Serving It Right key terms

A fixed measure used to count alcohol intake, equal in Canada to 13.6 grams of pure alcohol, roughly one 341 mL beer at 5%, one 142 mL wine at 12%, or one 43 mL spirit at 40%.

The percentage of alcohol present in a person's bloodstream, rising with each drink and falling slowly over time as the liver metabolizes alcohol, typically at about one standard drink per hour.

A temporary state of reduced physical and mental control caused by alcohol or other drugs, shown by slurred speech, poor coordination, impaired judgment, and slowed reactions. Staff may not serve anyone who appears intoxicated.

Any reduction in a person's ability to think, judge, or move safely because of alcohol, ranging from mild relaxation to severe loss of control, regardless of the number of drinks consumed.

Observable cues that a guest is becoming impaired, such as loud or slurred speech, glassy eyes, staggering, spilling drinks, aggression, drowsiness, or repeated trips to the washroom.

The speed at which alcohol enters the bloodstream, affected by food in the stomach, drink strength, drinking speed, body weight, and carbonation, which together shape how quickly impairment appears.

A regular drinker's reduced outward reaction to the same amount of alcohol. Tolerance does not lower blood alcohol concentration, so a guest who seems fine may still be legally impaired.

The legal and ethical obligation of servers and establishments to protect guests and the public from foreseeable harm linked to alcohol service, including over-service, impaired driving, and violence.

Legal responsibility for harm caused to another person, allowing injured parties to sue the server, manager, or licensee for damages. Courts assess whether service fell below a reasonable standard.

Serving alcohol to a guest beyond the point of safe consumption, or serving someone already intoxicated. It is the most common trigger for liability claims against licensed establishments.

The moment a server decides to stop serving alcohol to a guest, ideally delivered politely and firmly with an offer of food, water, or a taxi, and recorded for the establishment's protection.

Declining to sell or supply alcohol to a guest who is intoxicated, underage, unable to show valid identification, or otherwise prohibited. Refusal must be clear, calm, and documented.

An unexpired, government-issued document with photo, birth date, and signature, such as a driver's licence, passport, or provincial photo card, accepted as proof of legal drinking age.

The routine practice of checking identification before serving alcohol, applied consistently to every guest who appears young, and repeated whenever doubt about a guest's age arises.

Requesting a second document, such as a credit card or student card, to cross-check name and details when a first piece of identification looks altered, borrowed, or suspicious.

A written record made soon after an unusual event, such as a refusal, ejection, injury, or fight, capturing facts, times, witnesses, and actions taken to support later review or legal defence.

Ongoing observation of guests throughout their visit, tracking how many drinks they have had, how fast they are drinking, and whether their behaviour or appearance is changing.

Managing the speed and rhythm of service, for example by spacing rounds, offering water and food, and avoiding double orders, so guests drink more slowly and stay safer.

A planned, respectful action taken by staff to prevent harm, such as slowing service, offering food, calling a taxi, or refusing a drink, delivered calmly and without embarrassing the guest.

An establishment's written rules on alcohol service, covering hours, limits, identification checks, refusal procedures, and staff responsibilities, which all employees must follow consistently.

A permit issued by a provincial or territorial authority allowing a business to sell and serve alcohol, subject to conditions such as hours, capacity, food service, and staff training requirements.

The government body that regulates alcohol sales in a province or territory, issues licences, inspects premises, investigates complaints, and can suspend or revoke a licence for violations.

A scheduled or surprise inspection in which a regulator or internal reviewer checks whether the establishment follows licence conditions, house policy, and training requirements, often through direct observation.

The legal benchmark describing how an ordinary, careful person would act in similar circumstances. Server conduct is judged against what a reasonable person would have done.

A documented step-by-step method for routine tasks, such as opening a shift, checking identification, or closing the bar, that keeps service consistent and supports training and audits.

The structured introduction of a new employee to the workplace, covering policies, safety rules, service standards, and supervised practice before the person works independently with guests.

The first phase of onboarding, giving new staff essential information about the business, its culture, emergency procedures, and alcohol service expectations during their initial days.

A practical assessment confirming that a trainee can perform a task correctly and safely, such as checking identification or refusing service, before being cleared to work alone.

Periodic retraining that renews knowledge and skills after initial certification, keeping staff current on law changes, house policy updates, and lessons from past incidents.

Formal proof that a worker has completed required alcohol-service training and passed its assessment, often valid for a set period and required by the licensing authority.

Documentation of who was trained, when, by whom, and on what content, kept to demonstrate due diligence during inspections and to schedule refresher training on time.

The safety-focused part of a new worker's introduction, covering hazards, emergency exits, first aid, incident reporting, and rights to refuse unsafe work.

Any condition or activity in the venue that could injure someone, such as wet floors, broken glass, heavy kegs, hot surfaces, aggressive patrons, or poorly lit stairs.

A structured review that identifies hazards, estimates how likely and how serious harm could be, and sets controls to reduce risk before an incident occurs.

Gear worn to reduce injury risk, such as cut-resistant gloves, non-slip shoes, eye protection, and aprons, selected for the task and maintained in good condition.

Unwelcome conduct, comments, or attention that offends, intimidates, or humiliates a person, whether from a coworker, manager, or guest, and which employers must address promptly.

Any act or threat of physical force, including hitting, throwing objects, or menacing behaviour, that causes or could cause injury to a worker during their duties.

A written commitment by the employer to prevent harassment and discrimination, describing expected conduct, reporting channels, investigation steps, and protections against retaliation.

The defined path for raising a concern about conduct or safety, including whom to contact, how confidentiality is handled, timelines for response, and how outcomes are communicated.

Alberta's mandatory training program for people who sell or serve alcohol, covering legal responsibilities, identification checks, intoxication recognition, and safe service practices.

British Columbia's required responsible beverage service course for licensees and servers, teaching legal duties, signs of intoxication, refusal skills, and documentation practices.