy a pleasant working environment and be confident that each time you go to work you will be safe rather than being exposed to alcohol fuelled violence.

     

     

  • Alcoholism’s Effect on The Community

    The Effects of Alcoholism

     

    Recently alcoholism’s effect on the aboriginal community has been a huge topic of debate because of the negative consequences these communities have been suffering which has made unemployment and other social problems more prevalent.

     

    But alcoholism is not limited to disenfranchised communities, they can affect people from any social standing or background.

     

    Alcoholism is a universal problem and scientists believe that an addictive gene present in some people makes them more vulnerable to developing an addiction.

     

    Not only does alcohol affect a person’s health, cause accidents and diseases etc, it also has an effect on the wider community.  A range of adverse social consequences exist for both the over-drinker and for others in the community. These consequences include harm to family members, children and to friends and workmates, as well as to bystanders and strangers occasionally. The entertainment districts are an example of the harm that can be done to innocent people who are in the wrong place at the wrong time and fall victim to alcohol fuelled violence, assaults and brawls.

     

    Adverse effects on the community include noise, litter, offensive behaviour, vandalism, aggression, petty crime, assaults and major road safety issues. In fact drink driving is one of the greatest causes of deaths on our roads and especially affects the teenage population, according to statistics.

     

    Alcohol is often linked to an increase in crime, with studies suggesting that alcohol is involved in up to half of all violent crimes like domestic violence.

     

    So alcohol servers have a responsibility to keep excessive amounts of alcohol out of the hands of alcoholics. Be cautious, alert and remember your RSA training because if you don’t, you are contributing to these negative consequences on the community.

     

  • Retailers Crack Down on Underage Liquor Buying

    Crack Down on Underage School Liquor Buying

    Liquor retailers have been receiving a lot of criticism lately because of their sale of alcohol to underage minors. Now retailers are doing something about it by hiring special staff to police their stores for underage school leavers attempting to obtain alcohol during Schoolies Week.

    Hot spots have been identified and security staff will be stationed at these points in an attempt to root out minors trying to obtain alcohol.

    BWS and Dan Murphys are leading the pack in cracking down on underage alcohol purchasing by hiring an additional 60 guards to be stationed around the country especially in holiday spots where school leavers frequently congregate to celebrate.

    Underage people will not be able to enter liquor stores and those teenagers attempting to gain alcohol from the over 18 counterparts will also be watched. Those school leavers that are over 18 and attempting to purchase alcohol on behalf of the underage friends will also be refused alcohol by the guards.

    This post on Brisbanetimes.com website has more:

    Liquor retailers are hiring security staff to crackdown on underage school leavers getting hold of alcohol during Schoolies Week celebrations.

     Dan Murphy’s and BWS, both owned by supermarket giant Woolworths, will have security staff on the door at designated Schoolies “hot spots” over the week-long festivities.

     About 60 guards will be employed across the nation, in particular at popular Schoolies locations such as Surfers Paradise, the Sunshine Coast and Byron Bay.
     The guards will prevent underage people from entering stores as well as keeping an eye on teenagers attempting to use over-18s to purchase alcohol for them.

     Staff and guards have been directed to refuse service to any member of a group they believe may be purchasing alcohol for minors, even if that person has identification proving they’re over 18.

     Security staff will also be used to deny access to stores to intoxicated people.

     “BWS and Dan Murphy’s are committed to the responsible service of alcohol and in the lead-up to Schoolies we are reinforcing the importance of this to our customers and staff,” BWS and Dan Murphy’s national liquor licensing manager Shane Tremble said in a statement.

     “The secondary supply of alcohol to minors is a significant issue for our stores, the authorities and the community. We know that very few underage drinkers attempt to buy alcohol themselves, preferring to ask others to buy it for them so it is important we tackle this issue head-on.

    Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/liquor-stores-hire-schoolies-security-20121113-299g9.html#ixzz2C62Bhpb7

    Although there may some patrons that are refused alcohol during this time, the companies have reiterated that their main objective is keeping alcohol out of the hands of under aged youth who  have a tendency to abuse it.

    These retailers have a larger plan in motion which will see customers having to produce their ID if they look under the age of 25. Although just being implemented by retailers, this is part of Responsible service of alcohol legislation anyway.

    Liquor retailers will also have signage posted around their stores to warn customers that it is a crime to buy alcohol for underage people.  Schoolies week will see about 30,000 students flocking to the Gold Coast to celebrate and hopefully measures like these will reduce the alcohol induced harm that occurs each year at the celebrations.

