SITHFAB021 - Provide responsible service of alcohol

Unit code: SITHFAB021 | Study level: TAFE
Nominal hours
10
Location
Footscray Nicholson
Industry
Prerequisites
N/A
Overview
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Overview

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to responsibly sell, serve or supply alcohol.
Responsible practices must be undertaken wherever alcohol is sold, served or supplied, including where alcohol samples are served during on-site product tastings. This unit therefore applies to any workplace where alcohol is sold, served or supplied, including all types of hospitality venues, packaged liquor outlets and wineries, breweries and distilleries.
The unit applies to all levels of personnel involved in the sale, service, including promotional service and supply of alcohol in licensed premises. Those selling or serving alcohol may include food and beverage attendants; packaged liquor salespersons selling in person, over the phone or online; winery, brewery and distillery cellar door staff; delivery services 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, service or supply of alcohol.
Certification requirements differ across states and territories. In some cases, all people involved in the sale, service including promotional service and supply 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.

Assessment

For Melbourne campuses

Assessment tasks will be designed to reinforce & extend knowledge and skill competence within set & controlled parameters in accordance with each units learning outcomes & performance criteria requirements, including the setting of work based practical application tasks designed to provide evidence of competence outcomes, within periodic and scheduled timelines.

Students will be expected to demonstrate the following required skills:

  • interpret the relevant legal requirements for responsible sale or service of alcohol for the local state or territory law
  • source and explain two organisational or house policies and procedures that must be followed for the responsible sale or service of alcohol
  • outline at least three early indicators of intoxication and outline suitable intervention strategies to prevent intoxication
  • outline the 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
  • interpret organisational or house requirements and outline appropriate communication and conflict-resolution skills to be used when asking the following different intoxicated customers to leave the premises:
  • one compliant customer
  • one difficult customer refusing to leave.

Students will also be expected to demonstrate the following knowledge:

  • public interest reasons for implementing responsible service of alcohol (RSA) practices:
  • alcohol related harms and the benefits of RSA for the wider community
  • ways of assessing intoxication:
  • observing changes in behaviour
  • observing emotional and physical state
  • monitoring drink purchases
  • customers to whom sale or service should be refused according to house policy and state and territory legislation:
  • minors and those purchasing on behalf of minors
  • intoxicated persons
  • impact of excessive drinking on:
  • local neighbourhood and community
  • hospitality venues and the liquor industry
  • premises and staff
  • other customers
  • particular groups of customers who are at heightened risk:
    people affected by the consumption of illicit and other drugs
    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 signage
  • verbally
  • websites
  • current promotional and strategic community education campaigns developed and conducted by agencies and industry groups
  • effects of alcohol on:
  • emotional behaviour
  • 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:
  • alcoholic percentages and standard drinks in a range of frequently sold alcoholic beverages and vessels
  • indicators of erratic drinking patterns:
  • mixing a wide range of drink types
  • drinking quickly and in quick succession
  • ordering more than one drink for own consumption
  • consistently returning to the tasting site to request more samples
  • ordering multiple or large samples
  • ordering ‘triple shots’ or extra-large drinks
  • 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 aggressive 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 or companions
  • offering alternatives to alcohol including food or non-alcoholic drinks
  • organising or providing relevant information on transport for customers wishing to leave
  • 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 unoccupied premises
  • purpose and benefits of RSA
  • principles of harm minimisation
  • strategies to minimise the harm associated with liquor abuse:
  • those laid down in legislation or codes of conduct
  • organisational policies designed to reduce alcohol-related harm in the community
  • key provisions of liquor laws, regulations or house policies at a depth relevant to entry-level roles in licensed premises and the following general requirements and information that must be considered for the relevant State or Territory:
  • legislative definition of intoxication; intoxicated person or 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
  • content of RSA warning signs
  • requirements or practices relating to the remote sale and delivery of alcohol sales generated via the telephone, fax, email, internet or mail
  • requirements for proof of age under local legislation
  • provisions for retaining and reporting falsified proof of age documents
  • provisions for requiring someone to leave the premises
  • procedures for barring customers from premises
  • opening and closing hour provisions
  • requirements for monitoring noise and disturbances in and around licensed premises
  • personal 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 or regulations
  • 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 drink and drive limits customised to state or territory legislation
  • organisation specific policies and procedures for the responsible sale or service of alcohol.

Required reading

The qualified trainer and assessor will provide teaching and learning materials as required in the form of workbooks produced by Victoria University and/or via the Victoria University e-learning system.

As part of a course

This unit is studied as part of the following course(s):

Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management
SIT60322 | Advanced diploma | Duration:
Certificate II in Hospitality
SIT20322 | Certificate ii | Duration:
Certificate III in Hospitality
SIT30622 | Certificate iii | Duration:
Diploma of Hospitality Management
SIT50422 | Diploma | Duration:
Responsible service of alcohol
SITSS00071 | Non-award course | Duration: 1 day

Refer to the course page for information on how to apply for the course. VU takes care to ensure the accuracy of this unit information, but reserves the right to change or withdraw courses offered at any time. Please check that unit information is current with the Student Contact Centre.

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