Modification History

Not applicable.

Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to responsibly sell or serve alcohol.

Responsible practices must be undertaken wherever alcohol is sold or served, including where alcohol samples are served during on-site product tastings. This unit, therefore, applies to any workplace where alcohol is sold or served, including all types of hospitality venues, packaged liquor outlets and wineries, breweries and distilleries.

The unit applies to all levels of sales personnel involved in the sale, service and promotional service of alcohol in licensed premises. Those selling or serving alcohol may include food and beverage attendants; packaged liquor sales persons selling in person, over the phone or online; winery, brewery and distillery cellar door staff; and supplier sales representatives. The unit also applies to security staff who monitor customer behaviour and to the licensee who is ultimately responsible for responsible service of alcohol (RSA) management.

The unit incorporates the knowledge requirements, under state and territory liquor licensing law, for employees engaged in the sale or service of alcohol.

Certification requirements differ across states and territories. In some cases all people involved in the sale, service and promotional service of alcohol in licensed premises must be certified in this unit. This can include the licensee and security staff.

This unit covers the RSA skill and knowledge requirements common to all States and Territories. Some legislative requirements and knowledge will differ across borders. In some cases after completion of this unit, state and territory liquor authorities require candidates to complete a bridging course to address these specific differences.

Those developing training to support this unit must consult the relevant state or territory liquor licensing authority to determine any accreditation arrangements for courses, trainers and assessors.

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Competency Field

Food and Beverage

Unit Sector

Hospitality

Elements and Performance Criteria for Providing responsible service of alcohol

Foundation Skills for providing responsible service of alcohol

Unit Mapping Information

SITHFAB201 Provide responsible service of alcohol

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Not applicable.

Performance Evidence for providing responsible service of alcohol

Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:

• interpret the legal requirements for responsible sale or service of alcohol for the local state or territory law
• document organisational policies and procedures that must be followed for the responsible sale or service of alcohol
• identify at least three early indicators of intoxication and identify suitable intervention strategies to prevent intoxication
• demonstrate procedure to refuse sale or service of alcohol and assist each of the following groups of intoxicated customers:

• those in emotional or physical distress
• those with no food consumption during extended service of alcohol
• those who appear to be under the effect of illicit substances or other drugs

• demonstrate organisational or house requirements and use effective communication and conflict-resolution skills when asking the following different intoxicated customers to leave the premises:

• one compliant customer
• one difficult customer refusing to leave.

Knowledge Evidence for providing responsible service of alcohol

Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:

• public interest reasons for implementing responsible service of alcohol (RSA) practices:

• government and community concern with alcohol misuse and abuse
• alcohol-impaired driving accidents, crime, public violence, family violence and anti social behaviour associated with alcohol abuse

• ways of assessing intoxication:

• observing changes in behaviour
• observing emotional and physical state
• monitoring noise levels and drink purchases

• customers to whom sale or service must be refused according to state and territory legislation:

• minors and those purchasing on behalf of minors
• intoxicated persons
• persons affected by the consumption of illicit and other drugs

• impact of excessive drinking on:

• local neighbourhood and community
• the night-time economy
• premises and staff
• customers
• particular types of customers who are at heightened risk:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
• minors
• people affected by the consumption of illicit and other drugs
• women, particularly pregnant women
• young people

• physical and mental health of individuals who drink to excess
• productivity of individuals who drink to excess
• those around the person drinking to excess:

• family
• friends
• colleagues

• government agencies:

• local police
• health facilities
• road authorities
• local councils

• key agencies and how to source relevant information on laws, regulations and codes of practice or conduct
• methods of supplying information on responsible sale or service of alcohol to customers:

• use of fact sheets and advertising material that comply with legislative requirements
• use of mandatory signage
• verbally
• websites

• current promotional and strategic community education campaigns developed and conducted by agencies and industry groups
• effects of alcohol on:

• emotional state
• health
• physical alertness

• factors that affect individual responses to alcohol:

• food consumption
• gender
• general health
• rate of consumption
• other substances taken
• weight

• time for effects of alcohol to be registered
• what constitutes a standard drink for different beverage types and acceptable measures of alcohol:

