RSA Safe Serving Practices & Alcohol Effects on the Body 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: At approximately what Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) does the average person begin to lose muscle coordination?
- 0.02%
- 0.05% (Correct answer)
- 0.08%
- 0.15%
Correct answer: 0.05%
At around 0.05% BAC, balance and fine motor control begin to deteriorate noticeably.
Question 2: A guest orders their fourth drink in 90 minutes and appears steady on their feet. What is the most responsible server action?
- Serve the drink since the guest seems fine
- Slow service by offering water and food first (Correct answer)
- Immediately cut the guest off
- Ask a coworker to make the decision
Correct answer: Slow service by offering water and food first
Offering food and water slows absorption and gives you time to reassess without an abrupt refusal.
Question 3: Which organ is primarily responsible for metabolizing alcohol in the body?
- Kidneys
- Stomach
- Liver (Correct answer)
- Pancreas
Correct answer: Liver
The liver breaks down roughly one standard drink per hour through enzymatic oxidation.
Question 4: How does carbonation in drinks like champagne or soda mixers affect alcohol absorption?
- It slows absorption by diluting the alcohol
- It has no measurable effect on absorption
- It speeds absorption by relaxing the pyloric valve (Correct answer)
- It prevents alcohol from entering the bloodstream
Correct answer: It speeds absorption by relaxing the pyloric valve
Carbonation causes the pyloric valve to open faster, allowing alcohol to pass into the small intestine more quickly.
Question 5: A female guest and a male guest of equal weight consume the same number of drinks. Why might the female reach a higher BAC?
- Women absorb alcohol faster due to higher stomach enzyme levels
- Women generally have a higher percentage of body fat and lower water content, concentrating alcohol (Correct answer)
- Men metabolize alcohol twice as fast due to testosterone
- Gender has no physiological effect on BAC
Correct answer: Women generally have a higher percentage of body fat and lower water content, concentrating alcohol
Women typically have less body water per pound than men, so the same amount of alcohol becomes more concentrated in their blood.
Question 6: Which of the following is a reliable field sign that a guest's BAC may be approaching 0.08% or higher?
- Ordering a non-alcoholic beverage
- Slurred speech and difficulty finding words (Correct answer)
- Increased appetite and frequent restroom visits
- Improved focus and quieter behavior
Correct answer: Slurred speech and difficulty finding words
Slurred speech is a classic sign of central nervous system depression consistent with BAC levels at or above the legal limit.
Question 7: What is the best way to slow a patron's alcohol absorption while they are still at your establishment?
- Serve them only light beer
- Provide free high-fat, high-protein food (Correct answer)
- Give them a large glass of water between drinks
- Encourage dancing to speed their metabolism
Correct answer: Provide free high-fat, high-protein food
High-fat and high-protein foods slow gastric emptying, which significantly delays alcohol entering the bloodstream.
RSA Safe Serving Practices & Alcohol Effects on the Body 2
At approximately what Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) does the average person begin to lose muscle coordination?