Compliance Management for Bowling Alleys
Handle lane equipment, food service, and licensing compliance with digital tools built for bowling operations.
The Challenge
Bowling alleys juggle complex equipment maintenance, food and beverage service, alcohol licensing, and unique hygiene challenges like rental shoe sanitisation. With pinsetters, ball returns, and lane machinery requiring regular maintenance, plus busy F&B operations and often an arcade area, paper-based systems can't keep up. Problems surface when equipment injuries occur without maintenance records, EHO find gaps in food safety documentation, or licensing conditions aren't being met.
How Assistant Manager Solves Bowling Alleys Compliance
Each module is designed to address the specific challenges bowling alleys businesses face every day.
Checklist Management
Bowling alleys need equipment-specific checklists for pinsetters, ball returns, and lane machinery, plus unique hygiene tracking for rental shoes and F&B compliance across restaurant, bar, and snack service
The Problems
Why This Matters for Bowling Alleys
- Lane equipment checks are rushed or skipped during busy periods, with pinsetters, ball returns, and scoring systems not properly inspected before lanes are opened to customers
Equipment malfunctions cause customer injuries or damage, and without maintenance records you can't prove the equipment was regularly inspected
- Rental shoe sanitisation logs are incomplete or not done at all, with shoes going back on shelves without proper treatment between customers
Customers complain about foot hygiene, fungal infections spread, and EHO inspections find no evidence of systematic shoe sanitisation
The Solution
How Checklist Management Helps
Lane-by-lane digital checklists covering equipment safety, shoe sanitisation with batch tracking, and F&B temperature logging with automated reminders
Every lane is verified safe before opening, every pair of shoes is documented as sanitised, and managers see instantly when any check is overdue
Use Cases:
- • Daily pinsetter and lane equipment safety checks
- • Rental shoe sanitisation batch logging with treatment verification
- • Ball return mechanism inspection checklists
- • Kitchen and restaurant HACCP temperature logging
- • Bar cleaning and beer line maintenance schedules
- • Arcade machine safety checks (if applicable)
- • End-of-night closing and security procedures
Feature Screenshot
Checklist Management
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Lane equipment checks are rushed or skipped during busy periods, with pinsetters, ball returns, and scoring systems not properly inspected before lanes are opened to customers
Real Scenario
"A pinsetter jams and a pin ricochets, striking a customer. Investigation reveals the daily pinsetter check log has missing entries for 5 of the last 10 days - the duty manager admits 'we don't always have time when it's busy'."
Example 2: Rental shoe sanitisation logs are incomplete or not done at all, with shoes going back on shelves without proper treatment between customers
Real Scenario
"A customer develops athlete's foot and claims it came from your rental shoes. Your sanitisation log shows sporadic entries - some days nothing, some days 'all shoes done' with no detail. You can't prove the shoes were actually treated."
Employee Scheduling
Bowling alleys with bar service need personal licence holder coverage during all alcohol serving hours, plus flexible staffing for league nights, parties, and weekend peaks
The Problems
Why This Matters for Bowling Alleys
- Rotas are created without checking personal licence holder availability, leaving evening shifts without qualified staff to authorise alcohol sales
Alcohol is sold without proper authorisation, putting your premises licence at risk during police or licensing authority checks
- Weekend league nights and party bookings require extra staffing, but there's no visibility of who's available or already working maximum hours
Events are understaffed causing poor customer experience, or staff work excessive hours leading to fatigue and Working Time Regulations breaches
The Solution
How Employee Scheduling Helps
Drag-and-drop scheduling with personal licence holder tracking, event-aware staffing requirements, and automatic qualification verification
Every shift has required licensed staff, event bookings automatically trigger staffing alerts, and Working Time compliance is monitored automatically
Use Cases:
- • Personal licence holder scheduling for alcohol service coverage
- • League night and party booking staffing requirements
- • Lane technician and maintenance staff scheduling
- • F&B and kitchen staff rota management
- • First aider and fire warden coverage requirements
- • Part-time and casual staff availability tracking
- • Working Time Regulations compliance monitoring
Feature Screenshot
Employee Scheduling
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Rotas are created without checking personal licence holder availability, leaving evening shifts without qualified staff to authorise alcohol sales
Real Scenario
"A Saturday night shift has no personal licence holder scheduled. Staff sell alcohol anyway because 'we've always done it'. A police licensing visit finds the breach and formal action follows against your premises licence."
