2006/07 HSE figures for workplace Violence

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Title – 2006/07 HSE figures for workplace Violence
Source – HSE
Date – 30th July 2008

When you analyse the latest HSE figures for Workplace Violence you note that although there has been a slight decrease over last year, the statistics remain broadly flat since 2000.

The number of deaths is however at its highest level with 4 recorded in the year; a staggering 932 ‘Major’ injuries; and 5468 reported through RIDDOR where victims were off work for over 3 days.

As with all such statistics it is often what goes unreported that generates the real story. Undoubtedly these figures already present a worrying picture of work related violence in the UK, but no one is in any doubt of the additional cost of the unreported incidents that contribute to long term work related stress, lack of productivity and absenteeism.

Many working environments are by their very nature subject to aggression and violence, the increasingly worrying trend that concerns me is the attitude that abuse, aggression and violence should be something employees accept.

Understanding workplace violence is the first step in implementing measures to manage and resolve it; before you can understand it you have to accept that it is present in your workplace.

Workplace violence starts with abuse and harassment which is often subtle and difficult to identify unless employees bring it to the attention of managers and there can be a reluctance in coming forward as it might be perceived as a sign of weakness and therefore hinder progression. In other environments it manifests itself in a more obvious form of aggressive or even violent behaviour. This may be more recognisable but it can make employers more reticent to admit to, as it paints a very poor image of a business when ‘image’ is often a key marketing tool.

Apart from the obvious physical symptoms and injuries that are the result of workplace violence in all its forms, the more ‘expensive’ consequence is the unseen cost to business in employee retention, productivity, increased absenteeism, quality of work, levels of service they offer to your customers and co-operation between colleagues and management. Every proactive and successful business knows that maintaining staff morale is one of the keys to running a successful business. Can you really believe that the best employees will remain in your business if they feel undervalued, by their employer ignoring their wellbeing by reacting to workplace violence rather than proactively promoting ways of resolving it before it starts?

At Beyond The Blue, we provide solution to workplace violence in the many different sectors in which it presents itself. There are very few employees who are customer facing who have not experienced workplace violence in one form or another at some point and who would not benefit from our unique approach to resolving it. Our Conflict Management and Resolution Training is developed specifically to represent the working environment your employees face and therefore provides a more productive learning experience.

Please visit our website please visit at www.btbl.co.uk

Club backs down over ban on fat women

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Title – Club backs down over ban on fat women
Source – The Times
Date – 30th July 2008

Wow! I spend a great deal of time defending the Licensed Retail Sector and Security Industry in this blog and then every so often I am proved so wrong…

I have to say; I have never been to Jersey and I’m not sure exactly how things are done there.

Then again this is not a Jersey problem; sadly discrimination by door staff happens across the country. Partly this is brought on by pressure from managers and colleagues using the excuse of ‘old habits dying hard’ by those that are out of touch with the 21st century.

Door supervisors have to use their judgement every night of the week, they have to use their experience and instincts to protect their customers, colleagues and themselves from harm in deciding who they let in and who they refuse entry to. They have to protect the integrity of the premises they are working in from vandals, drug dealers, drunks and others who may endanger the premises licence and the livelihood of those working there. With this level of responsibility they will get it wrong every so often; but more often than not they get it right and the door supervisor community as a whole has progressed leaps and bounds in recent years, thanks to better training and the SIA licensing process (even with all its faults and excessively high costs).

There are however those who still let the community as a whole down and the press love to jump on a bandwagon. How often do you read the stories in the paper of the door supervisor who protected his/her customers from assault, from a knife attack or from their own irresponsible behaviour (excess alcohol, drug abuse and the many other self-inflicted injuries that occur on a nightly basis)?

Whoever was responsible for this farce in Jersey should really be held to account, because they do a disservice to everyone else working in the industry. Did they never attend training where the consequences of discrimination were discussed; do they understand the difference between the legal obligation to turn away a drunk or aggressive person and their duty to grant equal rights of entry and not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, disability, sex, sexual preference, hairstyle, shoe size, nationality and yes…. Size!