     

  • Bar Owner Takes Responsibility too far

    Bar owner’s responsible service of alcohol duties

    A bar owner was linked to an assault involving a patron that was evicted from his establishment. The incident almost cost the bar owner his licence and forced him to pay a fine of $4000.

    The patron was assaulted by the bar owner in the parking lot outside the bar after evicting the patron from the bar. The bar owner then had the tapes of the incident destroyed and altered CCTV camera configuration in an attempt to obstruct justice and keep police from uncovering the truth.

    This incident is quite scary for patrons, to think that bar owners can engage in this type of behaviour. No matter what the patron does to provoke the bar staff and management, they still need to behave in a professional manner and exercise their responsible service of alcohol duties.

    The fact that the licensee was entrusted with permission to sell alcohol meant that he was expected to behave in a more responsible manner, instead he exercised poor judgement.

    While bar owners do have a responsibility to deny service of alcohol to unduly intoxicated patrons and evict people that are hostile, overly intoxicated or aggressive from their establishment, they do not have the right to resort to violence. Tact needs to be employed when dealing with unduly intoxicated or problematic patrons.

  • Learn the Legal Drinking Limits

    What is the standard drink?
     

    For regular as well as occasional drinkers it is a good idea to know exactly what the law says about alcohol, including what constitutes a standard drink according to government standards. Drinks limits in Oz are based on these standards, which is why it is important to know what the legal limits are.
     

    The act of counting glasses or containers is not an accurate way of keeping track of your consumption. It is far better and more reliable to know how many standard drinks you consume because alcohol content varies from drink to drink, so pin pointing exactly how much you consume can be problematic unless you know how to measure a standard drink.
     

    The Australian definition of a standard drink is a measurement used to describe the amount of alcohol contained in a drink (in Oz it is 10grams of alcohol).  A standard drink always contains the same amount of alcohol regardless of the size of the container or type of drink (for example a bottle of cider and can of beer). The number of standard drinks in alcohol beverages is always displayed on the label of the bottle or can according to Australian law,
     

    Part of alcohol servers’ responsibility includes providing patrons with this information if it is requested and the label is not present. Servers should know the alcohol contained in glass, jug or container with no labels that they serve.
     

    The Formula for calculating Standard Drinks is useful for drinkers and servers and is calculated as follows:
     

    Multiply the volume of the container in litres by the alcohol volume and multiply that by 0.789. The specific gravity of ethyl alcohol is 0.789.
     

    Volume of container in litres X  % alcohol by volume (ml/100ml)  X 0.789*
     

    =number of standard drinks
     

    For example 1 bottle (375ml) of full strength beer of 5% alcohol by volume is calculated as follows:
     

    0.375  X  5 X  0.789*
     

    =  1.5
     

    But you may be saying, calculating is easy but keeping track is hard especially when you’re drinking, it can be hard to remember how many drinks you’re consuming. A possible solution for this may be to put the bottle’s cap in your pocket each time you open the drink, this will allow you to keep track of each bottle. Calculate the standard drink in the bottle and then multiply it by the number of caps in your pocket.
     

    It is useful to count drinks, using standard drinks, to ensure that the low risk levels set out in the Australian Alcohol Guidelines are not exceeded. The low risk levels are the number of standard drinks that can be drunk before the threat to a person’s health and social well-being moves up into the ‘risky’ or ‘high risk’ category.
     

    Ideally each person should stick to their limit, because alcohol affects each of us differently, everyone will have their own limits. The measurement of alcohol in a person’s blood is known as Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). This can be used as a guide to determine the effects alcohol may have on a person’s behaviour.
     

    Truthfully more than 2 standard drinks per night isnot recommended but men and women’s tolerance to alcohol differs. The reason why alcohol consumption is important and needs to be monitored is because of the effects that alcohol has on the brain, causing people to behave in ways that they wouldn’t ordinarily and perhaps place their lives in danger or the endanger the lives of others. Surprising to most drinkers, alcohol starts to affect the brain within five minutes of consumption. A person’s Blood alcohol level peaks about 30-45 minutes after one standard drink is consumed and rapid consumption of multiple drinks results in higher BAC because the average body can only break down one standard drink every hour.
     

    Factors such as weight, gender, age, body chemistry, food intake, drinking experience, mental health and physical health all affect how alcohol affects a person and how fast.
     

    Drinking in moderation is really the only way to drink responsibly and can relax a person, while being beneficial to their health as well. But excessive consumption can lead to many negative consequences such as brawls, assaults, car crashes etc. People need to be aware of their limits and servers of alcohol need to know when to refuse alcohol to a patron in order to avoid many of the woes of excessive drinking on society.
     
