CHAPTER 3:
MONITOR THE WORK AREA, AND IDENTIFY AND ASSIST INTOXICATED PERSONS

  • Maintain observation and situational awareness of noise levels, drink orders and individual and crowd behaviour to detect early warning signs of security risks. As part of identifying and assisting intoxicated persons, monitoring behavioural cues is essential.
  • Where early warning signs are detected, intervene early to offer options to prevent intoxication. Therefore, identifying and assisting intoxicated persons before situations escalate is a fundamental responsibility.
  • Maintain a visible presence and provide information, instructions and assistance using professional and courteous communication that accounts for individual social and cultural differences. This approach is especially important when identifying and assisting intoxicated persons in diverse environments.
  • Promptly identify persons showing signs of intoxication or disorderly behaviour.
  • Ascertain cause of behaviour and assess intoxication level using calm, courteous and respectful oral and non-verbal language. Above all, identifying and assisting intoxicated persons ensures venue safety and compliance.
  • Assess behaviour against venue rules and offer options to ensure compliance in a manner that avoids aggression or hostility.

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3.1 Maintain observation and situational awareness of noise levels, drink orders and individual and crowd behaviour to detect early warning signs of security risks.

  • Staff members are required to be constantly aware of their surroundings and attentive to any instances of clients or groups of customers consuming alcohol inside the establishment.
  • By being prepared to handle any potential issues as soon as they arise, situations that can endanger workers and consumers or lessen how much other people enjoy the venue can hopefully be avoided.

When monitoring, take note of the following:

  • Types of beverages ordered
  • Who is placing the drink orders?
  • Who is drinking the beverages?
  • Consumption speed
  • Whether or if there is also food consumed
  • People who appear to be drunk
  • Are any drinking contests going on?
  • Which members of the group might be useful in dealing with drunk patrons?

3.2 Where early warning signs are detected, intervene early to offer options to prevent intoxication

  • Make sure that alcohol is provided, served, and marketed in a way that protects the amenity of the neighbourhood while still maintaining a safe atmosphere inside and outside of your venue.
  • Someone does not automatically require to leave the area just because they are intoxicated. Various viable options may be offered depending on the circumstance and level of drunkenness.

Common strategies to prevent undue intoxication

  • Stop drunk customers at the entrance
  • Keep an eye on the drinking atmosphere
  • Ensure the event host is aware that excessively intoxicated guests will not be served, even if they have paid an all-inclusive fee for the event
  • Don’t give out tickets for multiple drinks
  • You can persuade the drinkers to return to their seats or table by eliminating the bar stools and setting up extra tables
  • Change the décor to lessen the “bar” feeling and deter overindulgence
  • Change the background music from nonstop beats to tunes that people may recognise so that customers can recognise the passing of time
  • Provide water and have employees frequently provide it to customers to encourage them to moderate their alcohol consumption
  • Encourage customers to reduce their alcohol intake or switch to non-alcoholic beverages before they become excessively drunk
  • Reduce the volume of the show so that people can converse; this will slow down drinking
  • Every time a customer is served, have the bar staff evaluate them
  • Ensure the lighting is bright enough and the volume levels are low enough so that staff can assess patrons’ levels of intoxication during the event
  • Remember that a new person will frequently visit the bar for a “shout.” Observe the patrons in groups
  • Check on customers who have not yet walked up to the bar. The drunk customer may be the one who is sitting in the corner and receiving alcohol from friends

3.3 Maintain a visible presence and provide information, instructions and assistance using professional and courteous communication that accounts for individual social and cultural differences.

  • It may be more challenging to manage the situation when clients become more inebriated.
  • Customers frequently comprehend the restrictions in place and will follow them to enjoy their stay there.
  • The opposite is not always true. At times, things might have gotten out of hand, necessitating the assistance of others to restore order.

Some social and cultural ways of communicating

  • Be aware of the impact of culture
  • You are communicating with individuals
  • All cultures are equal
  • Speak clearly and concisely
  • Check for understanding
  • Be aware of non-verbal communication

3.4 Promptly identify persons showing signs of intoxication or disorderly behaviour.

Ways to identify persons showing signs of intoxication

  • 01 Look for bloodshot or glassy eyes
  • 02 Take note of the person’s smell
  • 03 Keep an eye out for weakened motor skills
  • 04 Size the person substantially

Recognising the behavioural signs of intoxication

  • Keep an eye out for a person’s inhibitions to drop
  • Pay attention to the person’s voice volume.
  • Notice if the person slurs their speech
  • Pay close attention to what they say
  • Keep an eye on how the person behaves with others
  • Determine the individual’s mood

Tool to help identify intoxication

  • Coordination
  • Alcohol Smell
  • Unsteady
  • Slurred Speech
  • Eyes Glazed

3.5 Ascertain cause of behaviour and assess intoxication level using calm, courteous and respectful oral and non-verbal language.

  • In essence, alcohol affects individuals differently owing to the following:
    • Speed of drinking
    • Strength of drink- The blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
    • Sexual orientation- Women are more affected than men.
    • Person’s weight- A smaller person is more negatively impacted than a larger person.
    • Size of the meal- someone who hasn’t eaten much is more likely to be affected than someone who has.
    • Alcohol tolerance- Compared to someone who drinks frequently, someone who drinks infrequently will appear more impaired in real.

3.6 Assess behaviour against venue rules and offer options to ensure compliance in a manner that avoids aggression or hostility.

  • Every organisation that offers alcohol sets up rules and guidelines to support the serving and consumption of alcohol responsibly.
  • Each nation and local administrative territory will have its own rules and laws governing the sale and serving of alcohol and how to deal with drunk customers.

Steps when handling intoxicated customers

  • Tell early
  • Avoid put-downs
  • Keep calm
  • Ever courteous
  • Clarify refusal
  • Alternatives
  • Report
  • Echo
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