Every experienced door supervisor knows they have to make judgement calls in order to make safe the premises they have responsibility for, but they must use their best judgement and be prepared to back that up with a solid and proactive argument when asked to do so. Those that can’t, will find themselves in court and paying compensation for discrimination. If this case goes no further it will be through luck rather than good judgement, something that was clearly lacking. The manager may claim he ‘was protecting his business’, if that is his idea of protection, let’s hope the few customers he has left are able to protect themselves.

Beyond The Blue run the National Certificate for Door Supervisors (NCDS) for those wishing to work as Door Supervisors in the Licensed Retail Sector. We also specialise in Conflict Management & Resolution Courses directed at people working in environments where Workplace Violence occurs; we provide simple solutions to reduce violence and aggression in the workplace.

Please visit our website please visit at www.btbl.co.uk

Bar’s 10p beers ‘irresponsible’

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Title – Bar’s 10p beers ‘irresponsible’
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 29th July 2008

If this turns out to be as the owner describes it, ‘a one-off sale of a few bottles to regulars’, then this might be one of the greatest over-reactions to seen for a while.

Without knowing the ins and outs of the situation it strikes me as if; they came across some stock that was either close to its ‘sell-by’ date or a brand that did not sell particularly well and wanted to shift it to clear stock and space rather than just disposing of it.

It hardly seems like it is encouraging binge drinking. While the whole subject of alcohol retailing is receiving such high profile coverage and the enforcement of the Licensing Act 2003 is under fire with no clear approach being taken, this is exactly the type of incident that local authorities are going to cause further confusion with. It sometimes feels like the new licensing authorities were wholly unprepared for the hand-over from the magistrates and in some cases are still struggling to catch up, preferring to blame the ‘drink industry’ rather than accept any of the blame.

This story does if my suspicions prove correct not even merit further comment except to send a warning to the BBC:

Be careful, if you don’t want to find yourself in the dock again. Last month you were chastised for encouraging drink driving on Top Gear because the presenters were drinking while driving a truck across the Arctic ice during their Polar Special; next you will be held to account for encouraging binge drinking when Peggy Mitchell announces to a pub full of ‘punters’… “The drinks are on the House”

For those who want to understand the real meaning of Responsible Alcohol Retailing, Beyond The Blue offer the full portfolio of BIIAB licensed retail sector courses including the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH), The Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR) and the National Certificate for Designated Premises Supervisors (NCDPS).

Please visit our website please visit at

www.btbl.co.uk

Half empty or half full?

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Title – Half empty or half full?
Source – The Independent
Date – 29th July 2008

You would think that with all the talk of binge drinking and excess alcohol consumption the Licensed Retail Sector would be enjoying unparalleled success, yet the figures show how untrue that really is.

The figures released for beer sales make disturbing reading for those working in the sector; beer sales are down a staggering 7 million pints a day since 1979. From the graphs we can see that the convergence in the consumption of beer on licensed premise and at home. If this trend continues then in the next few years more beer will be drunk at home then in pubs and bars; yet pubs will still suffer the burden of tougher legislation for alcohol related problems and the burden of having to deal with customers who ‘pre-load’.

For an industry on the brink of crisis in several different forms, in an economic slowdown, under severe public pressure and political scrutiny these figures are not encouraging. With almost 4 pubs closing every day in the UK (source BBPA 2008), to stay in business they have to stay ahead of their competitors and this means changing their business models to suit their customers preferences almost before their customers have made this change themselves.

Certain changes occur as a result of legislation introduced, such as the smoking ban; some change occurs as businesses have capitalised on customers evolving taste buds; but those that succeed most regularly are those that never sit back having ‘accomplished’ their goals, but realise that the ever moving goalposts mean that standing still is never an option. As our customers evolve we must evolve to meet their needs and as legislation changes, so does the responsibility of the people working in the sector to ensure they are working within the law and within the guidance issued.