     

  • What you need to start a Bar

    Is your bar tab running a little high these days. With increases in the prices of alcohol coming soon, it’s only going to get worse. One of the ways of beating this is by limiting your time spent at the local watering hole by starting your own bar at home, stocked with all your favourites, just for you.

    Lots of people want to do this, not only is it a way of saving money but it’s a cool way of impressing your friends when you invite them over for a dinner party. But most people get overwhelmed by all the variety and never know how to fill it.

    Thankfully when it comes to your home, there are no rules, so stocking your bar involves choosing your favourites and a few basics and you’ll be able to recreate the drinks that you love so much.

    Obviously the cornerstone of your bar is the alcohol so decide on your favourite drinks and whatyour favourite drinks are, then buy the most common liquors in those drinks and then ask your friends and family who will be sharing the bar with you about their preferences too.

    The most popular liquors that form the basis of many popular cocktails are:

    Vodka– The fact that Vodka is clear and almost tasteless means that you can mimic almost any of your favourite cocktails using vodka. It mixes well with anything so for those who love cocktails vodka is a must-have.

    Rum– The second most popular liquor. Rum is especially popular amongst the ladies because it’s a bit sweet and can be drunk with Diet coke for low calorie option.

    Tequila– Nothing says fun like Tequila. This one is the ultimate shooter and you don’t even need to mix it with anything. Or for the ladies nothing says party like a Margarita.

    Gin – This is a good one if you want a martini or a classic gin tonic, it’s also fairly versatile like vodka.

    Whisky – No bar is complete without the ultimate whiskey especially when you feel like something mature and sophisticated.

    The next part of bar stocking involves the trimmings. While the alcohol is the main part of a bar, the mixers and garnishes are what makes a bar fun.The most basic mixers and garnishes that are versatile popular are:

    Juice– At the very least, store up some orange and cranberry juice. You could also add some pineapple and tomato.

    Sodas– No bar would be complete without a few sodas like Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite which mix well with any of the liquors you would have already bought.

    Tonic Water– These are essential for many classics.

    Pre-made Mixers– Bottles of Margarita Mix or Bloody Mary Mix saves time and tastes just as good.

    Lemons and limes – A must in any bar. Can be used to garnish or put in the drink.

    Cherries – Cherries are another bar staple. Maraschino cherries are the best but if you can’t get those any ones will do.

    The basic tools that are necessary in any bar are shakers, bar spoons, knives and cutting board, ice bucket and a cocktail recipe book to make sure you never run out of ideas.

  • Retailers Join Fight Against Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

    Dangers of Drinking Alcohol while Pregnant
     

    A joint initiative by the Federal Department of Health, DrinkWise Australia and major retail outlets will warn pregnant women of the danger they are placing their unborn child in by drinking alcohol.
     

    Major liquor retailers will hand out brochures with alcohol purchased that will teach on the dangers of drinking during pregnancy. According to experts the safest action is to not drink at all when pregnant because doctors aren’t sure what levels of alcohol are actually damaging to the foetus.
     

    Even nursing mothers should abstain from alcohol because it may be passed to the nursing baby because breast milk contains higher concentrations of water than blood into which alcohol can be absorbed therefore the alcohol in breast milk is more concentrated and the effects of this alcohol can be passed on to the feeding baby.
     

    The effect of this alcohol consumption can be seen in childhood years, right into adulthood with such symptoms as heart defects, developmental problems, low birth weight, adult developmental delays, learning difficulties, behavioural problems and vulnerability to mental illness.
     

    Drinking while pregnant also increases the chance of having a miscarriage or a still birth. It is commendable that retailers are joining in this fight which impacts on the innocent lives of unborn children who may be affected by their mother’s bad decisions.

     

  • MPs in NSW To Address Issue of Drunk Teens at School Functions

     

    Source : jenny downing

    An inquiry in NSW has revealed that parents are defending irresponsible behaviour of teenagers who show up at school functions too drunk to even walk. The parents of students that are barred entry because of their level of intoxication still complain to the school that their kids are denied entry.

    The Social policy committee of Parliament is investigating whether legislation relating to the liquor Act 2007 needs to be amended because of the problem of teenage drinking, which seems to be spurred on by parents.

    It has come to light that some kids showed up so drunk that when tested for alcohol they showed high levels of intoxication causing them to be turned away at the door. Some of these teenagers are not even sober enough to walk, let alone drive.

