Unit of competency details

Version 

Comments 

2.0 updated on 2 March 2023

Minor changes to Range Statement

2.0

Amendments to the Evidence Guide which better define the assessment environment and assessment requirements of the unit.

1.0

E

Replaces and is equivalent to SITHFAB009A Provide responsible service of alcohol.

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.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the ability to:

• responsibly sell or serve alcohol on multiple occasions to customers
• satisfy the legal requirements for responsible sale or service of alcohol for the local state or territory law
• follow organisational policies and procedures for the responsible service of alcohol
• demonstrate knowledge of:

• reasons for and benefits of responsible service of alcohol
• principles of responsible service of alcohol and harm minimisation
• the key provisions of liquor laws and regulations at a depth relevant to the scope of job responsibility within licensed premises
• the ramifications of non-compliance with the law and industry codes for the organisation, licensee and individual staff members.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure use of:

• a real or simulated workplace
• a range of industry equipment to demonstrate standard drink measures or samples
• relevant and current publications, signage, information and plain English fact sheets distributed by government regulators and industry bodies.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess the practical skills and knowledge required to sell or serve alcohol responsibly.

The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• role-plays or case studies simulating customers, intoxicated patrons and alcohol that allow assessment of the individual’s ability to:

• interact with customers and explain organisational legal requirements to sell or serve alcohol responsibly
• explain in-house policies for the service of alcohol
• refuse service to people to whom alcohol cannot be served
• speak to intoxicated customers to minimise confrontation

• case studies and problem-solving activities to assess the individual’s ability to respond to:

• situations where customers are engaging in erratic drinking patterns
• signage deficiencies
• situations that pose a safety threat

• written or oral questioning to assess knowledge of legislation and all other knowledge components of this unit
• review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the individual.

Guidance information for assessment 

The assessor should design integrated assessment activities to holistically assess this unit with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example:

• SITHFAB202 Operate a bar
• SITHFAB302 Conduct a product tasting for alcoholic beverages
• SITHFAB303 Prepare and serve cocktails
• SITHFAB304 Provide advice on beers, spirits and liqueurs
• SITHFAB305 Provide advice on Australian wines
• SITHFAB306 Provide advice on imported wines
• SITHFAB307 Provide table service of food and beverage.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Accurate information  may be provided to customers:

• by use of fact sheets and advertising material that comply with legislative requirements
• by use of mandatory signage
• verbally.

Issues  may include:

• demeanour and mood
• familiarity with specific customers
• perceived effects of illicit and other drug usage
• perceived health status
• physical stature
• social context.

Those at risk  may include:

• minors
• people affected by the consumption of illicit and other drugs
• people from non-English speaking backgrounds
• women
• young customers.

Standard drinks  should be measured using:

• appropriate nip measures
• appropriately sized sample glasses
• electronic dispensing and measuring devices.

Samples  may include tastings of any item for sale in a:

• brewery
• distillery
• hospitality venue
• retail liquor outlet
• winery.

Erratic drinking patterns  may include:

• mixing a wide range of drink types
• drinking quickly and asking for more immediately
• ordering more than one drink for self-consumption
• mixing alcohol consumption with consumption of prescription or illicit drugs
• consistently returning to the tasting site to request more samples
• ordering multiple samples
• ordering large samples
• ordering ‘triple shots’ or extra large drinks.

Requests for drinks to be dispensed in a manner that is irresponsible , or which encourages the rapid or excessive consumption of liquor  include:

• jugs of spirits and mixers
• large samples
• laybacks
• multiple samples for self-consumption
• rocket fuel
• shooters
• test tubes
• yard glasses.

Changes in behaviour  may involve the customer becoming:

• aggressive
• disorderly
• quarrelsome
• violent.

Factors  include:

• food intake
• gender
• general health
• other substances taken, especially illicit and other drugs
• rate of consumption
• weight.

Proof of age  includes:

• current drivers licence
• passport
• photo card
• proof of age card.

Intoxicated  denotes:

• drunk
• those to whom service may be refused due to excessive consumption of alcohol
• ‘unduly intoxicated’ may also be used in some state or territory legislation.

Signage  may include:

• signs produced in-house that comply with wording required by legislation
• standard promotional signs issued by the relevant state or territory licensing authority
• warning notices within any form of advertising.

Appropriate assistance  may include:

• assisting the customer to connect with their designated driver
• offering alternatives to alcohol, including food
• offering to sell or serve non-alcoholic drinks
• organising transport for customers wishing to leave
• providing information on taxis.

Communication and conflict resolution skills  may include:

• using open and non-aggressive body language
• using a number of strategies to diffuse a situation, such as taking the person away from an audience or 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 body language
• remaining calm and using tactful language.