Our portfolio of training courses and Consultancy Services can ensure that your business is managing the challenges that the industry faces and can exploit the opportunities available to be better than the competition and help your business to succeed. Our courses include statutory courses such as the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH), the Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR) and the National Certificate for Designated Premises Supervisors (NCDPS)., as well as bespoke courses and consultancy we can develop especially for your business and your employees.

Please visit our website please visit at www.btbl.co.uk

Pubs blame discounts for beer sales slump

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Title – Pubs blame discounts for beer sales slump
Source – www.ft.com
Date – 28th July 2008

It’s a familiar story and one we have been covering in this blog for some time now; the decline of the ‘Great British Pub’. With an estimated 27 a week going under; tax rising; and the migration from pubs to supermarkets; even the bosses of some of the biggest listed ‘pub chains’ are now asking for more legislation. That is not something I ever thought I’d hear and reflects exactly how much the sector is suffering from what they see as ‘unfair’ competition and what some see as the increased burden of legislation without compensation.

Pubs have had a rough ride over the past few years. What many outside of the industry thought might be a ‘windfall’ when licensing was ‘relaxed’ under the 2003 Act never materialised as almost everyone in the sector predicted it wouldn’t; in many cases it actually added to the legislative burden on licensed retailers. The smoking ban came along and dealt another serious blow, as it led to a decline on on-sales and large reductions in income from certain activities such as gaming and all the while beer consumption has declined by 1.2 million pints a day, just in the last year.

On top of all of this, pubs are being blamed for many of the ills of society generally. Few of even the people within the sector will argue that alcohol consumption does not play a part in crime; but that they are being held culpable for so much of it, is what really is difficult to take. In the 1970’s when 90% of alcohol was consumed in licensed premises the argument that they had to burden much of the blame for any related social disorder held some weight, but in a age when within the next few years alcohol consumption outside of licensed premises will account for less than half of all alcohol consumed, the focus has to shift. It for this reason that the call has gone out for the introduction of ‘sensible legislation’

We have long been advocates of ‘sensible legislation’ and a more proactive approach by local authorities and government. We would welcome a more flexible approach that rewards responsible alcohol retailers and uses the already significant legislation available to stop those retailers who hold the vast majority back through their irresponsible practices.

Our Portfolio of Courses including the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH) and the Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailers (ARAR), which are the first steps to training staff in best practice and creating responsible retailing practices. Responsible Alcohol Retailing allows you to stand out in a crowded and challenging business environment. The sector as a whole may be selling less beer, but the outstanding retailers are bucking that trend and taking a bigger slice of the pie than those that allow their businesses to run into ruin through poor practices.

Our Consultancy Service can help you to take a fresh look at your business and develop business actions plans to turn around or re-invigorate your business and place you squarely above your competition.

Please visit our website please visit at www.btbl.co.uk

Health chiefs call time on alcohol happy hours and extra-large glasses as voluntary code fails

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Title – Health chiefs call time on alcohol happy hours and extra-large glasses as voluntary code fails
Source – The Times
Date – 23rd July 2008

The KPMG report does seem to state the obvious, it doesn’t take respected auditors to tell us that staff working in licenses premises sometimes sell to drunk people. There is after all no legal definition of the word ‘Drunk’ as referred to in the Licensing Act 2003 and although selling alcohol to a drunk person is an offence, there is a clear reluctance or inability to enforce this by the authorities, leaving little in the way of guidance or deterrent.

These latest reports are nothing new and I have commentated at length about the size of wine glasses and ’24-hour’ drinking in this blog previously. It is the disjointed nature of the arguments that I find frustrating. Classing everyone under the umbrella of the ‘Drinks Industry’ is a wholly outdated approach. 20 years ago pubs were largely owned by the breweries, this made the link more tenable and enforceable. That is no longer the case and much of the ability to enforce a code of conduct by drinks manufacturers has gone with ‘pub groups’ and independents now dominating the market.

For this reason linking drink labelling to dj’s encouraging customers to drink more, is a very uncohesive, unworkable approach.