    Perhaps even more concerning is that many of the teenagers admitted to being supplied alcohol by their parents. Parents are demonstrating irresponsible parenting by allowing their children to become so intoxicated that they can pose a risk to themselves and others.

    Providing alcohol to teenagers in moderation is one thing for parents to choose to do, but allowing them to leave the house so drunk is quite another. To make matters worse parents often react angrily to their children being turned away from formals.

    Parents need to consider the danger intoxication presents to their children. Drink driving, violent crimes, brawls, thefts and unsafe sexual encounters are just some of the consequences that await drunken teens.

  • How to Recognise Alcohol Addiction and Abuse in Teens

    Source : jenny downing

    Any parent with a teenage child knows the dangers of peer pressure and the need to recognise signs in teenagers that indicate a problem. Numerous studies have proven that the majority of teenagers have at least tried alcohol by the age of 14 and the statistics of alcohol abuse among teenagers are reaching unacceptable levels. For this reason it is vital that parents be able to recognise the symptoms of alcohol abuse before it’s too late to do anything about.
     
    Nowadays it is not uncommon to hear of young teenagers going in and out of rehab, being arrested for driving under the influence and engaging in all types of dangerous behaviour because of alcohol. The symptoms of alcohol abuse in teenagers are similar to that of adults. The most common symptoms are lying, making excuses, breaking curfew, staying in their room, becoming verbally or physically abusive toward others, having items in their possession that are connected to alcohol use, the smell of alcohol on their breath or body, mood swings, stealing, and changes in friends.
     
    In teens whose bodies are still developing and do not have any alcohol tolerance the problem of alcohol poisoning is particularly rife and potentially deadly. It is caused by alcohol slowing down the body’s functions such as breathing, heart rate, and gag reflex, thereby potentially leading to choking, coma, stopped breathing, stopped heart, and death.
     
    Parents should speak openly to their teenagers about alcohol and it’s dangers. Even though parents can’t prevent their teenagers from experimenting with alcohol, they can encourage good drinking habits.

  • Liquor Licence Requests Being Rejected due to Alcohol Fuelled Violence


    Need for Responsible Alcohol Service

     

    Fear that new licensed venues may contribute to the increase in alcohol fuelled crime has resulted in the rejection of a liquor licence for Griffith’s proposed BWS store. The Woolworths owned business has been denied a liquor licence to operate in the area because the community is concerned that another licenced venue will result in an increase in the crime already plaguing the area.

     

    The community of Griffiths apparently has a high rate of domestic violence which research has linked to alcohol. The number of liquor outlets in the area is thought to be contributing directly to these.

     

    The main issue affecting the area seems to be the large number of alcohol abuse cases that bring with them devastating side effects that have an impact on the community.

     

    This issue highlights the need for responsible alcohol service in communities across Oz. Although it is the law and is meant to decrease the amount of alcohol fuelled violence and crimes we see, the large number of incidents indicates that there are venues and alcohol servers that are not doing their legal duties when serving alcohol to their patrons.

     

    Bartenders, bouncers, alcohol shop attendants and shop keepers and anyone who sells or serves alcohol to the public is required by law to undergo responsible service of alcohol training. Part of this training involves learning who not to serve alcohol to, including unduly intoxicated patrons and how to recognise these people.

     

    Either the alcohol service industry is not undergoing this mandatory training or they are not implementing what they have learnt. Either way they are legally responsible for the repercussions of their actions. Should servers ignore the warning signs that a person is unduly intoxicated and serve them more alcohol, that patron could resort to alcohol fuelled violence or other irresponsible behaviour, for which the server will be held partly responsible.

     

    Brawls, assaults, robberies and other violent crimes are being committed by customers who are over intoxicated. Unduly intoxicated patrons have also been identified as a contributor to the drink driving crashes we see on our roads because drunk drivers have the false confidence to drive while drunk, endangering not only their own lives but the lives of other innocent road users in the process.

     

    Recognising the signs of intoxication is central to an alcohol servers job and they should be on lookout for signs of intoxication (As well as other things such as legal drinking age) when serving alcohol to customers.

     

    Luckily, intoxication presents itself in a number of visible ways and most people, even those not trained in Responsible Service of Alcohol, can recognise the most common signs. These includes slurred speech, swaying and bumping into things, inability to walk, rowdiness, anger, aggression even violence.  In a crowded and noisy bar, however, these could be difficult to notice. Servers should also keep an eye out for previously timid patrons who become aggressive or vice versa, a social person who becomes withdrawn or a quiet person who becomes overtly friendly.