Example 2: Weekend league nights and party bookings require extra staffing, but there's no visibility of who's available or already working maximum hours
Real Scenario
"A corporate league night brings 60 extra customers. You're understaffed because the booking wasn't visible on the rota. Service is slow, food orders are delayed, and customers complain publicly."
Training & Development
Bowling alleys need training covering specialist lane equipment, food safety for varied F&B operations, alcohol licensing awareness, and customer service in a family entertainment environment
The Problems
Why This Matters for Bowling Alleys
- Lane technicians learn 'on the job' from colleagues with no formal training records, and knowledge about specific pinsetter models is held in one person's head
When the experienced technician is absent, nobody can properly maintain equipment, leading to lane closures and safety risks
- Food hygiene and alcohol licensing training is done once during induction and never refreshed, with no record of what was actually covered
Staff make food safety or licensing errors because their training is outdated, and you can't demonstrate competency to inspectors
The Solution
How Training & Development Helps
Digital training with equipment-specific technical modules, food hygiene certification tracking, and automatic refresher scheduling
Lane technicians have documented competency, food safety certifications never expire unnoticed, and you can prove training to any inspector
Use Cases:
- • Pinsetter and lane equipment maintenance training
- • Food hygiene Level 2 certification tracking
- • Allergen awareness for F&B staff
- • Personal licence holder training management
- • Shoe sanitisation procedure training
- • First aid certification tracking
- • New starter induction with role-specific content
- • Customer service and accessibility training
Feature Screenshot
Training & Development
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Lane technicians learn 'on the job' from colleagues with no formal training records, and knowledge about specific pinsetter models is held in one person's head
Real Scenario
"Your head technician is off sick for a week. The pinsetter on Lane 4 develops a fault. Other staff attempt repairs but make it worse, and the lane is closed for the entire weekend - your busiest period."
Example 2: Food hygiene and alcohol licensing training is done once during induction and never refreshed, with no record of what was actually covered
Real Scenario
"During an EHO visit, a kitchen staff member can't explain cross-contamination prevention or allergen procedures. Their food hygiene certificate expired 2 years ago. The inspector notes this as evidence of inadequate food safety management."
Time Clock & Attendance
Bowling alleys with multiple operational areas need attendance tracking that shows who was where, plus maintenance time logging to inform equipment replacement decisions
The Problems
Why This Matters for Bowling Alleys
- Staff clock in on arrival but then disappear to help in different areas, with no record of where they actually worked or who was covering each zone
When incidents occur, you can't prove who was supervising the lane area, and payroll doesn't reflect actual work done in different departments
- Lane technicians spend time on repairs that isn't tracked, making it impossible to identify which equipment is consuming maintenance hours
Equipment that needs replacing continues to absorb technician time, and maintenance costs aren't accurately tracked
The Solution
How Time Clock & Attendance Helps
Zone-based clock in/out tracking, maintenance task time logging, and real-time visibility of staff locations across lanes, F&B, and arcade areas
Accurate records of where staff worked, maintenance time is tracked per lane and equipment, and incident investigations have reliable attendance data
Use Cases:
- • Zone-based attendance tracking (lanes, F&B, arcade)
- • Maintenance and repair time logging by equipment
- • Break tracking with compliance monitoring
- • Accurate timesheet generation for payroll
- • Real-time visibility for duty managers
- • Overtime tracking during busy periods
- • Attendance records for incident investigation
Feature Screenshot
Time Clock & Attendance
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Staff clock in on arrival but then disappear to help in different areas, with no record of where they actually worked or who was covering each zone
Real Scenario
"A child is injured in the lane area. The incident report lists staff on duty, but CCTV shows the listed lane supervisor was actually helping in the kitchen for an hour during the incident. You can't prove who was responsible for lane supervision."