Many people have recently used the automotive industry as a comparison; it is a little like holding petrol stations responsible for speeding or the car industry for not encouraging people to drive less; it simply does not work in practice or as an argument.

The government needs to address those aspects of the industry it can individually; local authorities need to explore how to reasonably use the powers they already have (before asking for more) selectively rather than simply blaming licensed retailers as a whole for the poor performance of the few; and the licensed retailers need to start putting their own house in order where it has frayed at the edges. Until these individual sections are addressed in a sensible and constructive manner; nothing will change.

There is another factor in all of this and that is the general public, they have a responsibility and they need to be given that responsibility and face the consequences when they break the law. Responsible alcohol retailers can not take all the blame for individuals who drink to excess or become aggressive and violent when they consume alcohol. Ultimately we are all responsible for our own actions and much of the behaviour that blights the streets of city centres every Friday and Saturday night are the same irresponsible individuals that know they face little or no sanction for their actions. Not only does this need to change, but society as a whole needs to view these people with the same distain with which they view ‘drink drivers’ or ‘football hooligans’; because as long as we accept this type of behaviour, it will continue.

Our approach to responsible alcohol retailing at Beyond The Blue is to provide effective training to everyone working in the licensed retail sector. Through training such as the Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR) and the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH) employees will understand not only their responsibilities under the Licensing Act 2003, but also the consequences of their actions or inaction. Through our portfolio of BIIAB courses, Security Industry courses and Conflict Management & Resolution courses we offer a comprehensive approach for the licensed retail sector.

Please visit our website please visit at www.btbl.co.uk

A licence for disorder and dangerous drinking

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Title – A licence for disorder and dangerous drinking
Source – The Daily Telegraph
Date – 23rd July 2008

This commentary on the situation within the licensed retail sector is certainly one of many fragmented opinions that different sections of the community and government are vocalising more and more.

There is a sense of fragmentation in opinion both within the industry and within public opinion.

Ask young people going out for a drink on a Friday night if they are doing anything wrong and they will tell you that they work hard all week and enjoy their weekends.

Ask the same question of some politicians and they will refer to them as binge drinkers and a burden on society.

Ask responsible alcohol retailers their opinion and they will tell you they spend a great deal on training and enforcement to ensure that these individuals can drink safely and socialise in secure environments.

Ask the drink manufacturers and many will tell you they are trying their best but they are too detached from the end consumer to enforce their best practice guidelines and rely on the retailer to follow their guidance.

Alcohol retailers know their responsibilities, these are drilled into them during the National Certificate for Personal License Holders Course (NCPLH) and the associated examination they need to pass in order to apply and obtain a Personal Licence. But these same retailers are also competing in a market place in which 27 pubs a week are closing (source BBPA 2008), they face fierce competition from cut-price supermarkets, a severe downturn in the economy, tax increases, higher food and fuel prices and even the lack of the bi-annual bonus of a major football championship; all of which are squeezing their margins.

Things are hard all round, retailers are not getting anything but pressure from all sides. There are undoubtedly irresponsible retailers out there and they should be stopped, because they are the ones adding the already unbearable pressure that is not only forcing unprecedented closures, but driving out even the best retailers through exasperation.

Responsible alcohol retailers would welcome a clamp down on those that retail irresponsibly; it would allow them to compete on a more level playing field, give even greater importance to their quality of service and reduce the pressure on the industry as a whole. The law is there to allow the authorities to act against those letting the vast majority of responsible retailers down, but there is confusion on whose responsibility it is to enforce.

The cogs are in place to resolve many of the problems, but the cogs need to work together to achieve this and currently they all have separate objectives. The fear is that without a voluntary and enforceable strategy that rewards good as well as punishing bad, more expensive and restrictive legislation drawn up by people who have a very one-sided opinions and objectives will drive many more responsible retailers out of business at the expense of those willing to cut corners.

At Beyond The Blue we run the portfolio of BIIAB training courses and qualifications including the Award In Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR) and the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH). Training staff is the foundation of any proactive employer working in this sector and we are ideally placed to help our clients achieve their goals.

