Purpose:
The focus of this policy is to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for all users of venue.
Responsibility:
It is every member of staff’s responsibility to pro-actively collect drinking vessels. In busier periods – for example, Friday/Saturday night, supervisors/management should assign or (or employ) the role of glass collector(s), in addition to assigned ‘floor staff’.
Clearing Drinking Vessels
We aim to reduce the likelihood of broken glass by maintaining due vigilance and clearing all bottles, glasses, and mugs on a regular basis from the bar, toilet areas and other external areas of the building.
Any unattended drinking vessels must be collected as soon as possible to avoid the risk of injuries or drink spiking.
When collecting bottles, we will place them carefully and quietly into a glass bin to avoid any undue noise and risk of broken glass. Bottles should never be tossed or hastily dropped from a height – not only does this increase the risk of smashed glass, but it also makes a hideous loud noise negatively affecting the customer’s experience.
Clearing Broken Glass
All staff have a responsibility for the clearance of any glassware found either on the floor or in a hazardous position, both inside and out of the venue.
Ensure when using the glass sweep that all fragments of glass have been completely cleared. Be vigilant to other fragments of glass that may have scattered beyond the initial breakage area. Smaller shards can be propelled up to 10 ft.
In addition, ensure that if the breakage caused a spillage that this area is dried, and a wet floor sign is placed there.
Bottle Bins
Bottle bins will be emptied on a regular basis before they are completely full and overflowing.
Bottle bins should be taken out of the nearest exit and not wheeled through the venue unnecessarily. This also applies when the bottle bins have been emptied – the bottle bin should return to the venue via the entrance/exit closest to the bar area.
Walking the Floor
When walking the floor, all staff must look for any hazard that could constitute a risk to fellow staff or customers, including spillages, cutlery, broken glass, bottles, or glass on the floor.
Should anyone come across any risks then they must both dry the spillage and place a wet floor sign to notify others and remove any offending items.
In addition, we should look to take pride in the venue – removing debris from the floor, such as torn up beer mats, chewing gum, food wastage etc. to keep the environment clean and inviting to customers – as well as safe. The cleanliness of the venue is a clear reflection of the management and staff, it will be one of the first things people judge us for when walking into a venue.
When all unattended and empty drinking vessels have been removed from the floor area, glass collectors and floor staff should walk around the venue and politely ask customers if they’d like us to give their table a wipe. Tables can turn very quickly during busier and later periods, before we have time to notice – so this additional step ensures all customers have a better experience, sitting at a clean table. Customers also notice and appreciate the extra steps we take to ensure they have a great experience.
When inspecting the outside, in-line with the smoking policy and the below information, we should also be ensuring there is no debris, tab-butts etc. in front of the venue.
Minimising Risk of Drinks/Vessels Being Take Outside
It is a condition of the premises license that we do not knowingly permit customers to leave the premises in possession of open containers of alcohol. Ensuring drinks are not taken outside also minimises the risk of spillages and breaking incidents.
Signage has been placed by the main exit to politely notify customers that they are not permitted to take any glassware outside of the venue.
Where SIA door staff are employed, they should ensure that customers do not take glassware outside – this is covered in the door staff induction found in the SIA folder.
A CCTV monitor is in view of bar staff. There is full coverage of both public entrances and exits on the monitor. Bar staff should utilise the monitor to ensure that drinks/vessels are not taken outside the venue.
In addition, when walking the floor all staff should routinely check on outside areas to ensure that no glassware/vessels have been taken outside.
Training
All staff must be trained in this policy every 6 months. Management must ensure that staff are understand this policy and are aware of their responsibilities. This training should be recorded in the training log.