legal restrictions on alcohol use customised to state or territory legislation, including intoxication provisions of liquor licensing laws

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

1. Sell or serve alcohol responsibly.

1.1 Sell or serve alcohol according to provisions of relevant state or territory legislation, licensing requirements and responsible service of alcohol principles.

1.2 Provide accurate information  to customers on alcoholic beverages according to organisation or house policy and government legislation, including types, strengths, standard drinks and the alcoholic percentages of a range of frequently sold alcoholic beverages.

1.3 Assist customers with information on the range of non alcoholic beverages available for purchase.

1.4 Identify issues  related to the sale and service of alcohol to different types of customers, especially those at risk , and incorporate them into sales or service.

2. Assist customers to drink within appropriate limits.

2.1 Prepare and serve standard drinks  or samples  according to industry requirements.

2.2 Encourage customers courteously and diplomatically to drink within appropriate limits.

2.3 Recognise erratic drinking patterns  as an early sign of possible intoxication and take appropriate action.

2.4 Monitor emotional and physical state of customers for signs of intoxication and ill effects of illicit or other drug usage.

2.5 Where appropriate, offer food and non alcoholic beverages.

2.6 Politely decline requests for alcohol to be dispensed in a manner that is irresponsible , or which encourages the rapid or excessive consumption of alcohol , and advise customers of the reasons for the refusal.

3. Assess alcohol affected customers and identify customers to whom sale or service must be refused.

3.1 Assess intoxication levels of customers using a number of methods, including observing changes in behaviour , observing emotional and physical state, and monitoring noise levels and drink purchases.

3.2 When assessing intoxication, take into account factors  that may affect individual responses to alcohol.

3.3 Identify customers to whom sale or service must be refused according to state and territory legislation, including minors, those purchasing on behalf of minors, intoxicated persons, and persons affected by the consumption of illicit and other drugs.

3.4 Where appropriate, request and obtain acceptable proof of age  prior to sale or service.

4. Refuse to provide alcohol.

4.1 Refuse service in a polite manner and state reasons for the refusal.

4.2 Speak to intoxicated  customers in a suitable and consistent manner, minimising confrontation and arguments and point out signage .

4.3 Provide appropriate assistance  to customers when refusing service.

4.4 Where appropriate, give customers a verbal warning and ask them to leave the premises according to organisation or house requirements, the specific situation and provisions of state or territory legislation and regulations.

4.5 Use appropriate communication and conflict resolution skills  to handle difficult situations.

4.6 Refer difficult situations beyond the scope of individual responsibility to the appropriate person.

4.7 Promptly identify situations that pose a threat to the safety or security of colleagues, customers or property, and seek assistance from appropriate colleagues according to organisational policy.

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication to:

• provide complex information on responsible service of alcohol laws in a way that is readily understood by customers
• speak firmly and clearly with intoxicated customers
• deal with customers sensitively, courteously and discreetly using non-confrontational language

• critical thinking skills to assess intoxication levels of customers
• initiative and enterprise skills to offer food and non-alcoholic beverages to assist customers
• learning skills to continuously update knowledge of changing responsible service of alcohol laws and regulations
• literacy skills to:

• read and interpret documents such as identification (ID) cards, proof of age cards, driver’s licences, statutory signage, warning signs and wording within advertising or promotional material, in-house policies and procedures and any general plain English regulatory and advisory information issued by local, or state and territory liquor licensing authorities

• numeracy skills to measure and calculate standard drinks or samples and calculate blood alcohol levels to determine alcohol consumption
• problem-solving skills to:

• identify customers to whom sale or service must be refused
• identify intoxicated persons and refuse service
• identify situations that pose a safety threat and seek assistance from appropriate colleagues

• teamwork skills to share customer information with team members to ensure proper responsible service of alcohol practices within the organisation.

Required knowledge 

• public interest reasons for implementation of responsible service of alcohol practices, including:

• government and community concern with alcohol misuse and abuse
• crime, violence and anti-social behaviour associated with alcohol abuse

• impact of excessive drinking on:

• local neighbourhood and community
• premises and staff
• customers
• particular types of customers who may be at heightened risk such as young people, pregnant women and minors
• government agencies such as the local police, health facilities and road authority

• key agencies and how to source relevant information on laws, regulations and codes of practice or conduct
• 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, including:

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

• time for effects of alcohol to be registered
• standard drinks and acceptable measures of alcohol
• indicators of intoxication, including ways of assessing intoxication of customers
• ways of assessing customers affected by the consumption of illicit and other drugs
• principles of harm minimisation and strategies to minimise the harm associated with liquor abuse:

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

• the key provisions of liquor laws and regulations at a depth relevant to the scope of job responsibility within licensed premises, including the following list that expresses general statements about 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, including 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 any warning signs and wording within advertising or promotional material of any form, such as print advertising or internet sales
• requirements for the remote sale and delivery of alcohol sales generated via the telephone, fax, email 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
• barring procedures
• opening and closing hour provisions
• requirements for monitoring noise and disturbances in and around licensed premises
• requirements laid down in codes of practice or conduct developed by government agencies or industry groups
• requirements described by an in-house policy, standard or code of practice or conduct
• training and record keeping requirements
• banned or undesirable products
• personal and business implications of breaching any laws, regulations, government or industry-driven codes of practice or conduct
• offences and penalties relating to offences

• legal restrictions on alcohol use customised to state or territory legislation, including intoxication provisions of liquor licensing laws
• legal drink and drive limits.