Considering bartending or cafes that involve the handling of alcohol? Then you must know that you are legally bound to get a Responsible Service of Alcohol certificate to be eligible to operate. If you were not aware, here is all you need to know about the RSA certificate and whether it is worth your while or not.
What Is A Responsible Service Of Alcohol?
RSA is a certificate that is a requirement by law for people involved or working in places that include handling alcohol. Although it is a legal requirement all over Australia, different states have different eligibility criteria, etc. However, all bartenders, floor staff, management, supervisors, providers, security officers, and volunteers must have an RSA certificate. All employees must possess an RSA certificate before operating and practising. For that, they need to undergo server permit training from a reputed institute.
To obtain this certificate, you are required to take an RSA course. You can take an RSA course in Melbourne from NIET, the most established and recognized Australia-wide. This respected training center has skilled professionals that will brief you and teach all the required mandatory teaching.
What Is Taught In An RSA Course?
An RSA course is mandatory for various reasons. This course teaches you the essentials and basics to ensure the safe use of alcohol. There are two ways of delivering this course; online and face-to-face. Both the delivery methods deliver the same course/training. You will be taught the following things and skills in an RSA course:
- How to handle alcohol properly.
- How to store alcohol properly.
- How to serve alcohol properly.
- How to mix and make drinks appropriately.
- How to assist customers.
- When is the appropriate time to stop serving a customer who might be a danger or a threat to themselves.
- How to refuse a customer properly to not offend their sentiments.
- The proper way to communicate with customers who are intoxicated.
- Laws and regulations regarding alcohol serving.
This course will prepare you for situations that you might have to deal with as a bartender and alcohol server or handler. It also teaches you how to protect yourself and your customers in case of an emergency or difficult situations.
Usually, the course is thirty day long.
Keep In Mind, That Your RSA Certificate Requires Renewal.
Once you have been awarded an RSA license, you are eligible to handle and serve alcohol for three years. After three years, your license expires and you need to take the course again and get a new license.
Why Is It Important To Get An RSA Certificate?
Taking an RSA course is not obligatory in other parts of the world. Why is it important in Australia only? Alcohol is a dangerous tool if it is misused or abused for not only the consumer but also the people around the consumer. Moreover, there is room for a lot of criminal activity if there is not a proper check on the utilization of alcohol. Therefore, it is important that handlers and servers take the Responsible Service of Alcohol certificate to prove their capability .