Serving alcoholic beverages to people who are underage or to people who cannot handle their drinks can lead to terrible consequences. Hence many countries of the world have specific legislations that mandate that alcohol servers be trained to avoid unfortunate instances of excessive drinking.
Many states, like California, have strict rules that mandate the hiring of only trained servers and managers at places that serve alcoholic beverages. So if you live in California or you wish to work there as an alcohol server, then you can go to Rbs training to know more about the mandatory courses for alcohol servers in the state.
What Are the Components of Responsible Beverage Service
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The Ability to Spot Early Signs of Intoxication
A person who is responsible for serving alcohol should be adept at spotting the early signs of intoxication. Slurred speech is the most prominent and visible sign of overdrinking. So if you notice that a customer has been sitting in the bar for way too long and he seems to speak in an incomprehensible language as time passes, then you must cut out his alcohol.
Apart from slurred speech, incoordination or loss of balance while moving is also a sign of intoxication. So if you notice that a person has been banging across things way too often, then what is considered normal or if a person has had a fall after consuming some glasses of drink, then it is time to cut out his alcohol.
Getting violent way too quickly can also be a sign of intoxication. However, violence and rash behavior can also be a person’s personality. So you need to be careful before calling out a person for rash behavior.
If you do not stop serving alcohol after spotting early signs of intoxication, like slurred speech and lack of coordinated movement, then the drinker may lose consciousness or suffer from extreme dehydration, which can be fatal.
So whenever you spot behavior that is not normal, like extreme euphoria, extreme anger, or random falls, you ought to be cautious. However, it can be quite tricky to refuse drinks to a guest who is already high.
Most often, the person who is intoxicated does not realize that he is already high, and so he may refuse to stop drinking. And in such cases, matters can quickly escalate and go out of hand. However, if you are trained, then you know how to handle the situation. Hence, most countries mandate that alcohol services in public places be trained before they are recruited by bars, restaurants or hotels.
Checking and Verifying Proof of Age
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Verifying the age of the person to whom you serve alcohol is important because most countries of the world forbid serving alcohol to people who are not majors. Most often, it is challenging to figure out if a person is a major or minor when teenagers demand alcohol.
There are some people who naturally look youthful, but they may be legally eligible for getting alcohol. However, there are some teenagers who try to mislead servers and managers by faking their age. So it is important that you know the importance of verifying the age of people before you serve any alcoholic drink to them.
Knowing Intervention Techniques That Can Prevent Intoxication-Related Fatalities
If you are a trained alcohol server, then you will know what are the signs of intoxication, and you must take steps to help people who get intoxicated. As a trained person, you should ask a person to drink in moderation.
You should also be able to comfort people who have drunk way too much. So a person who is showing signs of dehydration has to be offered water continuously so that the impact of the dehydration is minimized.
Likewise, it may be necessary to keep a person awake before any further help arrives. You must also know of techniques that can prevent choking, and you must call emergency services at the earliest without going into a panic.
Knowing the Local Laws about Alcohol Sale and Consumption
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If you are a trained person, then you will know the local statutes related to alcohol sales. So you will know under what circumstances it is illegal to sell alcohol.
You will also know the laws related to dry days (if any), and you will know the timings up to which the bars remain open and serve alcohol. Apart from these, there are a plethora of laws related to the person to whom you can or cannot serve a drink and what your liabilities are in case you do not follow any of the statutes.
Why Is It Essential to Train for Responsible Beverage Service?
Many states, like California, have an exam which you need to qualify for if you wish to work as an alcohol server or manager. So if you are well-trained and you know how to act in tricky situations, then you can easily pass the examination and obtain a license.
Moreover, every year, there are several instances where intoxicated people are caught in cases of road rage or cause accidents when they are behind the wheel. Apart from this, the sale of alcohol to people who are minors has serious ramifications for society at large.
Also, if a drunk person misbehaves or causes havoc at your bar or restaurant, you will be partly liable for all the damage that he causes. So it is essential to train for responsible beverage service so that you can fulfill your societal responsibilities and ensure that your customers are not harmed themselves or that they do not become a source of nuisance for others.
Conclusion
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Depending on the state or the country that you wish to work in, the requirement for the license or the time period for which the license is valid varies. However, it is essential to have a valid license at all times that you are working as an alcohol server because it will save you from unnecessary legal hassles. Further, it will also ensure that alcohol is served responsibly in the state or the country at all times.