Please visit our website please visit at www.btbl.co.uk

Control of drinking areas would help racecourses beat louts to the punch

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Title – Control of drinking areas would help racecourses beat louts to the punch
Source – The Times
Date – 22 July 2008

I found reading this commentary quite depressing, firstly because of the sense that race courses now seem to be suffering the blight of individual ‘hooligans’; because they seem to have no idea how to deal with it; but mainly because of the commentators resignation that there is nothing that can be reasonably be done about it.

It is precisely this attitude that such behaviour is an inevitable part of our society that has given that small minority of thugs and trouble makers carte blanche to behave in this way. I am old enough to remember the bad old days of the seventies and eighties when many football grounds became no-go areas because of football hooliganism. In those days it was not called alcohol-fuelled hooliganism, but I defy anyone to say that the hooligans weren’t in the most part drunk when they went on the rampage under the guise of their football team. I lived in Brussels when my beloved Liverpool played that fateful match at the Heizel stadium; I saw the supporters of both teams ‘fuelling up’ in town before the ‘game’.

My point is we didn’t blame ‘hooliganism’ purely on alcohol, the blame went on the individuals involved and we should be very proud of the great success that football has made in eradicating the scourge that tainted the beautiful game. No one can really deny that alcohol plays a part in violence, but the answer has never been prohibition. ‘Control’ is part of the solution and responsible alcohol retailing should be a central theme, but the vast majority of people who enjoy alcohol responsibly should not be held to ransom by the few who are inherently thugs and bullies, who use alcohol as an excuse.

That the commentator quotes “..venues may be unable to restrict degrees of drinking, but they should certainly restrict the areas where it is drunk…” is I am sure not the attitude taken by the race course management themselves. The fact is that the events he mentions should be encouraged, they bring in business and importantly new business; however that as a consequence violence will follow should not be accepted. There are plenty of responsible customers out there to provide the additional trade the racecourses are looking for, without the need to scramble for the few extra pounds that this minority bring. Besides, there is no doubt that without accepting this minority there is actually scope to increase income and reduce expenses. Most income comes from responsible customers and they simply do not want to attend venues and events where violence is accepted.

The solution, apart from zero tolerance policies and restricting access to those who act in an aggressive or violent manner, is to provide staff with our excellent training to reduce these instances from occurring in the first place. Responsible alcohol retailing relies on staff being well trained and observing the regulations laid down in the Licensing Act 2003 and the Licensing Objectives, that provide the frame work to ensure disorder is not permitted in licensed premises. Courses such as the Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR) for front line staff and the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH) for supervisory staff and managers, cover the framework of the act and look at ways of ensuring alcohol is retailed responsibly; we don’t have to accept drunkenness we have to prevent it.

Our Conflict Management & Resolution course (CMR) provides workplace specific solutions to Workplace Violence. This course aims to allow your employees to identify aggression and manage it before it turns to violence. For high risk environments our Physical Intervention course (PI) give employees the techniques to protect themselves, their colleagues and customers from violence by employing our low-impact disengagement and techniques. Where required we can also teach restraint and escorting techniques that allow suitably trained staff to remove violent individuals from your premises in a safe and low-impact professional manner.

Please visit our website please visit at www.btbl.co.uk

24hr Drink ban for party town

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Title – 24hr Drink ban for party town
Source – Metro
Date – 2nd July 2008

The Licensing Act 2003 gave provision for the Police to use closure orders to prevent crime and disorder, but they are always a reluctance to enforce such measures unless it is as a matter of last resort. Facebook and other social networking sites have led to a spate of ‘gatherings’ both in private residences and public places that have resulted in large scale disturbances and damage.

