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As a service or bar manager or staff member you cannot prevent every alcohol induced accident but there are things you can do to limit the risks. This all starts with the responsible service of alcohol.
Under the Intoxicating Liquor Act it is an offence for a licensee to:
- to supply intoxicating liquor to a drunken person or to any person for consumption by a drunken person;
- Permit a drunken person to consume intoxicating liquor;
- Permit drunkenness to take place in the bar; or
- Admit any drunken person to the bar.
This act is in place to help reduce the risk to drinkers and those around them. It can be daunting to ask diners in a restaurant already in the middle of their meal to produce ID before you serve that bottle of wine. Maybe you don’t want to risk ‘causing a scene’ by telling a patron they’ve had enough. But just think, in Ireland drink driving accounts for an estimated 33% of road fatalities. In the UK Alcohol is the single biggest cause of accidents in the home. Around 4,000 fatal accidents that happen in homes every year, 400 of these are alcohol-related. Alcohol is also a factor in up to one in four workplace accidents and can account for up to a third of accidental fire deaths.
In England alone, around 21,700 people are admitted to hospital each year with alcohol poisoning, A very high proportion of these are young people, many being underage. It is important that alcohol is not served to any person under the legal age limit and that ID is checked and verified before service.
It is not just the irresponsible consumption which can cause harm. Bars and restaurants are trusted by the public to provide a safe and controlled environments for people to relax and enjoy a romantic evening meal or family gathering.
Not only is the irresponsible service of alcohol dangerous for the public but it also puts service staff, bar staff and your business at risk. Drunk customers are more difficult to deal with causing disorder and issues which may escalate into aggression and violence. Drunken people are far more likely to cause damage to premises and property which can cost your business significantly. Mess such as spillages, breakages etc. can increase the likelihood of further accidents such as slips, trips and falls.
To deal with disorderly conduct your business will need to increase staff numbers and can suffer from high staff turnover. This can also give a premises a bad reputation that in turn attracts more disorderly people and deters other customers. Extra visits from the police can also put your license at risk.
You can ensure that your staff are fully compliant and properly educated on the effects and risks associated with the service of alcohol by enrolling them in an online Responsible Service of Alcohol course. To learn more or to enroll feel free to contact us here.