Example 2: Lane technicians spend time on repairs that isn't tracked, making it impossible to identify which equipment is consuming maintenance hours
Real Scenario
"Lane 12's pinsetter has ongoing issues. You don't realise your technician is spending 4 hours every week keeping it running. When it finally fails completely, you discover replacement would have been cheaper months ago."
Risk Assessment
Bowling alleys need risk assessments covering lane equipment, varied F&B operations, arcade areas, and activity-specific variants for glow bowling, children parties, and league nights
The Problems
Why This Matters for Bowling Alleys
- Lane area risk assessments were created when the centre opened and haven't been updated for new equipment, changed layouts, or added activities like glow bowling
Risk assessments don't reflect current operations, providing no protection when incidents occur in new or changed areas
- Children's parties and special events have no specific risk assessments, relying on general venue assessments that don't cover bumpers, ramps, or age-specific hazards
When a child is injured during a party, investigation finds no evidence you assessed the specific risks of children using adult equipment
The Solution
How Risk Assessment Helps
Lane-specific risk assessments with activity-based variants, AI-suggested controls for special events, and automatic review reminders when services change
Risk assessments stay current and specific to each activity, special events are properly assessed, and changes trigger automatic risk reviews
Use Cases:
- • Lane area and equipment risk assessments
- • Glow/cosmic bowling specific hazard assessments
- • Children's party risk assessments
- • Kitchen and food service risk assessments
- • Bar and alcohol service risk assessments
- • Arcade area risk assessments (if applicable)
- • Event and private hire risk assessments
Feature Screenshot
Risk Assessment
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Lane area risk assessments were created when the centre opened and haven't been updated for new equipment, changed layouts, or added activities like glow bowling
Real Scenario
"You introduce 'cosmic bowling' with UV lighting and glow effects. A customer trips in the darkened lanes. Your risk assessment doesn't mention UV lighting, reduced visibility, or the specific hazards of glow bowling - it still describes standard daytime operations."
Example 2: Children's parties and special events have no specific risk assessments, relying on general venue assessments that don't cover bumpers, ramps, or age-specific hazards
Real Scenario
"A 6-year-old trips over a ball return during a birthday party. Your risk assessment covers general lane operations but has nothing about children's parties, ball weight for small children, or the use of bumpers and ramps."
Accident & Incident Records
Bowling alleys see incidents across lanes, F&B areas, and arcade zones - needing quick reporting that captures equipment-specific issues and supports insurance claims
The Problems
Why This Matters for Bowling Alleys
- Customer incidents are recorded informally in a notebook at reception, with no structured process for capturing witness details, photos, or follow-up actions
When compensation claims arrive, you have incomplete or illegible records with no evidence of what actually happened or what you did about it
- Equipment faults and near-misses aren't formally reported, so recurring problems with specific lanes or machines aren't identified until someone is hurt
The same equipment fault causes multiple near-misses before finally injuring a customer, at which point investigation reveals the problem was known
The Solution
How Accident & Incident Records Helps
Mobile incident reporting with structured forms, photo evidence, equipment fault logging, and trend analysis to identify problem lanes
Every incident is documented immediately with complete evidence, equipment faults are tracked systematically, and patterns are identified before serious injuries occur
Use Cases:
- • Customer injury documentation with witness capture
- • Equipment fault and near-miss reporting
- • Slip, trip, and fall documentation
- • Food safety incident recording
- • RIDDOR determination for serious incidents
- • Trend analysis by lane and equipment
- • Insurance claim evidence preparation
Feature Screenshot
Accident & Incident Records
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Customer incidents are recorded informally in a notebook at reception, with no structured process for capturing witness details, photos, or follow-up actions
Real Scenario
"A customer claims they slipped on spilled drink near the lanes and injured their knee. Your notebook entry says 'customer fall - first aid given'. No witness names, no photos, no detail on the spill or how it was cleaned up. The claim succeeds."