• types and strengths of standard drinks
• alcoholic percentages of a range of frequently sold alcoholic beverages

• indicators of erratic drinking patterns:

• mixing a wide range of drink types
• drinking quickly and asking for more immediately
• ordering more than one drink for own consumption
• mixing alcohol consumption with consumption of prescription or illicit drugs
• consistently returning to the tasting site to request more samples
• ordering multiple samples
• ordering large samples
• ordering ‘triple shots’ or extra-large drinks

• ways of assessing customers affected by the consumption of illicit and other drugs
• communications methods used when refusing service:

• using open and non-aggressive body language
• using a number of strategies to defuse a situation:

• taking the person away from an audience
• blaming the refusal on ‘the law’

• monitoring the reactions of other customers
• picking early warning signs and intervening before the person is intoxicated
• not using physical touch or body language
• remaining calm and using tactful language

• appropriate means of assistance to be offered when refusing service:

• assisting the customer to connect with their designated driver
• offering alternatives to alcohol:

• food
• non-alcoholic drinks

• organising transport for customers wishing to leave
• providing information on taxis

• principles of responsible delivery of packaged liquor:

• ensuring adequate instruction to person delivering liquor
• seeking proof that the delivery is being received by a person over the age of 18
• procedures for delivering alcohol to an unoccupied premises

• principles of responsible service of alcohol, and their purpose and benefits
• principles of harm minimisation and community safety described in the jurisdiction’s liquor legislation
• strategies to minimise the harm associated with liquor abuse:

• those laid down in legislation and codes of conduct developed by government agencies and industry groups
• organisational policies that are designed to reduce the harm associated with liquor abuse

• key provisions of liquor laws and regulations at a depth relevant to the scope of job responsibility in licensed premises and the following general requirements of liquor legislation and information that must be customised for each State or Territory:

• legislative definition of intoxication; intoxicated person and unduly intoxicated
• role of individual staff members and supervisors or managers in providing responsible service of alcohol, and seller or server duty of care and liability
• requirement to adopt and use statutory signage on the premises for the entire range of circumstances applicable to the organisation
• requirements for mandatory content of warning signs and wording in advertising or promotional material of any form
• requirements relating to the remote sale and delivery of alcohol sales generated via the telephone, fax, email, internet or mail
• requirements for proof of age and obligations to minors under local legislation
• provisions for retaining and reporting falsified proof of age documents
• provisions for requiring someone to leave the premises
• transportation options for customers who have been removed from the premises
• procedures for barring customers from premises
• opening and closing hour provisions
• requirements for monitoring noise and disturbances in and around licensed premises
• requirements described by an in house policy, standard or code of practice or conduct for patrons and RSA staff in regard to responsible serving principles adopted by venue management
• organisational training and training record keeping requirements to maintain currency in RSA certification
• products that are banned or undesirable when responsibly selling or serving alcohol
• personal and business implications of breaching any laws, regulations, government or industry-driven codes of practice or conduct
• offences relating to the sale or service of alcohol and ramifications of non-compliance with the law and industry codes for the organisation, licensee and individual staff members

• legal restrictions on alcohol use customised to state or territory legislation
• intoxication provisions of liquor licensing laws
• legal drink and drive limits customised to state or territory legislation
• organisation specific policies and procedures for the responsible sale or service of alcohol.

Assessment Conditions

Skills must be demonstrated in an operational hospitality environment. This can be:

• an industry workplace
• a simulated industry environment.

Assessment must ensure access to:

• measures used to serve standard drinks or samples
• organisation specifications:

• signage:

• signs that comply with wording required by legislation
• standard promotional signs issued by the relevant state or territory licensing authority
• warning notices within any form of advertising

• information and plain English fact sheets distributed by government regulators and industry bodies
• contact information on taxis and available transport options for intoxicated customers

• industry-realistic range of customers to whom alcohol is sold or served; these can be:

• customers in an industry workplace during the assessment process; or
• individuals who participate in role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, in a simulated industry environment operated within a training organisation.

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors; and:

• have worked in industry for at least three years where they have applied the skills and knowledge of this unit of competency.