There have been several private parties that have been posted on Facebook and where hundreds have turned up ‘uninvited’ and literally trashed private residences causing tens of thousands of pounds of damage. A similar event on the London underground the day before Boris’s drinking ban came into effect attracted thousands and resulted in great sections of the tube being closed to prevent further disorder. The ‘wild-fire’ nature of these open invitations on social networking sights are impossible to control and as such we can expect to see more and more of the powers granted to the licensing authorities and police being used to promote the licensing objectives:

• The Prevention of Crime and Disorder


• Public Safety


• The Prevention of Public Nuisance


• The Protection of Children From Harm

Everyone working within the Licensed Retail Sector has a duty to promote these objectives and to understand the local licensing policy and the Licensing Act 2003. This is achieved through effective training of managers and staff and in obtaining qualifications such as the Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR), the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH) and the National Certificate for Designated Premises Supervisors (NCDPS), all of which are available from Beyond The Blue Ltd.

It is only through a dynamic and cohesive approach, where licensed retailers work closely with the police and licensing authorities to achieve the same goals and successfully promote the licensing objectives that the retailers who will ultimately profit from less disorder and the associated cost reduction.

Please visit our website please visit at www.btbl.co.uk

24-hour licensing has not cut drink-fuelled violence say frontline workers

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Title – 24-hour licensing has not cut drink-fuelled violence say frontline workers
Source – The Times
Date – 1st July 2008

Yet another report of how the Licensing Act 2003 has failed, it is nothing new, in fact I sometimes wonder if what is really failing in the UK is people’s memories and their ability to look at two sides of the same story.

Ask anyone involved in any form of education, be they a teacher, trainer, instructor or tutor and ask them what is most difficult to change in a student and they will answer in unison ‘their values’. The ‘cultural shift’ to a café society that was so muted, was never going to happen in a couple of year and certainly not simply by allowing people to drink later. Even after the Act, try going out in London at 2am and finding somewhere to have a pint and your options will be limited; often with a cover charge or a long queue to negotiate. Cultural change takes a generation and we spent nearly a century with 23.00 closing times, 2 years is hardly long enough to change our drinking habits.

The very quintessential British ‘pint’ has always for me represented this prohibition mentality, it is a uniquely British concept. I don’t know of anywhere else in the world where the standard unit of beer is a pint or half litre, everywhere else the standard measure for a beer is a half pint or less. The origins of the pint elude me, but the reasons for smaller measures everywhere else is clear. The smaller size allows for better quality to be experienced, because the beer neither goes flat, nor warm over the time it is drunk. It may well be that because traditional ‘ale’ was not reliant on being cold to be enjoyed and the famous British ‘Warm Beer’ meant that the quality was not lost as the drink was at room temperature when served. This has obviously changed as both ‘bitter’ and ‘lager’ now rely on being served cold, which is no doubt a factor for British drinkers finish their pints more.

What amazes me is that anyone thought for a second that simply extending drinking times was the solution and to hear the complaints now in this article suggest more that there is a lack of understanding than anything. The Licensing Act 2003 introduced a swath of new powers for the authorities, very few of which have been used effectively. Just introducing the act was never alone going to have an effect, whereas implementing the powers at their disposal might.

That local authorities are complaining about the rise in costs, also seems odd. It is hardly surprising to see such a huge increase in costs when prior to the act they had little or no involvement with licensing policy and enforcement as this was primarily carried out by the magistrates. They wanted the control in this area, they asked for it, maybe they just were not quite as aware of how complicated a business licensing really was. As for the police reaction, are we really surprised that crime is happening later, when one of the key objectives was to spread out the times that people left licensed premises and therefore the times that disorder is likely to occur; so far from being a failure this is exactly what the act set out to do on that front. However all parties need to make more of an effort as a reduction in overall crime has to be the next objective and we all have a role to play in this.

The first step for licensed retailers should be the effective training of their teams to ensure they all play their vital role in reducing crime and disorder, one of the four key licensing objectives. At Beyond The Blue we offer the portfolio of BIIAB licensing courses including the National Certificate for Door Supervisors (NCDS), the Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR) and the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH) both of which offer core learning objectives in Responsible Alcohol Retailing.

Please visit our website please visit at www.btbl.co.uk