Example 2: Equipment faults and near-misses aren't formally reported, so recurring problems with specific lanes or machines aren't identified until someone is hurt
Real Scenario
"Ball return on Lane 8 has 'always been a bit dodgy' according to staff. A customer's finger is caught in the mechanism. Investigation reveals three previous complaints about the same machine, none formally recorded."
COSHH Assessments
Bowling alleys use specialist chemicals for lane maintenance and shoe hygiene alongside standard F&B and cleaning products - all need proper COSHH management
The Problems
Why This Matters for Bowling Alleys
- Lane oil, cleaning chemicals, and shoe sanitiser are used without COSHH assessments, and new products are introduced based on supplier deals without safety assessment
Staff develop skin reactions from lane oil, shoe sanitiser causes respiratory issues, or incorrect dilution makes sanitisation ineffective
- Kitchen degreasers, bar glass wash chemicals, and cleaning products have no assessments because 'they're the same as everywhere else'
EHO find no COSHH assessments for food contact surface sanitisers, questioning your entire food safety approach
The Solution
How COSHH Assessments Helps
COSHH assessment management covering lane chemicals, shoe sanitisers, and F&B cleaning products, with mobile SDS access and training integration
Every chemical has a current assessment, staff can access safety information instantly, and you can demonstrate proper management to inspectors
Use Cases:
- • Lane conditioning oil and cleaning chemical assessments
- • Shoe sanitiser COSHH management
- • Kitchen degreaser and food area sanitisers
- • Bar glass wash chemical assessments
- • Toilet and public area cleaning products
- • Staff training records for chemical handling
- • Mobile SDS access for first aid response
Feature Screenshot
COSHH Assessments
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Lane oil, cleaning chemicals, and shoe sanitiser are used without COSHH assessments, and new products are introduced based on supplier deals without safety assessment
Real Scenario
"A lane technician develops a skin rash from handling lane conditioning oil. Investigation reveals no COSHH assessment, no gloves requirement documented, and no training on safe handling. The HSE issue an improvement notice."
Example 2: Kitchen degreasers, bar glass wash chemicals, and cleaning products have no assessments because 'they're the same as everywhere else'
Real Scenario
"During a hygiene inspection, EHO ask about chemical safety in the kitchen. You have no COSHH assessments, no dilution records, and staff can't explain safe handling procedures. This is recorded as a significant failing."
HR Management
Bowling alleys need to track personal licence holders, lane technicians, food handlers, and first aiders across a mix of full-time and casual staff
The Problems
Why This Matters for Bowling Alleys
- Personal licence holder qualifications, lane technician certifications, and food hygiene certificates are tracked on spreadsheets that aren't kept current
Qualifications expire without notice, and you discover gaps only when inspectors ask or when you need cover and can't find qualified staff
- Staff emergency contacts and medical conditions collected during induction are filed in the office and inaccessible when actually needed
When a staff member has a medical emergency, first aiders can't access relevant medical information or contact next of kin
The Solution
How HR Management Helps
Complete employee profiles with certification tracking, mobile access to emergency information, and automatic expiry alerts for all qualifications
All qualifications are current with automatic renewal alerts, emergency information is accessible anywhere, and scheduling can verify required certifications
Use Cases:
- • Personal licence holder qualification tracking
- • Lane technician certification management
- • Food hygiene certificate tracking
- • First aid certification with expiry alerts
- • Emergency contact quick access
- • Staff medical information for emergencies
- • Right-to-work document management
Feature Screenshot
HR Management
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Personal licence holder qualifications, lane technician certifications, and food hygiene certificates are tracked on spreadsheets that aren't kept current
Real Scenario
"Your personal licence holder is off sick. You check who else can cover - but the spreadsheet is 6 months old. Two people listed have left, one's certificate expired. You end up closing the bar."
Example 2: Staff emergency contacts and medical conditions collected during induction are filed in the office and inaccessible when actually needed
Real Scenario
"A lane technician has an accident in the machine room. He's unconscious and first aiders need emergency contact and medical info - but his file is locked in the manager's office and the manager is off site."
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