Policies

Responsible Service Of Alchol

Intoxicated Persons (Employee's Standard Operating Procedure)

Pelican RSL Club has embraced responsible service practices in the sale, supply and promotion of liquor, therefore:

Enhancing Servicing Practices

Security personnel will constantly patrol and monitor all areas of the club to ensure no patron on the premises is intoxicated, violent, quarrelsome or disorderly.

Intoxication

Should a patron have a change in normal behaviour, plus sufficient indicators i.e. aggression, obnoxiousness, argumentative, animated, untidy or seen spilling drinks, bumping or knocking customers, having difficulty standing, dropping or walking into objects, advise the Supervisor, bar staff and the Security Supervisor. The Supervisor will record the decision and actions in the Club's Incident Register.

Refusal of Service

In the event of the need for refusal of service, make your reasoning as clear as you can. Always be calm, polite and speak clearly, re-assure the patron that they are a valued customer and welcome to return at another time.

The Supervisor will request the patron to leave, monitor his/her removal and arrange safe passage away from premise (call a taxi or telephone a nominated friend). All available particulars of the patron will be recorded in the Club's Incident Register.

Should a patron be aggressive, violent or disorderly and refuse to leave the club premises, the Supervisor will summon Police assistance in removing the patron. Excessive physical force in removing a patron will not be tolerated.

Outside Security Staff

Patrol the exterior of the club, the car park and surrounding streets, to maintain patron behaviour and property safety, whilst ensuring the quiet and good order of the neighbourhood is not unduly disturbed. Record any incident of anti-social behaviour in Club's Incident Register

By Order of the Board

The Liquor Licensing Act aims to ensure that those who consume alcohol only do so in a responsible manner. Pelican RSL Club is committed to the principles of responsible service of alcohol. All employees must adhere to the following responsible service of alcohol practices, below is an extract of Pelican Clubs policy on Responsible service of Alcohol:

  • No liquor will be served to minors (less than 18 years of age).
  • No intoxicated persons will be admitted to the Club.
  • Intoxicated persons will be refused service of liquor.

It is not only your right to follow the above principles; it is your obligation. Determining whether a person is intoxicated is not as easy as one may think. It is important to watch for signs that someone is becoming intoxicated, but common sense is also required. As well as mood and demeanour, and the number of drinks consumed, look for the following:

A notable change in behaviour, especially antisocial, inappropriate or violent behaviour, use of abusive language

  • Slurring of, or mistakes in speech
  • Clumsiness, knocking things over (like a drink or ashtray), or fumbling with change
  • A significant loss of coordination (usually swaggering or swaying)
  • A degree of confusion, a lack of understanding or ability to hear, and a difficulty in responding
  • Physical illness such as vomiting

Always be calm and polite when refusing service to a person you think is becoming or is intoxicated. If people are proving hard to reason with, repeat in a firm but controlled voice that, by law, they cannot be served another alcoholic drink. You should always approach these situations with tact and offer the patron a non-alcoholic alternative such as a soft drink, tea or coffee. It is also advisable to offer to arrange transport home for the intoxicated patron, such as a taxi. In all cases where you want to refuse service, you must first notify the Supervisor who will then deal with the situation further.

Responsible service of alcohol is becoming increasingly more relevant and you should be aware that serious offences are handed out to both licensees and individual bar employees who don't adhere to these guidelines.

In NSW the current applicable penalty is a maximum $5500 fine for the following offences:

  • Permit intoxicated or indecent or quarrelsome behaviour on licensed or registered club premises
  • Sell or supply liquor to intoxicated person on licensed or club premises
  • Sell or supply liquor to a minor